A development application has been lodged for the refurbishment and extension of an existing Bracken Ridge Hotel Designed by KP Architects the proposal aims to improve the overall amenity for customers and enhance the layout and appearance of the existing retail and dining spaces The refurbishment includes upgrades to the hotel and an extension of the shopping centre over several stages Designed by KP Architects the proposal seeks to refurbish and extend hotel’s existing and open-aired shopping centre which will improve the amenity for customers using the shopping centre the architectural design provides for a high level of articulation and variation through variation in building form external design elements and variation in material treatments” For more updates on development projects, follow Your Neighbourhood on Facebook News articles are presented in an unbiased manner using publicly accessible information that includes referenced links for the reader to obtain any further information The facts of the proposed government projects school upgrades and development applications are based on the available information at the time of the published date with information sourced directly from company websites media releases and development application material We reference all our information at the end of the articles and promote the creators with website backlinks Contact us: mail@yourneighbourhood.com.au Browse Council's online library catalogue anywhere Browse Council's online library catalogue anywhere ISPT has sold a north Brisbane shopping centre after nine years Bracken Ridge Plaza at Bracken Ridge collected $39.39m following an off-market deal settling late last month to private local group It paid Bookworld founders and ex-owners Terry Herbert and David Dodd $29m The centre was the Melbourne based group’s first in Brisbane Bracken Ridge Plaza contains 6079 square metres anchored to Coles There are also 25 specialty stores (story continues below) ISPT held it in the Retail Australia Property Trust The disposal comes five months since the fund manager sold its stake in Melbourne’s Cranbourne Park for nearly $130m to Chris Lock’s IP Generation Mid last year it also divested a strata titled Dee Why, Sydney, mall It has also backed major retail including in December, when it acquired the 50pc interest it didn’t control in Mornington Central Bracken Ridge is about 18 kilometres from town Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page A former property analyst and print journalist Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au Forgot your password? You will receive mail with link to set new password Back to login Detectives have charged two men with property offences and arson after a number of builders' vehicles and trailers were allegedly stolen in Brisbane's north over the last month Police executed two search warrants on Thursday builders' tools and other stolen property was located during the searches with a combined estimated value of $130,000 it is alleged two men attempted to cut the padlock securing a builder's trailer to a truck in Stafford The owner of the truck heard the men and went outside at which time they fled a builder's truck was destroyed by a fire that was allegedly deliberately lit in Stafford a builder's ute was allegedly stolen from a Stafford work site The ute was located on April 19 on Brentwick Street at Chermside an enclosed trailer was allegedly stolen overnight The trailer was located in Newmarket a few hours later CCTV showed the vehicle allegedly used to steal the trailer was the work ute stolen from Stafford on April 7 A 28-year-old Stafford man and a 34-year-old Bracken Ridge man have both been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle enter premises and commit indictable offence possessing suspected stolen property and three counts of stealing The 34-year-old Bracken Ridge man has also been charged with nine counts of receiving tainted property and two counts of wilful damage The 28-year-old Stafford man has also been charged with one count of possession of dangerous drug (methylamphetamine) and one count of wilful damage Both men are expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today Investigations are continuing and detectives are continuing their efforts to identify owners of some of the tools recovered Builders and tradespeople are reminded to secure tools trailers and vehicles: https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/brisbanenorth/2025/04/11/crime-prevention-tips-tool-theft/ contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444 Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au Learn about facilities and services at our libraries Enjoy the full range of services on offer at Brisbane libraries.  and enjoy free internet access and computer training.  Enjoy the full range of services on offer at Brisbane libraries.  and enjoy free internet access and computer training.  PC use and training opportunities for all members.   Wi-Fi access is available in all our libraries you’ll need a valid library card and PIN.  PC use and training opportunities for all members.   you’ll need a valid library card and PIN.  Printing and photocopying services are available at all Council library locations except for the mobile and pop-up libraries The learning lounge is a free space available at Brisbane Square Library where you can use a computer for up to 2 hours The area is for specific learning and research purposes You can use it on your own or with a group to: You can book a learning lounge computer up to one week in advance.  To book, speak to library staff in person or call Brisbane Square Library on 07 3403 4166. You can book a learning lounge computer up to one week in advance.  To book, speak to library staff in person or call Brisbane Square Library on 07 3403 4166. You can attend computer training courses at Brisbane libraries. Learn more You can attend computer training courses at Brisbane libraries. Learn more Most of our libraries have well-equipped meeting rooms for hire Three types of meeting rooms are available.  Three types of meeting rooms are available.  be sure to ask for meeting room hours at the time of booking. Note that not all facilities are available at every location be sure to ask for meeting room hours at the time of booking. Note that not all facilities are available at every location Category 1 meeting rooms can seat 10-50 people Category 1 meeting rooms may not have access outside library opening hours or separate toilets or kitchenettes Most category 2 meeting rooms are available 7 days a week You must specify if you will use the kitchenette for category 2 meeting room bookings Available only at Brisbane Square Library on level 2 The following fees apply to community groups using the meeting room for commercial purposes or when charging an entry fee These fees apply to business or government use (other than Council) Members can access library resources and collect holds using our 24/7 library lockers.  Members can access library resources and collect holds using our 24/7 library lockers.  You can place up to 20 holds (including books magazines and CDs) for collection from a 24/7 locker.  magazines and CDs) for collection from a 24/7 locker.  Select the 24/7 library locker where you’ll collect the item.  Select the 24/7 library locker where you’ll collect the item.  You will receive a notification when your item is ready for collection Scan the barcode on your library membership card (either the physical card or the barcode on the BNELibraries app) choose 'Select all' then 'Check out selections' to borrow your items The door to the locker with your item will automatically open Choose 'Done' to complete your transaction You have 7 days to collect holds from the date of the first hold notification.  You have 7 days to collect holds from the date of the first hold notification.  Watch the demonstration video to see how to use our 24/7 library lockers The 24/7 library locker ‘how to’ video shows an image of the 24/7 library locker located on the covered outdoor deck at Holland Park Library with the text ‘How to use Council’s 24/7 library lockers’ The ‘how to’ video then shows close-up vision of a library customer using an iPad to scroll through a search result on Brisbane City Council’s online library catalogue When the customer finds the search result item they would like to borrow from the library they click on the ‘Place Hold’ button associated with the library item A ‘Place Hold(s)’ pop-up menu appears on the iPad screen and the library customer clicks on the drop-down menu to nominate their preference for ‘Pickup Library’ The customer is shown selecting ‘Holland Park 24/7 Library Locker’ from the list of library locations The customer then clicks on the ‘Place Hold(s)’ button and the pop-up menu updates to read that the hold has been successfully placed The customer then clicks on the ‘OK’ button to close the pop-up menu.  The ‘how to’ video then shows close-up vision of a library customer using a mobile phone to open the BNE Libraries app The library customer clicks on the digital library card icon at the bottom of the screen and the customer’s library membership barcode appears on the screen The ‘how to’ video then shows the library customer walking towards the 24/7 library locker located on the covered outdoor deck at Holland Park Library The customer holds his mobile phone with the library membership barcode loaded on the screen against the 24/7 library locker barcode scanner The ‘how to video shows close-up vision of the 24/7 library locker screen with the title ‘Holland Park Library’ and the screen subheading for ‘Hold(s) Collection’ and underneath these headings the customer’s list of current hold items appears The library customer presses the ‘Select All’ button on the screen and then presses the ‘Check-Out Selected’ button on the screen The ‘how to’ video then shows close-up vision of one door on the 24/7 library locker popping open and the customer reaches in to retrieve his hold items from the open locker The ‘how to’ video then shows close-up vision of the 24/7 library locker display screen which shows as each item on the library customer’s hold list is ticked on the list as collected and the video returns to close-up vision of the customer lifting his hold items from the open locker which shows all items listed on the screen with a green tick for collection and the customer presses the ‘Done’ button on the screen The screen updates with a message that reads ‘Thank you – Items checked out: 5’ The ‘how to’ video changes to a blue screen featuring Brisbane City Council’s logo, and text that reads ‘To place a hold or for more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/libraries’ The customer then clicks on the ‘OK’ button to close the pop-up menu.  The ‘how to’ video changes to a blue screen featuring Brisbane City Council’s logo, and text that reads ‘To place a hold or for more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/libraries’ We offer a free home library delivery service for residents who are unable to visit a library due to illness or other circumstances.  our library staff will curate a collection of reading materials for you These items are delivered once a month.  We offer a free home library delivery service for residents who are unable to visit a library due to illness or other circumstances.  These items are delivered once a month.  This service is available to Brisbane residents that are unable to visit a library due to frailty disability or long-term illness.  Download and complete the application form Download and complete the application form DOC  •   50 KB   •   Last modified October 2023 2. Return the completed form for assessment: You’ll receive a letter to confirm your membership.  2. Return the completed form for assessment: You’ll receive a letter to confirm your membership.  visual and other media to digital files at Carindale and Chermside library media conversion stations You’ll need a USB stick (minimum 8 gigabytes) or portable hard drive so you can save your digital files If you’re not confident using a Windows computer Brisbane libraries offer a free audiobook postal service for people who are blind or vision impaired.  The service posts audiobooks to residents within the Brisbane local government area Eligible residents receive a new selection of audiobooks based on their reading profiles and preferences upon the return of their previous mail delivery.  For information about eligibility for this service, contact Banyo Library on 07 3403 2200.  Brisbane libraries offer a free audiobook postal service for people who are blind or vision impaired.  Eligible residents receive a new selection of audiobooks based on their reading profiles and preferences upon the return of their previous mail delivery.  For information about eligibility for this service, contact Banyo Library on 07 3403 2200.  The library pick-up service is where family or friends of people who are housebound can collect pre-selected reading materials from a library For more information about this service, contact your local library or contact Council For more information about this service, contact your local library or contact Council Learn about Council’s shared transport service Eligible users can book this service to help them with essential shopping Council offers a shared transport service for those who find it difficult to access essentials Council Cabs transports eligible users to and from shopping centres within their local area on set days and times Each one-way trip costs between $1 to $2.50 Check the schedule to find available Council Cabs services in your area You can search using your destination or suburb You can search using your destination or suburb To book a Council Cab, phone 07 3403 2227 To book a Council Cab, phone 07 3403 2227 Council’s low-cost Personal Public Transport service helps connect Brisbane residents to their local hubs.\r\n Council’s low-cost Personal Public Transport service helps connect Brisbane residents to their local hubs Experienced agent Jess Dignon has joined the high performing team at Coronis Bracken Ridge a move sparked by her desire for growth and continuous improvement.  Agency Directors Cassandra and Dion Saab said “we are proud to welcome Jess to the team and we are excited to support her achieve her goals.” Ms Dignon has seen all sides of real estate.  she transitioned into a sales admin role before thriving as an office manager.  she has turned her focus to sales and excelled Having lived and worked in the local area nearly all her life Ms Dignon felt inspired by not only Coronis Bracken Ridge’s high sales performance but their commitment to servicing the local community “The team at Coronis Bracken Ridge has been incredibly supportive and everyone just wants one another to do well,” Ms Dignon said “While I knew Dion was an elite agent it shocked me just how much support and help he provides the team.  and that just inspires me and the rest of the team to give our best and help each other in any way we can.” Dion Saab was named Sales Agent of the Year for Highest Fee Settled and Most Settled Sales at the Coronis Annual Awards Coronis Group CEO Karuna Mazzocchi said Ms Dignon will be an asset to the team “Cass and Dion have built an incredibly strong team at Bracken Ridge and I’m certain Jess will only strengthen it,” Ms Mazzocchi said News Sitemap This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Link copiedShareShare articleSome South-East Queensland residents have had power restored on Sunday with 230,000 people affected down from 330,000 on Saturday night.12,500 homes were without power in northern NSW on Sunday afternoon.We're gathering live power outage data from the affected areas' electricity distribution network providers Energex* Essential Energy and Ergon.*Energex map data was last reported at 11:15pm on Sunday See the table below the map for an up-to-date list of suburbs in South-East Queensland experiencing power outages ABC Emergency will broadcast regular warnings on ABC Radio. You can find more information, including a map of all the warnings, by clicking here. You can also find these stations on the ABC Listen App CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Police are investigating the death of a one-year-old boy who was in Brisbane daycare Emergency services were called to a private address in Wakerley in the city’s east on Monday about 3.30pm after reports the boy experienced a medical episode Police investigations were continuing into the cause of the death and we’ll be back with you tomorrow morning A relieved Alex de Minaur survived countryman Jordan Thompson’s challenge to reach the US Open quarter-finals.Credit: Getty Images A rigorous blind tasting by more than 60 water industry representatives has decided water from the Isaac Regional Council’s Glenden Scheme and Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Hervey Bay Scheme were joint winners in a “best of the best” competition for taste and quality The taste test took place at the aptly named Waters Edge Function Centre in Brisbane as part of the Queensland Water Directorate’s 2024 annual forum Industry members sampling water at the Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test Isaac council’s entry this year came from Glenden a rural town of 475 people which services a large coal mine while Fraser Coast’s Burgowan water treatment plant sources water from Lake Lenthall on the Burrum River which supplies drinking water to the south-east also entered the competition but did not make the winner’s podium More than half of young Queenslanders are feeling stressed and anxious with health experts warning the sharp mental health decline is a result of social media Research by Health and Wellbeing Queensland revealed that nine in 10 people aged between 14 and 25 had experienced a negative change in their wellbeing in the past year John Gerrard blamed social media as the instigator in the decline of mental health among young people Young people reported feeling more stressed and anxious putting on weight and feeling less resilient Read more. Former CFMEU head Jade Ingham says he firmly believes the CFMEU’s former leaders will win the High Court fight against the government’s forced administration laws The federal parliament passed laws in August which allowed the embattled union to be forced into administration and overseen by an independent administrator for a minimum three-year period Former CFMEU official Jade Ingham speaks in Brisbane.Credit: Brisbane Times The laws were passed in response to a litany of issues exposed in the Building Bad investigation by this masthead The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes including alleged corruption and bikie infiltration “It’s our belief these laws are unconstitutional they’re undemocratic and definitely un-Australian These laws should concern any Australian who is concerned about our democracy,” Ingham said “These laws have been put in place by a bunch of politicians who have now usurped the entire legal justice system “They would have you believe it’s in response to a TV show a couple of weeks ago but a TV show that raised some allegations about a handful of people in a couple of states “This is an extraordinary attack on not just the CFMEU and its members these politicians have trampled over some really important foundation stones in our democracy.” your choice’ commenced and they have begun a crowdfunding campaign There is a crowdfunding platform,” he said “Whether you like the CFMEU or you hate the CFMEU this attack should concern anybody in this country that cares about our country and that cares about our democracy that is why the High Court challenge has been lodged.” The Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union has launched a High Court challenge against federal Labor’s forced administration of the embattled union Union sources closely involved in the case confirmed that former national president of the CFMEU Jade Ingham will file a High Court challenge Ingham is expected to speak in Brisbane at 2pm Registered nurses and midwives who have undertaken the necessary training can now perform abortions using the drug MS2-Step in the early stages of pregnancy The state Labor government’s amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 were passed by Parliament in March the drug was exclusively prescribed by doctors Abortion was decriminalised in 2018 and women can request a termination up to 22 weeks for any reason MS2-Step is a medication used to end an early pregnancy Police are searching for a man who stabbed a woman at a popular Tingalpa park this morning A police spokeswoman said officers were called to Minnippi Parkland about 10.15am where they found a woman in her 40s with cuts to her arms It was unclear whether there was any threat to the wider public as it had not been determined whether the pair were known to each other Opposition leader David Crisafulli has promised to turn Noosa into a safe night precinct (SNP) if he wins the October state election making the announcement at the Noosa Heads Surf Lifesaving Club this morning SNPs require venues to scan IDs if they are approved to sell alcohol after midnight and include other safety measures such as extra police “It’s one of the missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that Noosa hasn’t had access to a safe night precinct,” Crisafulli said In June, the Labor state government announced the appointment of a night life economy commissioner with the “night mayor” to work with businesses live music venues and entertainment precincts to boost the after-dark economy The seat of Noosa is currently held by Sandy Bolton A little girl was so malnourished her nappies and blankets left pressure sores on her body pleaded guilty to manslaughter after her stepdaughter Willow Dunn An autopsy showed four-year-old Willow Dunn was “deprived of food for an extended period of time”.Credit: Facebook When White took on the role as Willow’s stepmother Justice Peter Davis was told during sentencing submissions on Monday the crown said White stopped caring for the little girl with Down syndrome never left home and was rarely helped out of her bed in the months before her death crown prosecutor Nathan Crane told the judge Read the full report from AAP. That\\u2019s where we\\u2019ll leave our live updates and we\\u2019ll be back with you tomorrow morning A rigorous blind tasting by more than 60 water industry representatives has decided water from the Isaac Regional Council\\u2019s Glenden Scheme and Fraser Coast Regional Council\\u2019s Hervey Bay Scheme were joint winners in a \\u201Cbest of the best\\u201D competition for taste and quality The taste test took place at the aptly named Waters Edge Function Centre in Brisbane as part of the Queensland Water Directorate\\u2019s 2024 annual forum Isaac council\\u2019s entry this year came from Glenden while Fraser Coast\\u2019s Burgowan water treatment plant sources water from Lake Lenthall on the Burrum River also entered the competition but did not make the winner\\u2019s podium Former CFMEU head Jade Ingham says he firmly believes the CFMEU\\u2019s former leaders will win the High Court fight against the government\\u2019s forced administration laws The laws were passed in response to a litany of issues exposed in the investigation by this masthead \\u201CIt\\u2019s our belief these laws are unconstitutional they\\u2019re undemocratic and definitely un-Australian These laws should concern any Australian who is concerned about our democracy,\\u201D Ingham said \\u201CThese laws have been put in place by a bunch of politicians who have now usurped the entire legal justice system \\u201CThey would have you believe it\\u2019s in response to a TV show a couple of weeks ago some of us didn\\u2019t even know still existed \\u201CThis is an extraordinary attack on not just the CFMEU and its members these politicians have trampled over some really important foundation stones in our democracy.\\u201D Ingham said the campaign \\u2018Your union your choice\\u2019 commenced and they have begun a crowdfunding campaign \\u201CIt\\u2019s a public awareness campaign There is a crowdfunding platform,\\u201D he said \\u201CWhether you like the CFMEU or you hate the CFMEU that is why the High Court challenge has been lodged.\\u201D The Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union has launched a High Court challenge against federal Labor\\u2019s forced administration of the embattled union Emergency services were called to a private address in Wakerley in the city\\u2019s east on Monday about 3.30pm after reports the boy experienced a medical episode The state Labor government\\u2019s amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 were passed by Parliament in March \\u201CIt\\u2019s one of the missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that Noosa hasn\\u2019t had access to a safe night precinct,\\u201D Crisafulli said with the \\u201Cnight mayor\\u201D to work with businesses When White took on the role as Willow\\u2019s stepmother she called it a \\u201Csign from heaven\\u201D A development application has been lodged for the Sandgate Ambulance Station The site is currently vacant with no improvements whatsoever and has a single frontage to Hoyland Street to the west Designed by Peddle Thorp the proposal shall develop an ambulance station and shall be incorporated in two stages with a maximum building height of 2 storeys Stage 1 shall develop an ambulance station and plant room and stage 2 shall develop future expansion of vehicle accommodation up to 50 vehicles The proposal shall accommodate 10 ambulance vehicles in stage 1 and 50 vehicles in stage 2 Access arrangements include a new ‘signalized hot exit’ and new left in left out main-access arrangement onto Hoyland Street The planners at Bennett and Bennett Group state “The proposed site design will ‘blend’ into the existing public parkland to the south to allow visual continuity through the establishment of landscaping throughout the site The design will also allow for greater visual amenity from Hoyland Street due to the removal of parts of the acoustic barrier which is to be replaced with a non-solid security fencing This will allow cross flow ventilation of the premises additionally there will be an increase in casual surveillance of the existing cycle path which currently is not visible from Hoyland Street or any adjoining land uses.” We encourage you to like the Your Neighbourhood Facebook page to be updated on other projects or developments News articles are presented in an unbiased manner from information publicly accessible that include referenced links for the reader to obtain any further information We reference all our information at the end of the articles and promote the creators with website back links Meanjin the web of systematised police corruption that reached all the way to the Premier Joh Bjekle-Petersen This was before the transformative troika of the Commonwealth Games Expo ’88 and the Fitzgerald Inquiry let the sunshine in to the Murky State Even the Great Court’s classical sandstone columns could elevate this big country town where men wore knee high socks and short shorts and devilled eggs passed for haute cuisine It wasn’t that Brisbane had no culture; rather We were enthusiastically proud of our music scene—the fact its bands played under the jackboot of a quasi-police state lent its punk rock wailings a scruff of authenticity While they might have been ignored at home the influence of The Saints and The Go-Betweens was felt across the globe Nowadays there are prominent inner-city tributes to both bands A quick jog from the (misnamed) Go-Between Bridge lands you next to a massive mural commemorating the derelict house where The Saints recorded the video for ‘(I’m) Stranded’ Self-exile is an essential part of each band’s mythology Because we perceive that nothing can happen here It was true of Peter Porter and Gwen Harwood and it has been true for many of my friends It is even at the heart of Brisbane’s ur-literary text whose titular character snarls ‘This must be the bloody arsehole of the universe!’ Both Johnno and Dante Things seemed to be changing in the mid-90s I was in the middle of my teens and deciding that I wanted to be a writer Bands I moshed to at sweaty all-ages shows—Powderfinger Browsing through a QBD bookstore in the CBD looking for something to read on a kind of Catholic schoolboy’s mission-trip to the Philippines I came across Andrew McGahan’s recently published Praise—a Vogel Prize-winning novel of inner city sex and smack set half-a-dozen suburbs over from where I was raised It formed part of a kind of trilogy with Nick Earls’ ZigZag Street and John Birmingham’s He Died with a Felafel in His Hand declared that Brisbane was a place with stories worth telling less than a decade older than I was when I read it It would take work—the bio on the inside cover of McGahan’s book noted one unpublished and two abandoned novels—but it could be done here I have since learnt that Brisbane culture didn’t begin with Malouf or McGahan or The Go-Betweens A rich and thoughtful culture flourished here before the invasion  and the settler culture in this town is more complex than I originally took it to be William Hatherell outlines a pulsating history torqued by the influx of US soldiers garrisoned in the city during the Second World War continuing through to the healthy radical community of the 60s In the last couple of decades I have grown to treasure the contributions of Judith Wright The major survey of Molvig’s paintings which features work by many of the painters he mentored and championed currently hanging at the Queensland Art Gallery would suggest things are surfacing but it remains under appreciated in a town where we think of our culture as Allan Border I wouldn’t be the fiercely parochial Cane Toad I am if I didn’t love them all dearly It was a history still unknown to me when I graduated from uni in 2001 Brisbane still didn’t really seem like a town where things happened The hype around Brisbane’s music scene dimmed and McGahan like Malouf and The Go-Betweens before him A poet without PhD prospects but aspirations of being a novelist I wanted to go somewhere where things happened and instead of Hemingway’s Paris I took a job as an English teacher in one of Seoul’s satellite cities just as the 2002 World Cup kicked off leaving home with a broken heart after a relationship ended South Korea’s surprising march to the semi-finals proved a heady distraction but after the tournament’s euphoria receded I found myself marooned on a sandbank of grief and self-pity I stayed up till dawn downing tallies of Hite and watching movies on the Armed Forces Network I taught appallingly and wrote a dozen-or-so poems that I can still stand behind and with the promise of a reconciliation upon repatriation I packed my backpack and fled in the middle of the night A certain pitch of sun or the sound of construction could send me into a quiet panic A few years later I moved to London and saw as much of Europe as I could before my Working Holidaymaker Visa expired When I got home I applied for DFAT’s graduate program I made it to the final interview but thankfully no further—it was a bullet dodged but the claustrophobic compound life of a likely Pacific posting would have smothered me Instead I landed a temp job in the Queensland Police Service’s media unit a cascade of resignations scored me a job as a Media Advisor to the Police Minister I had a career and Brisbane was where I lived Up until about five years ago I toyed with the idea of moving particularly after a redundancy suddenly unmoored me Brisbane suits me as a poet and as a person as the national media manager for a health NGO gives me the opportunity to help people tell their stories to change public policy for the better I am involved with some of the city’s cultural institutions I love the limited size and scale of the place—big enough to have most of what I want small enough to not be gridlocked by people I can drive to almost a dozen cinemas in twenty minutes and the Australia Cinematheque is the best revival house in Australia I have come to grasp at its ancient history as Meanjin Its endless hills reveal new vistas every journey I love Maiwar and the fact that at least once a week I get to run along its banks and look at the lights of the office buildings reflected on the water I love the creeks trailing through our suburbs though in many cases they are as mistreated neglected and ignored as the life before occupation that they provide glimpses of the tin and timber houses propped ingeniously on stilts on the sides of vertiginous hills Some of the world’s best beaches are within a couple of hours’ drive I am renewed time and again by the verdancy of Bundjalung country and the silent hollows of Yugambeh land and though she could probably entice me away for an extended stint I have come to understand that writing isn’t about living in a particular place writing is a solitary pursuit that takes time and demands the minimisation of distractions place isn’t central to my poetry even if it is frequently seasoned by this town More often my poetry is about the language of the internet the way people express values through entertainments and politics how and why art works and what its limits are I can do that wherever I’ve got a broadband connection All of this isn’t to say that Brisbane is flawless poetry needs a community in the way that novels or essays arguably don’t Poems need audiences to hear their aural qualities while conversations about poetics the fundamental decisions and assumptions upon which a poem is constructed are important to the continued development of poems and poets From time-to-time I look enviously at Melbourne and Sydney Both cities have healthy poetry scenes with public readings reading groups and opportunities for conversations with poets To get a fraction of what people in the southern cities enjoy which hardly compares—mostly because there are simply more poets I try to visit them both regularly to talk poetics and hear the latest gossip I usually say I prefer the cinemas up here We need more poets who are offering perspectives outside of the Melbourne-Sydney axis This is as true of Brisbane poets as it is of Toowoomba poets as it is of Wagga Wagga poets as it is of Perth poets Just as it has deleteriously allowed people to retreat into ever narrower slivers of political comfort it has also allowed the adherents and proponents of fringe activities connect with poets from Gerringong to Takarazuka via Messenger or Twitter I find my lack of academic poetry qualifications more dislocating than geography Poetry has been swallowed verse and volta by the university and almost every poet I know has some kind of higher degree in the subject There is a kind of academic language of work that I simply don’t speak and that is far more difficult to bridge than sliding into someone’s DMs Dante and Johnno shuffle through Brisbane’s pubs in a kind of torpor maligning the city and longing for somewhere else ‘Brisbane was nothing,’ Dante sneers at one point because it had no soul.’ But Dante was wrong Malouf knew that when he wrote his novel memorialising a ramshackle Brisbane that was people have lived in and told stories about this place for tens of thousands of years This place matters because all places matter are as worthy of depiction as anything else the question of staying or going isn’t that simple I can’t escape thinking of my two oldest friends in writing Both have made undeniably substantial contributions to the fabric of this town’s literature If there is anything that bugs me about their absence But I feel that I have a small opportunity to contribute to ending the myth just by staying and writing because I love it here and I’m by no means alone Our literary scene might be small but it exists and every line we write is a smaller rejoinder to the forlorn declaration of Dante and Johnno in the Criterion Bar that this is ‘a place where poetry could never occur.’ Liam Ferney’s most recent collection is Hot Take (Hunter Publishing) It follows on from Content (Hunter Publishing) which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and the Judith Wright Calanthe Award and Boom (Grande Parade Poets) which was shortlisted for Judith Wright Calanthe Aware and the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry poet and aspiring left-back living in Brisbane *Editor’s note: Meanjin Quarterly acknowledges the irony of publishing a piece about staying in Brisbane when this publication itself moved to Melbourne from Brisbane in 1945 Since 1940, Australia’s literary culture has set out its fiercest ambitions in Meanjin. Quarterly in print, Daily online Subscribe A development application has been lodged for a Childcare Centre Designed by Husband Architects the proposal seeks a large two storey childcare centre over the site with a maximum building height (below 9.5 high) surrounded by an existing residential area The proposal will remove the two existing dwellings to facilitate the redevelopment The new building will include new acoustic mitigation measures and setbacks to avoid any unreasonable adverse impacts The proposed childcare centre includes 31 car parking spaces (one (1) PWD) within an undercroft car park area All vehicle and pedestrian access are provided to Wynnum Road The planners at Atomic Town Planning stated “The building has been designed to provide a bulk and scale that is compatible with the surrounding residential area with a significant portion of the lower level of the building being substantially cut into the allotment The building will appear as a single storey form from Norris Road and will provide a low scale interface with Chamberlain Place to the rear in combination with the mixed palette of typical residential building materials results in the building having a bulk and scale that is compatible with the surrounding Low Density Residential Zone“ The proposal includes 1,008sqm of gross floor area (GFA) with 1,114.40sqm (59.34%) site cover over the 1,878sqm development site We encourage you to like the Your Neighbourhood Facebook page [swt-fb-likebox url=”https://www.facebook.com/yourneighbourhood.com.au” width=”340″ height=”500″ tabs=”timeline,events,messages” hide_cover=”false” show_faces=”true” hide_call_action=”false” small_header=”false” adapt_container_width=”false”] [swt-fb-likebox url=”https://www.facebook.com/yourneighbourhoodperth” width=”340″ height=”500″ tabs=”timeline,events,messages” hide_cover=”false” show_faces=”true” hide_call_action=”false” small_header=”false” adapt_container_width=”false”] [swt-fb-likebox url=”https://www.facebook.com/yourneighbourhoodnorthqld” width=”340″ height=”500″ tabs=”timeline,events,messages” hide_cover=”false” show_faces=”true” hide_call_action=”false” small_header=”false” adapt_container_width=”false”] A development application has been lodged for a 7 Eleven Service Station Designed by i2C Architects located in the south portion of the overall site and the balance of the lot will remain vacant The proposed development will include a single storey building Fourteen (14) car parking spaces (one (1) PWD space) provided with separate dedicated air/water point Access is proposed via internal manoeuvring area to Bracken Ridge Road The boundaries of the site include a landscaped buffer with 19.5% site cover over the 2,273sqm development site area of the 10,126sqm overall area to be updated on other projects or developments in Brisbane or surrounds The development application has been lodged for Multiple Dwellings Designed by AR Developments the proposal seeks twenty nine (29) townhouses of a low-medium density arranged in clusters of 2-3 in a row with a maximum building height of 2 storey (less than 9.5m maximum) The rear of the site is to remain vacant for future redevelopment The proposal is within the Emerging Community zone and the existing detached dwelling will be removed to facilitate the proposed development The site has frontage to Bracken Ridge Road and the Gateway Motorway Each dwelling is provided with private open space in the form of courtyards that have been positioned outwards along the site boundaries Approximately 1,094sqm has been provided as communal open space to the of the site 52 car park spaces are provided (29 enclosed residents with vehicular and pedestrian access taken from Bracken Ridge Road via the new access driveway until such time as the adjoining lots are redeveloped The proposal includes 3,151sqm of gross floor area (GFA) with 2,513m2 or (37.23%) site cover over the 9,103sqm subject site Stage 1B of the Telegraph Road Corridor Upgrade project is from Norris Road to Mustang Street in Bracken Ridge One of the largest BMX tracks in Australia has opened in Queensland this week just in time for school holidays The BMX track in Bracken Ridge is Brisbane’s first professional BMX circuit and was designed by a specialist team with some experts who were behind the London Olympics BMX competition tracks The 5,700 square metre BMX facility contains runs for beginners intermediate and advanced riders and will feature 640 metres of asphalt track with freestyle jumps and obstacles ranging from 40cm to 160cm open to the public and is adjacent to the skate plaza and Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the Brisbane-first professional BMX circuit was part of Brisbane City Council’s commitment to create new lifestyle and leisure opportunities “The $2.3 million Bracken Ridge bicycle motocross track is the first of two-dedicated off-road freestyle and racing facilities to accommodate BMX enthusiasts and create more to see and do in Brisbane,” Cr Quirk said The BMX track is part of the Lord Mayor’s 2016-17 budget commitment for the construction of two new competition-grade BMX facilities A review of suitable sites across Brisbane identified Telegraph Road in Fitzgibbon as a preferred location to capitalise on existing infrastructure and best service Brisbane’s northern suburbs Freestyle riders from The Village BMX will be holding free lessons for children up to 17 years at the new Bracken Ridge BMX facility from 3-4.30pm on Wednesday See the Brisbane City Council press release Find out more about Bicycle Network and support us in making it easier for people to ride bikes The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry A new development application has been lodged for a Telecommunication Facility development located at 361 Bracken Ridge Road the Telecommunication Facility is proposed to stand at a height of 20 metres The design includes a mono pole facility structure All electronic equipment will be housed in an equipment base shelter (3.0m x 2.5m) within a fenced compound Access will be taken from Bracken Ridge Road with no access proposed from the Gateway Motorway According to the planners at Service Stream “the siting and design of the facility accounts for environmental constraints which are identified on the property A monopole design rather than a lattice tower was selected due to its slim line form and reduced bulk better adhering to the character and amenity of the Bracken Ridge area” The application was lodged 22 December 2016 @361 Bracken Ridge Road, Bracken Ridge. Source: Application Report and Plans were as prepared by Service Stream and available for review from BCC pdonline. See Council reference A004554877 for more information Nathan and Monaliza Baldwin have recently moved into the new home at Bracken Ridge with their children Ruby (4) and Oliver (8) Baldwin SAVVY young professionals with a desire to own a house with a backyard are set to flock to Brisbane’s latest up-and-coming suburban hot spots Your Property Your Wealth has named three northside and two southside suburbs set to shine The top picks for future price growth are Bracken Ridge Brighton and Petrie in Brisbane’s north and Springwood and Runcorn in the south Your Property Your Wealth director and buyer’s agent Daniel Walsh said not only did each location have capital growth prospects they also had superior current gross rental yields “There is no denying that Brisbane is on the radar of savvy investors with properties in many of these locations starting to already sell quite quickly,” Mr Walsh said moved into their four-bedroom Bracken Ridge home last month The Baldwins needed more space for their family and bought a double-storey home with city views for $805,000 after living in a low set property Mr Baldwin said when they first moved to the area it was “pretty flat” “It’s becoming more affordable and there’s decent schools nearby,” he said He said having lived in the area for 10 years recent highway upgrades meant they favoured going to the Sunshine Coast over the Gold Coast “Bracken Ridge may have had some stigma in the past but it’s now a nice family suburb,” he said Greater Brisbane median house price: $535,000 Ray White Bracken Ridge selling agent Roxanne Paterson said Bracken Ridge ticked all the boxes in regards to location schooling and of course the land size and calibre of homes on offer REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said outer suburbs within easy reach of the city were becoming increasingly popular particularly as the property market continued to strengthen and buyers seek affordable housing within close proximity to work Ms Mercorella said over the past five years and Springwood and Runcorn on the Southside have experienced growth in excess of 17 per cent “Buyers highly value easy access to public transport and these suburbs offer all of this in droves,” she said some of these suburbs afford residents a relatively short drive from the city and in the case of Springwood and Runcorn “Of course there’s the added value in purchasing property in suburbs close to highly sought after areas which neighbours Brighton have experienced rapid growth in recent years so it’s no surprise that nearby suburbs are following suit.” Mr Walsh said the affordability of Brisbane real estate was attracting investors near and far as were the potential rental returns that could be achieved Sydney investors are likely struggling with negative cash flow every week because yields there are just 2.8 per cent for houses and 3.6 per cent for housings investors are earning yields that southern investors can only dream about – at 4.3 per cent for houses and 5.3 per cent for units “We’ve been buying in select Brisbane suburbs for a few years now with many properties in positive cash flow or neutral territory from the outset as well as capital growth prospects to sweeten the outlook as well.” a lot of young professionals wanted to buy property with house and land “We are targeting affordable areas with good infrastructure,” he said “A lot of people are moving within 25km of the city so they can afford a home with a backyard for their kids to play “They don’t want to be cramped in an apartment Mr Walsh said it was common for investors to achieve five per cent yields on houses in Brisbane’s middle-ring suburbs given affordable buy-in prices and solid weekly rents He said each suburb had median house prices well below Brisbane’s and were located in areas with growing populations there are a number of major infrastructure projects that are set to further increase buyer demand in affordable property corridors such as these five,” Mr Walsh said “One of the most significant is construction of a new university campus in Petrie “Petrie has also benefited from the new Moreton Bay Rail-Link which was first recommended more than 100 years ago and finally opened in 2017.” Bracken Ridge is also on the radar of savvy homebuyers and investors given its median house price of just $495,000 yet it has a location only about 18km north of the Brisbane CBD “The suburb will also benefit from the proposed upgrade to the Gateway Motorway which will drastically improve travel times for commuters,” he said Mr Walsh said the charms of Brighton were well-known given its location on Moreton Bay as well as its myriad lifestyle attributes including its beautiful esplanade southerners will be astonished that its median house price is still just $560,000,” he said Mr Walsh said the southern suburbs of Springwood and Runcorn were also worthy of further inspection He said Springwood in particular had strong prospects in the years ahead given its determination as a future economic zone “Springwood’s median house price is just $525,000 plus its population is growing and it is set to become an economic hub in its own right in the future,” Mr Walsh said third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Fire authorities at scene of fatal house fire at Bracken Ridge on Brisbane's northside on April 26, 2013 (ABC News: Gail Burke) Link copiedShareShare articlePolice are continuing to investigate a fatal house fire on Brisbane's northside, which they are now treating as suspicious. The body of a man and his wife were discovered in the main bedroom of their Bracken Ridge home early Friday morning. The two-level brick house was gutted and fire officers say the blaze was so intense it melted glass. The man's two daughters, aged 17 and 21, and a man in his 20s escaped from the second storey. Authorities initially said the blaze had not been deliberately lit, but police have confirmed that has changed. They say the fire and deaths are now being treated as suspicious. Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents Ms Gillard has visited St Josephs Primary School in Bracken Ridge today. (ABC News: Eric Tlozek) Link copiedShareShare articleThe Federal Government has released figures suggesting all Queensland public schools would be significantly better off under the Gonski funding arrangements. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is visiting a school at Bracken Ridge on Brisbane's northern outskirts this morning after the release of financial modelling. The calculations indicate most funding would increase by between 20 to 50 per cent by 2019. Isolated schools would be the biggest beneficiaries, with funding for schools such as Pormpuraaw and Mornington Island in the state's far north set to more than double. Ms Gillard has defended her decision to demand state and territory leaders sign up to the Gonski education deal by the end of the month. She has only managed to convince New South Wales and the ACT to join the proposed national school funding agreement. Ms Gillard says the deadline in genuine and the states and the northern territory are running out of time. "We've always said the 30th of June so schools can properly plan for the school year," she said. Education Minister Peter Garrett says the figures show Premier Campbell Newman and the Queensland Government has been scaremongering on the reforms. "It's now time for Premier Newman to put down the boxing gloves, pick up the phone, and start negotiating with the Commonwealth," he said. "Here's a once in a lifetime opportunity for Queensland schools to see an additional $3.8 billion over the next six years. "That is definitely in the interest of schools right around this state." Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) spokesman Kevin Bates says the State Government should immediately sign up to Gonski. "What we have to do is give some hope to Queensland schools at the moment, given the state budget and given other things that have happened," he said. "Teachers really do need to have - and parents really do need to have - something to look forward to and that's what Gonski would deliver." However, Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek says he is not convinced. Mr Langbroek says he is disturbed to hear that Ms Gillard is negotiating separately with the state's private schools. "I am the Minister for all schools and I have that acknowledgement from both of those other sectors - the Catholics and independents - who have been happy for us to conduct the negotiations," he said. "Even that begs the question as to why the Prime Minister is not prepared to deal with the Minister for Education in Queensland, but would rather try to negotiate separately with two other school groups." Mr Langbroek says he is worried there have been no figures released for independent and Catholic schools. "We'll look at the figures and we'll analyse them - we've always been concerned that there wasn't going to be either one sector or type of school that would miss out or even the [kindergartens] or universities," he said. "Those are the points the Prime Minister refuses to deal with. "I'm very concerned the list only includes state schools and I'm very concerned the list doesn't show a comparison with what the school already receives, "This is old money rebadged as Gonski money and they are robbing from [kindergartens] and universities to pay for it." Sending love: Students at St John Fisher College Nicola Carkeet and Hannah Cox with boxes of library books for refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru CHRISTIAN couple Jenny and Michael Geale have made it their mission to feed asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru Island from their home on the Gold Coast are the brains behind community organisation We Care Nauru which organises food parcels and other goods by ship or air to Nauru “Some of the items are necessities and others are what we call ‘gestures of love’ to show the refugees there are people thinking of them and wanting to lift their spirits,” Mrs Geale said Refugees and asylum seekers from the Nauru detention centre who were allowed to roam freely outside the detention centre since October last year can pick up the items at the local Catholic church run by Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Father Saimon Kokoria Mrs Geale said she and her husband had received several requests to send food parcels to Nauru “People primarily buy groceries on Nauru but they are all imported,” she said “I’ve seen some reputable information showing that one lettuce can cost $10 to $12.” After opening a Facebook page for their new community venture setting up a website and asking for donations through online communities the pair received an excellent offer to help ship the items “We were contacted by someone involved in sea freight to Nauru “Within a week we were given access to a free ship and put on a pallet (two cubic metres in size) of foods.” Their contact also helped solve the pair’s initial problem of where to put the pallets after arriving on Nauru “They connected us with the Catholic church there and the priest (Fr Saimon Kokoria) agreed to use his church to store the goods and then would deal directly with the asylum seekers and refugees,” Mrs Geale said “We knew we could trust the Church to help.” Their first shipment of parcels went through the Nauru port last weekend and the goods were distributed to the refugees on April 18 from the parish A further four pallets are now being loaded up with donated items from the Queensland community Students and staff from St John Fisher College are among the hundreds responding to donation requests The school was rearranging its library resources and decided to send excess books to refugees on Nauru through Mr and Mrs Geale’s initiative Deputy principal Sharee Lane said the college wanted to help and improve the living situations for people on Nauru but it is for a cause we are truly passionate about,” Ms Lane said Mrs Geale said We Care Nauru would continue sending ships to Nauru until off-shore detention centres were closed While the organisation cannot send fresh produce to Nauru the pair receives items through a Facebook-based network The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929 accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians who have walked upon and cared for this land for thousands of years We acknowledge the continued deep spiritual attachment and relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to this country and commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of Reconciliation Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader Julie McCoy: “I think it’s just really important to have that music in your life JULIE McCoy is the kind of Christian Pope Francis would be cheering for he said Christians must be people of joy and not “look like someone who has just come back from a funeral” if they’re ever going to draw others to the Gospel Julie is definitely one of the people the Pope is looking for – she leads the singing at 7.30am Mass at St Joseph’s and it’s at the heart of her expression of faith and prayer And it’s the way she leads others into the depths of faith It happens week after week in the parish and at Julie’s day job as campus minister at St John Fisher College an all-girls’ high school in Bracken Ridge “Each week … to have people come and chat to me after Mass and even things like they might’ve been having a bad week but they heard me sing a hymn that is really special to them – that brings me joy and makes my heart happy – that I can give something back to others,” she said “And I love being able to share (her gift for singing) and then with the girls here at school as well and the staff Music and singing have been important to Julie all her life “– even just listening to music” It’s one thing that can connect you … you can hear a song and then have a feeling or a memory come back to you as well,” she said “Sometimes it can be emotional but it’s mostly happy “I think it’s just really important to have that music in your life There are two hymns Julie calls her “heart songs” “I’ve got two favourites – they’re a bit more of the traditional kind,” she said “Brian Boniwell’s version of The Lord is My Shepherd is a really special one for me and my Mum and my Grandma (who died in 2005) “You always seem to give it a little something extra because of my Grandma’s devotion to Our Lady Gentle Woman because I would sing that for her – because she was always praying to Our Lady and had her Rosary beads “So they’re two of my favourites – they’re the real heart ones for me Julie’s mother Suzanne McCoy and grandmother Mary Palmer have been the strongest influences in her faith and in singing at Mass “It was just Mum and I and my Grandpa – the three of us – I grew up with them,” she said “Her faith and going to Mass was always really important to my Grandma so I remember going to Mass with them and always “And I love singing a lot of other genres as well but being able to be involved in the parishes through the music ministry is just … It’s just such a joy – that I can do what I love doing and join that in with my faith that’s also a passion for me as well.” Church musician and composer Michael Mangan who was Julie’s music teacher in primary school He recognised the quality of her voice and invited her to sing on two of his recordings – Children of the Light but she was encouraged from there to become involved in music ministry when her family moved to Stafford parish and then with friends once a month at youth Masses in St Stephen’s Cathedral Julie pursued passion by studying opera and music theatre at the Queensland Conservatorium after leaving high school She loves to perform in Christmas shows with the Moreton Bay Symphony Orchestra each year “I really love singing with the orchestra because I love the live music,” she said “And I also do amateur theatre with some of the local theatre groups over at Redcliffe and around Brisbane depending on how busy I get – just to keep the performance up and being comfortable with an audience.” Although she loves her job at St John Fisher College Julie still has ambitions of singing professionally “I still think about it; it’s still something that they say ‘You’re never too old to not give up on those dreams’ and I would love one day to still achieve that,” she said “I’d love to sing in professional productions like musicals or opera or even like a concert that’s not just a community concert but I think you’ve got to do the local community (performances) first.” “Lady Gaga’s one of my favourite artists,” she said “As far as an artist whose music I would love singing the most it would be Celine Dion “I know they’re totally at opposite ends of the spectrum but for the music that I love to sing as far as one of the pop singers go music is Julie’s “real connection to prayer and I find it really powerful and special in prayer as well,” she said “I find it’s a lovely way (to make connection with students) … because sometimes the girls aren’t always interested in the faith aspect of things but if you hit them up with a song that’s a way of connecting with them and they think this isn’t so bad; it’s something I might like to learn more about’ “I think it’s an important way for me to connect with the girls here at school.” “And that’s why it’s so lovely hearing back from the congregation that it really spoke to them as well