You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream. You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream. You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream. Earlier today, residents around Mt Cotton and Alexandra Circuit and Alexandra Hills were warned to conserve water for a number of hours as Ex-Cyclone Alfred caused the treatment plants to lose power. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told Peter Fegan on 4BC’s Special Coverage, “Both those water treatments are back online.” Hear more highlights from Peter Fegan below:  Residents of Redland City Council are advised to MONITOR CONDITIONS for localised flooding. Council is aware of the following locations that may be impacted by localised flooding and advise drivers to stay informed of local conditions over the coming days: For emergency help in floods and storms, call the QLD SES on 132 500 or download the SES Assistance QLD App. In life threatening situations, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. The Bureau of Meteorology advises HEAVY RAINFALL of up to 250-500mm which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is expected to continue to develop across the south-east coast today, becoming more widespread over the warning area later today and on Sunday as ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred moves inland. If you find it hard to move quickly or have special or medical needs: If you are a tourist, visitor, camper or caravanner: Redland City Council acknowledges the Quandamooka People, the Traditional Owners of the land, waters, winds and seas of Redlands Coast. We acknowledge the Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. 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 Why Trump wants to reopen an infamous US prison — and whether it's possibleTopic:Explainer 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) AS Cyclone Alfred moves closer to the Queensland and New South Wales coast many local motorsport events have taken early steps to postpone fixtures The Bureau of Meteorology currently has the system making landfall from Thursday bringing expected wind gusts up to 155km/h and significant rainfall to the area many events across the region have taken early steps to shift dates One notable outlier is the opening round of Queensland Raceway’s QRDC competition with the event’s organisers currently monitoring the situation the plan is for QRDC round one to go ahead as scheduled,” a statement from the venue read “Information currently available suggests that the worst of the weather is likely to hit us Thursday/Friday “While it seems likely that the weekend will be wet we are hopeful that the worst of the weather will subside and allow us to race “On-track safety remains our number one priority and should the weather become too severe during the event we will pause on-track proceedings and assess the situation which is in front of us at the time “The one wildcard which could impact us would be damage to local infrastructure (power water) which we won’t have any idea of until the weather lands.” across town on the banks of Lake Kurwongbah at Lakeside Raceway Motor Events Racing has postponed its 7-hour G.O.A.T the Champions Ride Days three-day event has been shifted to the last weekend in March the status of the MG Car Club of Queensland’s multi-club hillclimb is currently unknown various speedway venues across the region have moved to cancel events Toowoomba Speedway has shifted the scheduled AMCA Nationals until May 31-June 1 with events at other venues such as Grafton While the impending weather impacts locally scheduled events its effects are also being felt across the wider sport Today it was announced that Brodie Kostecki will replace Jamie Whincup for Sydney’s Race of Champions, while southeast Queensland-based Supercars teams are monitoring the situation and any possible logistics changes ahead of next weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne other major interstate events this weekend include the Phillip Island Classic and Adelaide Motorsport Festival Credit: AAPA rider and his pillion passenger have both been killed in a horror motorbike crash in Queensland on Sunday night The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the double fatality crash at Carbrook with initial investigations indicating that at around 7.25pm emergency services were called to Mount Cotton Road near Coorang Road following reports of a Nissan Patrol four wheel drive crashed into a Honda Goldwing motorcycle Police arrived to find the rider of the motorcycle a 63-year-old Cornubia man and his pillion passenger a 65-year-old Cornubia woman were initially treated for serious injuries but both were declared deceased at the scene Get the first look at the digital newspaper curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The driver of the Nissan The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the incident and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the crash has relevant dashcam or CCTV footage or has witnessed the driving behaviour of either vehicle prior to the crash to come forward Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T This is probably not the page you’re looking for Sydney Tools has snapped up a prominent ex-Aldi store in Brisbane’s south east Capalaba The hardware retailer is paying the local arm of the German supermarket chain $6.5 million ex-GST On 4266 square metres zoned PC Principal at 35-37 Mount Cotton Road Aldi quit last year for a replacement store in the suburb at the corner of Redland Bay and Mount Cotton roads Ten offers came in for 35-37 Mount Cotton Rd – a mix of developers investors and owner occupiers from the healthcare Sydney Tools is Australia’s second biggest trade tools retailer on an expansion plan since 2020 (story continues below) Colliers’ Harry Dever and Hunter Higgins represented Aldi Australia Shayher Group paid Dexus $148.5m for Capalaba Central a decade ago that landlord with Redland Investment Corporation won Redland City Council approval to revamp the bulk of the two hectare holding with a commercial precinct community hall and additional commercial space The end value following development there is expected to circle $250m Capalaba is about 20 kilometres from the CBD 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 These are known flood-prone locations, however other local roads may also be impacted. The ungated Leslie Harrison Dam is at 139.9% capacity and is spilling. This is causing some localised flooding to Capalaba Regional Park, Pittwin Road North, Capalaba,  and John Fredericks Park, Banfield Lane, Capalaba which is home to the Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club, Capalaba Warriors Rugby League Club, and Capalaba Bulldogs Football Club. The Bureau of Meteorology advises of locally INTENSE RAINFALL which may lead to DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING may develop throughout today. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS may also occur with peak gusts of around 90 km/h are possible on the southeast coastal fringe. A Coastal Hazard Warning and Hazardous Surf Warning is current. The location of the burn area is 754-776 German Church Road Mount Cotton – highlighted in yellow on the map The purpose of the burn is to reduce the volume of forest litter fuel which will assist with hazard reduction – reducing the fire danger and providing conditions essential for native regeneration It is appreciated that this burn may cause some inconvenience however all attempts will be made to limit any smoke hazards There will be a shoulder closure along Elkhorn Street adjacent to the burn area and traffic management (control burn and smoke hazard advisory signs) will be in place in neighbouring streets that may be impacted by smoke Motorists are advised to drive with caution and to conditions Council recommends that people close their windows and doors and those who have a respiratory condition keep their medications nearby For more information about Council’s planned burn program, visit redland.qld.gov.au/PlannedBurns Redland City Council provides a suite of services to 166,873 residents and more than 63,000 residential households across Redlands Coast. Our naturally wonderful city on Quandamooka Country is home to more than 335 kilometres of coastline, six island communities and 12 mainland suburbs. Council’s planned burns program is funded through the Environment and Coastal Management Levy. Repeat when legendary dance music pioneer Fatboy Slim makes a triumphant return down under next March with his Fatboy Slim Loves Australia tour It’s no secret – Fatboy Slim really loves Australia And now he’s back to prove it with an epic run of outdoor shows across the country – including a number of special winery dates in majestic locations under the sun – celebrating his long-standing connection with Aussie fans and delivering the ultimate summer rave experience Find tickets Joining Fatboy Slim on all dates is Swedish electronic music DJ record producer DJ Seinfeld and Australia’s own across major cities and regional locations the legend of British dance music will perform at some of the most breathtaking outdoor venues across the country including Langley Park Fatboy Slim‘s club classics include Right Here Right Now Early Bird GA Lawn Release – Friday 11 October @ 1pm Frontier Touring & Venue (excluding Langley Park) Presales – Tuesday 15 October @ 2pm Ticketmaster Presale – Wednesday 16 October @ 3pm General Public – Friday 18 October @ 10am There is a strict limit of ten (10) tickets per customer for the presale and ten (10)  tickets per customer for the General Public Please adhere to the published ticket limit Persons who exceed the ticket limit may have any or all of their orders and tickets cancelled without notice by Ticketmaster at its discretion This includes orders associated with the same name credit card number or any other information How do I purchase Accessible Seating tickets We’ve updated our seating framework to include a larger range of accessible seating options There will be an option for every price level and package available Accessible tickets (including Companion Cards) can be purchased by calling our Customer Service team on the Accessible Bookings line Monday – Sunday 9am – 5pm AEST: 1300 446 925 This phone number is reserved for patrons with accessibility requirements and companion cardholders and cannot process any other ticketing requests Accessible tickets, both during presales and the general public sale period, can also be requested via our Submit a request – Ticketmaster Help Please be sure to include your relevant presale code with your request if wanting to make a booking during the presale period All tickets purchased through Ticketmaster are now digital, meaning you can easily access your tickets on your phone via the Ticketmaster app or mobile web browser via Ticketmaster.com.au add them straight to your phone’s ticket wallet and share them with your friends and family Log into your Ticketmaster account and update your password if needed Get in early and ensure all your MyTicketmaster account details are up to date – from your password to your card details and your phone number Ticketmaster will regularly ask you to update your password to ensure the security of your account – you don’t want to get stuck having to change your password while the ticket timer is counting down during onsale as you can risk losing the incredible tickets you have secured now that you know you want to purchase tickets log into your account and update your password today to ensure you are ready to nab those tickets Get to know Ticket Transfer so everyone has their own ticket 1. Open the Ticketmaster App Tap on my events and select the event you want to Ticket Transfer Tap ‘Transfer’ below the ticket you want to share (please note: you may have to wait a moment for the ‘Transfer’ button to load) confirm the ticket you want to share (please note – you must Transfer each ticket individually) Tap ‘Manually Enter A Recipient’ & enter your friend’s ‘First Name’ The ticket in your account will now say “Sent” You can cancel or recall the Ticket Transfer at any time asking them to accept the transferred tickets and they can either login or create a new Ticketmaster account to accept The tickets are now ready to go in your friend’s Ticketmaster account and marked as ‘Transferred’ in your account Find out more about Ticket Transfer – including how to accept and open a transferred ticket here.  Fatboy Slim will be coming to Australia in March 2025. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au. Home / Music / Fatboy Slim announces Summer’s biggest outdoor rave for March 2025 Accessibility Contact The Irish rock band are set to appear down under in 2025 in support of their new album, 'Satellites,' and to play the hits, of course. Here are the songs we can't wait to hear. More The Script The Script is the band known for crafting the songs that have framed your life’s most triumphant and saddest moments the Dublin four-piece has been churning out hits with ease since their formation in 2001.  Set to return down under in 2025 on their Satellites World Tour the band will be playing shows in Wollongong The performances will also feature Calum Scott X Ambassadors and Lotte Gallagher as special guests.  While there’s still a while to go before then here's a look at their top 10 songs from their long As the title track from their newest record this one was always going to be the one that packed the most punch the song smacks you in the face and ready you for the rest of the record Featuring a soaring melody and the kind of lyrics you need to have parroted back at you the song makes you feel alive in the most brilliant way.  Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter Written about finding direction amongst chaos the track also features cosmic imagery to convey a sense of guidance and hope It is truly a standout track that exemplifies themes of resilience and introspection.  Rain is about where to seek solace when the going gets tough The lyrical imagery of rain is used as a metaphor for cleansing and coming out the other side The track blends a calming melody with introspective lyrics and creates a sort of soothing balm in a song.  it's the kind of song I listen to in the shower after a horrid day of work I would highly recommend you try this yourself.  No Good In Goodbye explores the emotional complexities of a relationship coming to an end Delving into the intricacies of the brain post-breakup the poignant song laments how truly bittersweet a farewell is The song expresses the blatant truth that saying goodbye to someone you used to love will never be easy This sort of nuance is further highlighted by the song’s powerful instrumental arrangement It truly distils the essence of heartbreak into audible form.  Dedicated to lead singer Danny O’Donoghue’s late parents the track is a lament that his loved ones could not be there to witness his achievements.  The track's raw lyrics and pungent emotional delivery have caused it to deeply resonate with anyone who has experienced grief it just shows the band’s rare ability to connect with fans on multiple emotional layers all at once.  Superheroes is one of those tracks that feels sort of omnipresent it’s one of those tracks that just pumps you up Written about overcoming adversity and finding strength in oneself where you didn’t know it previously existed.  the song feels a bit like receiving a hand-up from a friend after being thrown to the curb A true standout from the Script’s catalogue it stands taller than the rest because it also challenges audiences to face challenges with fearsome determination Exploring themes of heartbreak and feeling emotionally empty following a relationship’s end the song takes one on quite the emotional rollercoaster It so accurately captures what it feels like to be left with nothing but memories and a sense of loss following the end of a relationship.  Featuring a haunting melody over the lyrics “I’m still in love but all I heard was nothing,” the song makes one get a bit choked up For The First Time is one of my favourite songs from The Script It details a reflective period in one’s life where you try to find hope in the darkness and search for joy amidst personal struggles The first time I heard the song I think I burst into tears because the songs just always sounds like it’s always going to be beside you Trust me when I say the song will be there with you through the hardships and see you all the way through to finding solace in optimism.  Released in 2012 as part of their third studio album It’s the song that is commonly featured in all aspects of life from the Olympics to school athletics carnivals and your cardio gym playlist.  the song’s lyrics detail a story about striving for greatness and overcoming obstacles in doing so With an upbeat tempo and an empowering message the song quickly became a hit after its release the track has managed to create something of a legacy Both commercially and critically successful the track solidified The Script’s reputation for creating enduring anthems that continue to inspire generations.  Released in 2008 as a single from their debut album The Man Who Can’t Be Moved might be one of the band’s most iconic tracks Showcasing the band’s storytelling prowess the song centres around a man who waits at the street corner after a past romantic encounter hoping that his doing so will rekindle a love lost.  It explores the dichotomy that exists in one’s head as you try to convince yourself that the love might come back The song is both a fan favourite and a staple in all the Script’s live performances could you get any more classic than Breakeven It’s the song that’s been the warm blanket over you when the going’s got rough in life It’s the partner holding your hand and the parent giving you a hug.  Featuring stupidly relatable lyrics like “What am I supposed to be when the best part of me was always you” it is easy to see why Breakeven exists comfortably in the canon of the greatest breakup songs ever written Its stark emotional honesty and ear-worm chorus never fails to pull some sort of emotion out of me The Script are touring Australia in January and February 2025 You can find the concert dates and tickets below Presented by Frontier Touring and Roundhouse Entertainment Saturday 25 January - Bimbadgen | Hunter Valley Sunday 26 January - Sirromet Wines | Mount Cotton Tuesday 28 January - WIN Entertainment Centre | Wollongong Thursday 30 January - ICC Sydney Theatre | Sydney Saturday 1 February - Mt Duneed Estate | Geelong Sunday 2 February - Peter Lehmann Wines | Barossa Valley Wednesday 5 February - Burswood Park | Perth a day on the green concert tickets: here Headline tour tickets: Frontier Touring The Revised Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct Master Plan 2023 (Revised Master Plan) was developed in response to the Australian Government’s determination in February 2023 that the project was a ‘Controlled Action’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).  Since the adoption of the original Master Plan endorsed by Council at its General Meeting on 13 May 2020, expert advice has indicated that the delivery of the project was likely to require significant land offsets – a lengthy and costly process – therefore Council commenced the Master Plan review process. The Revised Master Plan talks to the detailed investigations behind a number of tough decisions that are expected to give the community timelier access to much-needed sporting facilities, while balancing Council’s financial and environmental responsibilities. With a project footprint of approximately 26 hectares – at least 10 hectares smaller than the original Master Plan endorsed by Council in 2020 – the Revised Master Plan sees approximately 130 hectares of land protected as natural area. This is approximately 80 percent of the entire site, which is 10 percent more nature area to be conserved than the original Master Plan.   In keeping with the intent of the original Master Plan, the Revised Master Plan features 13 touch football fields, three rugby league fields, two clubhouses, approximately 800 car parks, a trailhead, and two generous spaces for future delivery of regional level recreation elements such as pump tracks, play, and picnicking.  Prioritising the sports of touch football and rugby league will see approximately 4000 regular participants using the new facilities at the precinct, and when they relocate, master planning for the vacated sites at Pinklands Sporting Complex and Redland Showgrounds can commence. The Revised Master Plan also includes a commitment from Council to investigate alternate facilities and solutions for BMX and cycling. Should it be endorsed by Council on 15 November 2023, the Revised Master Plan will be submitted to the Australian Government as part of seeking final approvals under the EPBC Act. Once approval has been received, construction of Stage 1 works will commence subject to budget. Council and Alder Constructions continue to have a contract for the construction of Stage 1 of the precinct. Alternatively, Council may decide to revert to the original Master Plan or reconsider the Revised Master Plan. The endorsement at Council’s November General Meeting heralds a way forward for the project after the Australian Government determined in February 2023 that it was a ‘Controlled Action’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said the Revised Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct Master Plan 2023 (Revised Master Plan) responded to the Australian Government’s determination talking to the detailed investigations behind a number of tough decisions and outlining next steps “The Revised Master Plan for this exciting project is expected to see Redlands Coast sporting organisations and the wider community having timely access to quality sporting facilities while even further protecting important ecological values,” Cr Williams said “Since Council adopted the original Master Plan in 2020 expert advice has indicated that the delivery of the original Master Plan was likely to require significant land offsets – a lengthy and costly process – therefore Council commenced the Master Plan review process “The Revised Master Plan document outlines what Council wants to do now at the precinct and what we would like to do in the future and deciding those things has involved some very tough decisions we want to further enhance and protect the site’s natural features including native flora and fauna “With a project footprint at least 10 hectares smaller than the original Master Plan the Revised Master Plan sees approximately 130 hectares “That 80 percent is about 10 percent more than what was being protected under the original Master Plan and is key to our strategy for progressing the project through the EPBC approval process and into construction stage in a timely manner “We also want to create great public spaces “The Revised Master Plan features 13 touch football fields about 800 car parks and two generous spaces for future recreation facilities such as play spaces “This outcome aligns with the intent of the original Master Plan “We want to commence constructing the precinct as soon as possible following completion of the EPBC assessment process and concurrently progress alternate opportunities for BMX and cycling “While BMX and cycling facilities cannot be accommodated at the precinct Council has reconfirmed its commitment to investigating alternative solutions for these sports.” Division 6 Councillor Julie Talty agreed that Council hoped the Revised Master Plan would bring about a faster resolution of the project’s referral to the Australian Government under the EPBC Act “The Revised Master Plan should see amazing facilities for about 4000 touch football and rugby league club members built more quickly and more cost-effectively,” Cr Talty said the estimated scale of offset requirements associated with the Australian Government’s EPBC Act assessment process has made the original Master Plan – which had a larger project footprint – unviable for Council “While the cycling and BMX facilities have been removed Council has committed to investigating solutions for these sports as part of future city-wide sports planning considerations “When the Rugby League and Touch Football clubs relocate to the precinct master planning will be able to commence at the vacated sites and start unlocking the potential of Pinklands Sporting Complex and Redland Showgrounds the large flexible spaces allocated to recreation within the Revised Master Plan will see facilities that further support community health and wellbeing including for the nearly 15,000 new local residents expected in the south of the city over the next five years.” The Revised Master Plan will be submitted to the Australian Government as part of seeking final approvals under the EPBC Act construction of Stage 1 works will commence subject to budget Council and Alder Constructions continue to have a contract for the construction of Stage 1 of the precinct For more information about the Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct, visit yoursay.redland.qld.gov.au The burn location is 32-46 Helicia Circuit For more information about Council’s planned burn program, visit redland.qld.gov.au/PlannedBurns Home › News © Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Limited trading as Motorsport Australia • 2025ABN 55 069 045 665   Motorsport Australia acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present motorsport.org.au is powered by OctozyTerms of Use | Cookies This year’s Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship at Mount Cotton was a special event for many reasons In addition to Dean Tighe winning it for the first time and entering the rare feat of being a National Speed and Auto Test champion in two disciplines the event saw five women serve as the most senior official roles for the event Those senior roles included Clerk of the Course Mary Caplet Chief Scrutineer Carmel Wilcox and Event Secretary Annette Truscott All five women have spent many years in the sport and have volunteered with the MG Car Club of Queensland for a long period of time – making them obvious candidates for their respective roles at the national event.   Motorsport Australia shares the story of each woman’s journey and how they worked hard to secure senior roles in Queensland Although it would be two decades before she would get her first major gig as a Clerk of Course at a national event the silver grade scrutineer and event command representative put the hard yards in at every meeting she went to “My appointment as Clerk of Course for the Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship was one I was very pleased about and I really looked forward to the event,” Caplan said Evans participated in an official training day at Queensland Raceway and joined the spot instantly she has done almost every volunteer role possible – from Flag Marshal Safety Car Observer and CATO to Race Control Comms and Chief Flag and Sector Marshal Mt Cotton has always been special to Evans as it was her first licenced event she is often Clerk of Course for state level meetings at the popular hill climb while also having a section named in her honour As a result of her recent Silver Event Command course she was invited to serve as Deputy Clerk of Course for the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships at Queensland Raceway and the Motorsport Australia Hillclimb Championship “I enjoy motorsport and hope to participate for many years to come and hope to pass my knowledge on to others,” Evans said Truscott’s Silver Admin licence in 2012 saw her receive the Event Secretary position for both the 2012 Motorsport Australia Motorkhana Championship and 2013 Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship she has volunteered as an event secretary in many khanacrosses state-level circuit racing and one appearance at a Formula 1 event for the experience “I am a volunteer official and really enjoy the club level motorsport I have met many wonderful people along the way who are just out there to have a great day racing their cars and if they are lucky they might pick up a trophy “It has been an honour to be associated with all the clubs I have been privileged to help along the way.” Wilcox went from being a member to a canteen lady before landing a gig as a scrutineer Wilcox was doing up to 20 events a year that included off road Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships Wilcox led an all-woman scrutineering team at the 2022 NTI Townsville 500 – highlighting the growth of female officials “The people you meet and friendships you make over the years are also important to me I often take the time at events to pass the knowledge I have learnt onto new scrutineers,” Wilcox said she returned in 2010 where she has participated in many forms of motorsport such as hill climbs at Mt Cotton Wondai and Oakey and many circuit racing events around the country Before her current role as Mt Cotton Hillclimb Starter Evans obtained a Silver Circuit Officials licence which saw her land roles as the Chief Flag Marshal role at national events and the Assistant Chief Flag Marshal for both Bathurst and Newcastle Supercars rounds “I enjoy motorsport and the friendships that I have formed due to my participation I hope to continue to pass on my knowledge and encourage other officials to strive to be the best they can be.” The burn area is located in a section of bushland off 277-293 Heinemann Road (highlighted in yellow on the map below) The burn is expected to occur between 8.30am and 6pm on Wednesday There will be a half road closure to a small section of Balthazar Circuit and a traffic control crew will be on site It is appreciated that the burn may cause some inconvenience For more information about Council’s planned burn program, visit redland.qld.gov.au/PlannedBurns. Two of the community facilities are halls – Cascades Hall Victoria Point and the Winter Memorial Park building The third facility is a former toilet block on Waterside Drive Macleay Island that has the potential to be repurposed as a storage facility Mayor Karen Williams said the halls presented a range of possible uses for community groups “Council is keen to hear proposals from interested community organisations around future use and management arrangements with the aim of achieving optimum use and maximising community benefit,” she said “The Expression of Interest process allows for community groups to submit their ideas and business cases to Council for consideration.” Submissions on the community facilities opportunities open today you might be forgiven for contemplating a future escape Speedcafe.com has worked to develop a list of dream places events and experiences for fans of motorsport and motoring for you to tick off your Bucket List For many people simply owning a Porsche is a “Bucket List” ambition The German manufacturer simply builds what many consider the best sports cars in the world and to have one in the driveway has become aspirational for many who have a passion for cars and driving Porsche has become an iconic global brand and the quality that is linked to it has seen a whole lifestyle segment developed for owners and would-be owners in all major markets around the world more than 100 days of events and activities are held around Australia each year in a COVID-19 free environment Level one starts at $1595 while Level 5 is $6820 These are full-day courses which provide you everything you need including a cool array of Porsches and a solid supply of terrific Michelin rubber The foundation of these events is the Porsche Track Experience program which is based at the RACQ Centre of Excellence at Mount Cotton on the Gold Coast and Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway for the majority of the year which sees guests driving a 911 GT3 Cup race car Not only are these days a great experience for participants but drivers get the opportunity to improve their driving style The program’s chief instructor is 1988 Bathurst 1000 winner Tomas Mezera and his deputy is fellow Bathurst 1000 champion Luke Youlden They are assisted by a fleet of well-known professionals including one of the world’s most successful Porsche racers Craig Baird and current and former Supercar drivers Alex Davison This program has been operating in Australia since 1996 and attracts many international visitors including groups from Asia who combine their wheel time with other holiday activities The only catch with the program is that you must achieve a level of competency at each level before you can “graduate” to the next experience Precision (Level 1): Aimed at first time participants the Precision level focuses on teaching the driver fundamentals of vehicle control driving dynamics and responding to critical scenarios Precision Plus (Level 2): In the Precision Plus level drivers will learn how to approach corners practice skilful braking and careful acceleration to enhance safety whilst driving on a closed road circuit Performance (Level 3): Under expert instruction the Performance level concentrates on vehicle control at higher speeds finding and following the correct racing lines and introducing trail braking with full lap track sessions Master (Level 4): The Master level focuses on getting participants track-ready with one-to-one coaching and electronic data analysis with an engineer This level will help drivers unleash their full potential on track ahead of experiencing a 911 GT3 Cup race car GT3 Cup (Level 5): Participants get the opportunity to drive a factory-built 911 GT3 Cup race car and learn the driving skills needed to confidently control the car at high speeds The instructor and engineer monitor driver progress with data acquisition braking and steering to improve performance and lap consistency This is effectively a full Carrera Cup test day While the Porsche Track Experience is based in sunny Queensland during the winter months Porsche ‘takes the show on the road’ with its Porsche Advanced Driver Training events where participants use their own vehicles Various levels of the track experience program are hosted at circuits including Sydney Motorsport Park (NSW) The Bend Motorsport Park (SA) and Barbagallo/Wanneroo Raceway (WA) The next Advanced Driver Training level 1 and 2 days are set for Sydney Motorsport Park (Oct 15) and Phillip Island (Level 1 – Nov 24; Level 2 – Nov 25) Porsche events also offer other activities such as the Porsche High Flier program at the Australian Grand Prix Porsche Targa Tours and the Porsche Ice Experience but we will leave those bucket list items for another day CLICK HERE for a gallery of the Porsche Track Experience Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox SUPERCARS F1 NASCAR INDYCAR GT MOTOGP PHOTOS TV PODS ACDELCO Subscribe to our daily and breaking newsletter for all the latest news delivered direct to your box Copyright © 2025 Speedcafe.com. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Our Team    /  Advertise with us  /  Privacy Policy Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Planning will get underway in the new year for an upgrade of Mount Cotton Road between Sheldon and Mount Cotton in Queensland with $1.5 million already being committed for the project phase The planning study will involve reviewing existing accesses key intersections and increasing capacity along the corridor to improve traffic flow This follows consultations with the community on upgrades between Duncan Road and the Double Jump Road intersections which led to the project being extended from Duncan Road to Ney Road Planning will also include Duncan Road to the Taylor Road intersection Member for Springwood Mick de Brenni said the project would form part of the state’s $27.5 billion road and transport plan “Mount Cotton Road is a key connector for this community so we need to make sure the project delivers the best outcome for everyone who uses the road,” he said “We know more people are choosing to live and build in Mount Cotton which is why we are getting this planning underway now.” Locals will have a chance to provide their input into the project from mid next year following technical design studies Planning is expected to be completed in 2023 including developing the remainder of the corridor are subject to funding availability and competing state-wide priorities Major construction has kicked off on the Suburban Rail Loop in Victoria ahead of tunnelling commencing at the start of.. An intricate timber net structure has been completed on the northern portal of Victoria’s West Gate Tunnel project Applications for the Western Australian Government’s Zero Emissions Vehicle rebate scheme which has so far paid back over $41 million.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media Dean Amos has conquered the 2023 Motorsport Australia Queensland Hillclimb Championship after dominating Mt Cotton over the weekend.   A healthy field of 50 competitors took to the track at Mt Cotton to tackle a total of seven runs across the weekend all battling it out for the fastest run time in their class Amos got the job done on his fifth run when he powered his Gould GR55B to a time of 35.82 seconds to claim outright and class honours over Queenslander and current Australian champion Dean Tighe The New South Welshman had the fastest time in the opening run before Tighe found some extra time in the second to briefly take the lead Bull’s time of 37.98 seconds in his Van Dieman RF03 was enough to edge out South Australian champion David Mahon for the the final place on the podium as the Hayabusa driver’s time of 38.75 seconds still enough to take class honours.   Rounding out the top five outright was Neil Lewis in his Fly-001 with the Queenslander setting his fastest time of 39.25 seconds in his fourth run.   An impressive outing from Tim Blake saw him once again take home the fastest Sedans trophy posting a personal best time of 44.54 seconds in his Subaru Impreza WRX with Gavin Taylor and Ken Graham just missing out.   The weekend’s best performer in a historic vehicle went to Glenn Wesener in his Holden GTR CU1 who was dominant in his class and only a second away from the Group N record.   Other notable results saw Chrystellee Semple as the fastest lady and Rick Miles as the best Formula Ford.   View the final results here.  The final award for the weekend went to Luke Weiks – who won the award for the best average performance by a motorcycle powered vehicle.   the Queensland Planning and Environment Court ruled in favour of Barro’s appeal against the council’s decision to refuse a currency extension application for the site Barro has been undertaking a 52ha extension of the quarry which is located in a Key Resource Area (KRA) under an approval that was originally granted as the result of a ministerial “call in” in 2013 The company’s approval lapsed in December 2017 requiring it to lodge the application with the council for a three-year extension of the time period allowed for the quarry to commence operation who have been historic opponents of the quarry The ruling brought the Mount Cotton Quarry extension to a halt while Barro appealed the decision in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane Last month the court ruled in favour of the Barro appeal paving the way for the company to resume operations “Barro Group are pleased with the outcome but the process decision-making and waste of time and money caused by the councillors is just not right,” Barro Queensland general manager Ian Ridoutt told Quarry He questioned why councillors did not trust the work of their own officers and external consultants which the council paid to provide independent reviews “The council engaged expert external consultants to review the matter the council’s own technical officers reviewed the matter “The state regulatory agencies reviewed the matter and they issued related approval conditions and the matter went before the Planning and Environment Court who unsurprisingly found in favour of Barro.” {{quote-A:R-W:175-I:2-Q:“Barro Group are pleased with the outcome but the process decision-making and waste of time and money caused by the councillors is just not right” -who:Ian Ridoutt Barro Queensland general manager}}Ridoutt said the company had been overwhelmed with the number of people and businesses in the area pleased with the outcome “We now just want to get on with the job of providing a local source of raw materials for the Redland community’s infrastructure The Mount Cotton Quarry extension has been a point of contention between Barro Group and the Redland City Council for almost six years Barro first lodged a development application (DA) with the council in 2010 asking for a material change of use for extractive industry and environmentally relevant activities and the operation of a motor vehicle workshop The Mount Cotton development is an extension of a 1960s operation It is scheduled to take place over four stages supplying local areas with approximately 45 million tonnes of meta-greywacke in the next 50 years The $30 million project has promised to generate $400 million for the community during its lifespan Utilising just 28 per cent of the 240ha site for quarrying purposes it also proposed to establish 174ha of conservation area with more than 50,000 new koala food trees The council originally refused the application in June 2013 despite full endorsement from the state and federal governments Barro had also agreed to stringent conditions a six-metre-high acoustic fence and extraction of no more than one million tonnes per annum the then Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney intervened and exercised his ministerial powers under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to “call in” Barro’s DA He overruled the council and approved the extension in December 2013 citing the need for the quarried products to support future population growth and planned infrastructure in southeast Queensland He also noted the extensive conservation and restoration of koala habitat set out in the proposal In its justification for denying Barro’s extension application in March last year the Redland City Council stated more than 442 homes had been built since the 2013 ministerial approval equating to a significant number of residents who were unaware of the development It has also argued it would affect the amenity of the community The council believed the refusal would provide an opportunity for a full and fresh application to be lodged so new residents could have their say on the project While this decision was subsequently overturned in the Planning and Environment Court appeal earlier this month councillors maintained their belief the state government should have been the authority to determine the fate of the application “KRAs are declared by the state government to protect these critical resources of state significance to support the state’s economic growth,” Redland City mayor Karen Williams said “But then under state planning processes it is up to council to make decisions about development in KRAs which puts us in a difficult position.” Ridoutt said it was clearly a council decision to make and labelled the council’s statements “a political distraction” On July 17 – eight days before the appeal decision was handed down to the council – councillor Julie Talty moved an amended resolution to call for the state government to stand behind the council in the ill-fated court case “The state imposes the Key Resource Area that controls the area where the quarry is proposed,” she said “They also monitor air and dust levels which are among the major concerns of residents so we really need them with us in court arguing these points on behalf of residents.” Following the council’s legal defeat Tatly told the Redland City Bulletin she was disappointed the state government did not stand behind the council in the appeal Barro Queensland is currently involved in an additional appeal after the Sunshine Coast Council also refused its application to expand its operations at Burrum Quarry The Burrum site dates back to the 1970s and is also located in a KRA A WA-based business has turned to 888 Crushing and Screening to support its crucial quarry Cardinal Contractors has been entrenched.. founder and CEO of Striker Crushing and Screening CDE Group’s tailored equipment is helping a key supplier to the Sydney construction market Picture from Google MapsA former Redlands resident has relived the moment he encountered a ghostly figure while travelling through Mount Cotton with friends almost three decades ago said the group was driving along West Mount Cotton Road late one night in the mid-1990s when a young girl riding a pink pushbike appeared out of the darkness "We all sort of looked at each other and went 'who would be letting their young daughter out at this hour?'," he said "There's no lights on West Mount Cotton Road We were doing 80km/h one way and within five minutes we passed her again We just looked at each other and said 'what the?' and it was the same little girl on the same pink bike." The decades-old sighting remains a mystery to this day with the former Alexandra Hills resident searching for answers online but finding no evidence of a young girl being injured on West Mount Cotton Road He cannot remember precisely where on the road he saw the ghostly figure but said it took place around midnight long after a child would be allowed out of home to ride their bike "We have tried to Google it and everything like that but we can't find anything on it," he said Paranormal experiences have also been reported just a few kilometres away on Mount View Road which is commonly referred to as "spook hill" and "haunted hill" in online forums Several people claim to have experienced a strange phenomenon where their car begins rolling uphill but others have written it off as a common optical illusion caused by the camber of the road Mount View Road is located in close proximity to West Mount Cotton Road where the group claims to have seen an apparition in the 1990s The former resident said he had seen three ghosts in his lifetime "The event [with the little girl] did stick in my brain but I have seen other ghosts before," he said "I've had another one on Mount Gravatt Capalaba Road There was a guy that ran across the road and I hit the brakes because I thought I was going to run him over and then I saw this thing go through the car "I found out afterwards that a man died on that same road "There was another one when we were renting a house in at Wynnum My flatmate saw someone sitting in the lounge room "He flew back to bed and his missus said 'what is going on?' He said 'someone is sitting in our lounge chair' Read more local news here Redland City Bulletin journalist covering news, sport, crime and politics. UQ alum. Born and raised in the Redlands. Cricket, rugby league and football fan. jordi.crick@austcommunitymedia.com.au Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said that with people able to travel up to 150km from tomorrow there were  many naturally wonderful hidden treasures and little adventures to explore on Redlands Coast “Please remember to exercise social distancing and buy local where you can,” Cr Williams said Redlands Coast has everything from hiking in the bush at Venman Bushland National Park at Mt Cotton to the all-abilities playground at Capalaba Regional Park to the King Island walk at Wellington Point Recreation Reserve Mountain bikers can get an adrenalin rush on the tracks at Redlands Track Park at Cleveland while all cyclists can enjoy the Moreton Bay Cycleway from Thorneside through Wellington Point and Cleveland to Victoria Point and Redland Bay You can also get out on our waterways kayaking with restrictions removed from Saturday 16 May 2020 for boating around North Stradbroke Island All Redlands Coast Islands are also open for day trippers with restrictions on North Stradbroke Island lifted on Saturday 16 May 2020 Within the beautiful hinterland of Mount Cotton you’ll discover this reserve with a variety of walking tracks amongst the forest of eucalypt and melaleuca trees You may even be lucky and spot a koala so keep an eye out The reserve also acts as a haven for many other native animals including greater gliders Raby Bay Foreshore Park boasts sprawling parklands with sandy beaches a playground and scenic walking and bike paths It’s a great place to take the family to cool off enjoy a picnic and relax overlooking the bay The calm waters are suitable for swimming and you can hire a kayak or stand-up paddle board right on the shore drinks and snacks are available from the coffee trailer with a popular designated off-leash beach area boating and coastal fishing are just some of the water activities that entice people from far and wide to the Wellington Point peninsula Surrounded by coast on three sides, Wellington Point Reserve is popular for picnics, launching a boat into Moreton Bay, and, at low tide, walking to King Island – home to an abundance of coastal wildlife Scattered with historic Moreton Bay Fig Trees Children love the established playgrounds that weave among the shade of Moreton Bay fig trees while the adjacent café and takeaway store offers a great menu and superb view ‘Walking on water’ across the spectacular low-tide sand bridge from Wellington Point to King Island is a Redlands Coast signature experience and one of the most unique walks in South-east Queensland A stunning sand causeway emerges from beneath the Moreton Bay waters between the Wellington Point (Cullen Cullen) mainland and the tiny It’s a 2km return walk – great for kids who can paddle along the way and spot birds and crabs and you can take your dog (on leash) on week days too Make sure you check tide times before you head out too – it’s a strictly low-tide affair Put this one on your weekend bucket list for some time soon With magnificent Moreton Bay on three sides Cleveland Point is family-friendly with a park plus a picturesque pathway around the point for leisurely strolls and cycles – it has a significant link to the city’s past too with the historic Cleveland Point Lighthouse a Redlands Coast and South-east Queensland icon There are plenty of reasons to stop and stay a while at the Cleveland Point Reserve too Aside from the picturesque location and mesmerising views the fish and chippery serves up great seafood Start at Thorneside or at the other end at Redland Bay and cycle through Redlands Coast’s naturally wonderful villages taking in taking in the unique coastline and mangrove vegetation Cleveland (Nandeebie/Indillie) and Alexandra Hills Looking to discover a new coast this weekend The Redlands Track Park is a multi-use trail for mountain biking You may even spot a wallaby or two in the Scribbly Gum Conservation area Add some excitement to your day by exploring the Scorpion Rock Immerse yourself in nature at Redlands Coast’s environmental education centre Whilst the IndigiScapes building and café might be closed you can still make the most of the tracks and trails that wind their way through the native bushland that surrounds the centre Wander the paths that lead you through unspoilt greenery and follow the banks of Coolnwynpin Creek or stroll the native botanical gardens and get inspiration for your own backyard There is plenty of space for you to you pull up a picnic and a playground for those looking to burn some energy Keep an eye out for the local wildlife that like to call the area home – if you’re lucky you might spot swamp wallabies For more places to discover on Redlands Coast visit visitredlandscoast.com.au. Heidelberg Materials Australia has announced the re-opening of its new Geelong Concrete Plant   The company publicly revealed the re-opening.. Holcim Australia has launched a new concrete plant which will service customers in Melbourne’s northern area Regional Group is on the look out for new employees to join its growing operations with hands-on roles in a.. Photo: supplied/Google MapsENERGEX worked through the afternoon and into the evening to restore power after a fault caused outages in a few Redlands and Logan suburbs on Wednesday An Energex spokesman said the outage started about 3.30pm and affected 1045 customers across Mount Cotton A fault on the underground network at the Mount Cotton Road and Valley Way intersection outside the BP service station was responsible for the outages Several areas in Mount Cotton Village were affected including residents on Bellflower Crescent An outage map shows parts of Hardwood Drive and German Church Road were also affected Police were helping with traffic control after the outage took out traffic lights at the Valley Way intersection Read more local news here Redland City Bulletin journalist covering news We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy Photo: Brian WilliamsMOUNT Cotton wedding venue Rainforest Gardens - owned by Redland mayor Karen Williams and her family - has been given the go ahead to build 13 glamping sites An application for a material change of use to a tourist park was submitted to council in January and approved last month Venue manager and Cr Williams' daughter Adeline Williams said construction of the first four luxury eco-cabins would start in the coming months "These cabins will be set among the gardens' half century old hoop pine forest with views out to Moreton Bay," Ms Williams said external deck and a romantic fireplace to keep cosy during the cooler times of the year." GLAMPING: An artist's impression of the cabins to be built at Rainforest Gardens Mount Cotton.Ms Williams said that since Rainforest Gardens reopened in 2015 couples had said they wished their time on the mountain did not have to end after their wedding day The application for the development was submitted by the trustee for the Shpank Unit Trust Cr Williams said she was a member of the trust which included her two daughters and their partners In 2015, the Redland City Bulletin reported on the re-opening of the Rainforest Gardens saying that it was owned by Peter and Karen Williams and would be run by their daughter Adeline The article said that the family had bought the 10 hectare property in 2013 The tourist park application states the development was for temporary accommodation to support wedding function activities The glamping tents or cabins would be built in three stages at three locations Each tent or cabin would accommodate two people Mount Cotton.Facilities would include a queen bed Sirromet opened the first stage of its glamping style accommodation with 18 tents overlooking a lagoon at the Mount Cotton winery in May last year Council has approved the development of 54 sites over 20 acres at Sirromet Also read: Mount Cotton wedding venue makes a return Rainforest Gardens shares a boundary with 186 hectares earmarked for the Eastern Escarpment Conservation Area which will provide sporting facilities like recreational trails for bushwalkers Redland City Council bought the land in 2008 and in 2017 engaged with the community and consultants to develop a recreational trails plan for the EECA Cr Williams declared a material personal interest in an agenda item saying that she and her husband owned a property adjacent to part of the Eastern Escarpment with hundreds signing a petition to have traffic lights put in after a series of crashes CRASH HAZARD: The intersection of Mount Cotton and Double Jump roads is seen as a dangerous juncture. One person was taken to hospital after this crash in December 2019.Redland Bay man Peter Johnston said a momentary lapse in concentration was all it would take for a serious accident to take place at the intersection of Double Jump and Mount Cotton roads He said people would regularly travel above the 80km/h speed limit while drivers making a right turn would pull out in frustration over long delays during peak hour traffic very good judgement calls," Mr Johnston said "I know learner drivers avoid that (intersection) because it is just so dangerous "If you have got a car with a slight lag in it when you put your foot down "There are a lot of big trucks travelling through there too The petition has been signed more than 800 times since it was published last Wednesday It warns of near hits taking place at the intersection every day and says it is only a matter of time before another serious accident occurs Mr Johnston said the level of public interest showed the topic had struck a nerve with locals "That was many years ago now and I remember saying to myself then 'they need to do something about this' The Redland City Bulletin has covered several crashes at the notorious intersection, including an incident earlier this year in which an infant was hospitalised after a two-car smash A Main Roads spokesman said the department was completing planning for safety improvements at the intersection TMR will update existing signs in coming months and install new signs to provide motorists with a warning on approach to the intersection," he said Springwood MP Mick de Brenni said planning would take into account crash data and community feedback Mr Johnston said he was unsure how the intersection could be improved without lights "It's the right turn out of there which is the drama," he said it's just that people need to be on their A game to use it "You only need a momentary lapse in concentration and that's when you are going to have another significant incident." The petition can be found here When a music festival takes place in a winery, it already has two of the three fest essentials taken care of before it even announces its lineup: an ace location and booze. But, that doesn't mean that Grapevine Gathering slouches on talent The acts hitting its stages around the country are always chosen to impress with the latter meaning that 'Absolutely Everybody' will be stuck in your head for weeks afterwards The Wombats and Hayden James are also on the bill both doing Australian-exclusive shows at the wine-fuelled festival plus podcast duo Lucy and Nikki on hosting duties Grapevine Gathering's 2023 tour will hit Queensland on Sunday sipping wine is a huge part of the attraction attendees will have access to a heap of vino given the fest's locations Mount Cotton and Sheldon are the Redland shire’s semi-rural suburbs. Less than 10 minutes to the west you’ll find yourself on the M1 heading towards Brisbane CBD or south to the Gold Coast.  Fifteen minutes to the east and you find yourself on the bay city and the beach – all within arms reach.  Ray White Redland Bay agents Jesse James and Michael Theo said suburb development is full steam ahead with strong investment in infrastructure making them self sufficient suburbs This advertising feature is sponsored by the following business “There is the business and shopping centre which is the first stage of three,” Mr James said.  Across the two suburbs buyers will find a vast market from the million dollar row of Sanctuary Drive Imagine a life where you can wake up in a country setting then go for a bush walk and spot a kangaroo or koala.  you can jump in the car and just 45 minutes later be right in the heart of Brisbane CBD or in 15 minutes dropping your boat into the bay. Mount Cotton and Sheldon offer this lifestyle – the best of the country with the proximity of the city and Redlands CBD making it a winning combination for families looking for new homes on good-sized blocks at an affordable price.  as well as well respected schools including Sheldon College and Mount Cotton State School it is easy to see why  or a new home in a well set up suburb where you can walk the dog and feed the ducks it is a great place to live and play,” Mr Theo said.  View the full Redland City Bulletin Domain suburb profile feature here.  THE rolling hills of Brisbane's bayside may not immediately stand out as the most common area to find cattle grazing All articles from our website & appThe digital version of This Week's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other agricultural news sites in your areaContinueOnly 35 kilometres from the heart of Brisbane's central business district lies Golden Pastoral Company which cleaned up at the Royal Queensland Show's led steer competition unlike most successful exhibitors in the competition the grass-fed cattle operation achieved its results with a breed that many consider to be small Lachlan and Louise Howland have been running Square Meater cattle on their Mount Cotton property for the past seven years with an eye to supplying the local butcher trade During that time the couple have stuck to a simple mantra of "soil plants and animals" to ensure their operation is running in line with their vision earthworms that is," Golden Pastoral Company director Lachlan Howland said "When you are trying to produce high-quality grass-fed cattle it is imperative to ensure you are looking after your soil and the best way to know if your soil is healthy is to see if you have worms "We are creating old-fashioned butchers cattle for our local markets and we don't see how we can do that if we don't look after the land "The majority of our steers go to butchers across south east Queensland "We really wanted to have a bit more soul in the operation not just throw some feed into them and watch them disappear." The couple cleaned up in the Ekka's led steer competition.The mantra paved the way for success in the led steer competition at this year's Ekka with Golden Pastoral Company claiming the broad ribbons for the reserve champion lightweight steer on the hoof champion and reserve champion lightweight steer on the hook the led steer lightweight jackpot and Ken McDonald Shield "They [Square Meaters] feed Australians because you don't see too many going overseas for export and they are predominantly a local breed," Mr Howland said "I love the commercial side of the industry which comes from roots at Banana in north Queensland my time working for Teys and my family's background "My family back in the north like to poke a bit of fun at me for having Square Meaters but you can't deny the success they can achieve "They are a perfect grass-fed animal in my eyes and they are a premium-cutting animal." The wetter than average year has caused the Howlands to rethink their stocking rate to still achieve their goals The family also operates a contract landscaping business which coupled with extensive research on their land has helped led them to a deep understanding of their stocking rate It has also led them to implement regular rotational grazing to ensure their animals and soil thrive but because it's been so wet this year and the country was getting a bit chopped up I sold half of my herd," Mr Howland said our herd will stay around that number but we will eventually aim to bring it back to around where it was before "...we do breed a few bulls but I really only like selling to commercial operators because I think they are a really commercially relevant cattle." Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land. Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Our twice weekly wrap of the latest in rural property sales Our twice weekly wrap of the big news in the red meat sector Industry news from Australia's dairy sector The week's top stories curated by our news team Footage obtained by the ABC shows a hose leading from a tanker truck into a pit. (Supplied) Link copiedShareShare articleQueensland's Environment Department has launched an investigation into the alleged illegal dumping of thousands of litres of chemicals and waste oil by one of the state's biggest quarry operators. Karreman Quarries is suspected of disposing of the contaminants at the company's Mount Cotton quarry in 2012. The ABC has obtained footage allegedly showing the pumping of the waste into a pit. No system is 100 per cent secure, but the Signal app uses end-to-end encryption and can protect your identity. Please read the terms and conditions. Other videos show the young grandsons of the company's owner, Dick Karreman, operating heavy earthmoving equipment at the quarry in 2011 and 2012. It has been illegal since 2011 for anyone under 16 to operate such equipment at a mine site — a law introduced after a high-profile case involving the Karreman family. In one video clip obtained by the ABC, a hose leads from a tanker truck into a pit. Later shots reveal a large pool of oily black liquid in the pit. Lawyers for Karreman Quarries have told the ABC the company "emphatically denies" the allegation of illegal dumping. A pool of black oily liquid in a pit at Karreman's Mount Cotton quarry. (Supplied) The lawyers said "some oily water may have been disposed of on site" but that it had been done "lawfully and in accordance with previous recommendations from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection". "At all times, Karreman Quarries has operated in accordance with its environmental duty," the lawyers said. "The subject of the video footage ... [is] being investigated and the results of those investigations will be provided to the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection shortly." A former Karreman Quarries worker, who did not want to be identified, told the ABC he witnessed the alleged dumping. "[They] made a big hole with an excavator and they got the tanker to dump all the waste into the hole. There was thousands of litres of oil, grease, things like that," he said. Asked how much was dumped that day, he replied: "Roughly 15,000 to 20,000 litres of oil and chemicals." The former worker alleged the hole was then filled in and a base for new diesel tanks built over the dumping site. "It's now under a concrete slab. That's the only reason they dumped it there, because they were building a platform there," he said. He claimed the illegal disposal of chemical and waste material happened regularly at the quarry. "I witnessed what they called the acid wash being pumped into the creek that flowed through the quarry. They illegally dumped chemical drums and buried them with the front end loaders," he said. Lawyers for Karreman denied the allegations. Illegal dumping that causes serious environmental harm can attract fines of up to $700,000 for individuals or five years' jail in Queensland. The maximum fine for corporations is $3.5 million. Other footage obtained by the ABC shows Dick Karreman's young grandsons operating heavy earthmoving equipment, including an excavator and a compactor. In one clip filmed in 2012, an adult watches as one grandson, who the ABC believes was younger than 10 years of age at the time, operates an excavator on the edge of a pond. The boy swings the excavator's arm as his older brother stands nearby. In another incident, a large compactor is driven through the quarry and parked. A boy then jumps out of the cab, followed by a smaller boy. Lawyers for Karreman Quarries said the incidents "were being fully investigated" by Karreman Quarries. Other footage obtained by the ABC shows Dick Karreman's young grandsons operating heavy earthmoving equipment. (Supplied) "Assuming the video footage is authentic, the incidents occurred without the knowledge and authority of the managing director (Dick Karreman) and the site senior executive," the law firm said. "Measures have been put in place to ensure that incidents of this nature [do] not occur again. "Once our client has completed its investigations and assuming the persons in the video footage can be identified, our client will deal strenuously with those persons to ensure that the incident/s do not occur again." In 2008, a mining inspector banned Mr Karreman's eight-year old grandson from driving a 30-tonne front-end loader at the Mount Cotton quarry. Mr Karreman challenged the decision in the Queensland Industrial Court the following year, saying his grandson had started working at the quarry at the age of six and had racked up 500 hours of time behind the controls. "You basically cordon him off in an area he works on by himself and the other guys keep an eye on him," he was reported saying at the time. "It's about a father and a grandfather's rights to train up his own kid. What father or grandfather is going to endanger his own kids?" The law was changed in 2011 by the then Labor government, restricting the operation or maintenance of machinery at mines and quarries to people aged 16 and over. Then-LNP opposition leader Jeff Seeney criticised the proposed change, telling Parliament in March 2011 it was "particularly concerning" that the amendment seemed to be motivated by the Karreman situation. "Regulators should stay out of it and leave it to senior family members to decide what is or is not appropriate for their family members," he said. Topic:Liberal National Party of Queensland Photo: supplied.A simple idea from a Mount Cotton family to make a difference in a small Vanuatu community has sparked a movement for change helping children get an education the Collier family we welcomed to a village where they found the local school had a library of just 30 books Redlands College teacher Jenali Collier said she and her family wanted to establish a proper library at the school to fulfil the desperate need for books and improve opportunities for students "After that visit we started an organisation that takes second hand books and builds libraries in Vanuatu to help children learn to read," Ms Collier said "Our intention was to take like two or three boxes of books to them but with overwhelming donations we realised we could actually take like almost a whole library with about 4000 books "We also reached out to some libraries who were downsizing and they gave us some shelves so we could build a library in this village two years after our visit." Ms Collier and her family have since established The Library Project to change the lives of students in remote villages across Vanuatu READING TIME: Libraries have helped children in small villages read beyond levels they could before Photo: supplied.She said the libraries had a significant long term affect on the villages where they were built "The children and the teachers were beyond grateful to finally have this resource that they could use to learn and educate their students," Ms Collier said "Primary schools in Vanuatu go up to about grade eight and at the end of their education there they take a standardised test "Students are graded and put in order from top achieving to lowest achieving and their marks determine which boarding schools they are sent to "Children with top marks go to schools with the best resources "After they reach year 10 they can get sent to junior college and no one from the first village we helped had never sent anyone to college "They have had the library for eight years and now they get two or three kids in college each year and they all say it's because of their ability to read." FROM SCRATCH: Books and supplies to build the libraries are donated by locals or downsizing libraries Photo: supplied.The project has installed more than 50 libraries in Vanuatu since it began and seen amazing results Ms Collier said it was rewarding to see the difference her family and the people who donated books and supplies were making to the lives of kids openness and generosity that you can walk through any village and someone will just invite you into their home for a meal," she said "I'm a teacher and being able to give back to these kids is beyond amazing." She said throughout COVID they had to get more people from Vanuatu to help with the building sides of things but were able to continue the project despite lockdowns and restrictions They are not sure when borders to Vanuatu will open again but will continue to keep the project going To learn more about the library project or to donate visit the website or Facebook page Redland City Bulletin journalist covering community