Families are forking out thousands of dollars more to secure a dream home in Queensland’s baby boom suburbs where intense competition is driving up property prices An analysis by KPMG reveals a demographic divide is reshaping the real estate market with the nappy valley city fringe suburbs thriving as births outnumber deaths by a staggering ratio of 14 to one while the tombstone towns of the older coastal and regional areas lose nearly one resident every day Extraordinary growth in Ipswich’s emerging communities was led by Ripley where there were 367 births compared to just 26 deaths last year creating surging demand for family-sized homes Springfield Lakes and Redbank Plains also recorded strong ratios of 7:1 with Coomera on the Gold Coast (6.5:1) and Burdell-Mount Low outside Townsville (6.35:1) following closely Younger homebuyers flocked to these greenfield growth areas for their affordable house-and-land packages and family-focused amenities pushing up property values and intensifying demand for infrastructure PropTrack data shows house prices in Ripley have surged 13.6 per cent over the past year to a median of $718,000 meaning families are paying nearly $86,000 more than last year to secure a home Property expert and JLF Group CEO John Fitzgerald said Ripley’s population was expected to grow substantially in the coming decade JLF Group owners James (left) and John (right) Fitzgerald for QBW “With $21m committed by the State Government to unlock more land through road infrastructure these areas offer the perfect mix of affordability and job opportunities,” Mr Fitzgerald said Queensland’s older coastal and regional suburbs are grappling with stark reversals raising questions about long-term growth and housing demand Bribie Island recorded 303 deaths last year compared to just 84 births Other suburbs in decline include Rothwell-Kippa-Ring (300 deaths Experts warn these ageing communities risk stagnation unless targeted reinvestment revitalises infrastructure and amenities to attract younger buyers or cater to retirees Retirement Living Council director Daniel Gannon said the state faced a “sobering outlook” as its aged population increases the number of Queenslanders aged over 75 is set to surge by more than 83 per cent “This silver tsunami will redefine the Sunshine State forever,” Mr Gannon said the housing crisis will remain in logjam if rightsizing options aren’t available for older Queenslanders which also has downstream impacts on younger homebuyers desperate to get into the market or buy a bigger home “This issue is exacerbated in smaller communities.” Retirement Living Council executive director Daniel Gannon Vacancy rates for retirement villages outside Brisbane were at four per cent representing a market effectively operating at full capacity “Southeast Queensland in particular remains one of the fastest-growing destinations for retirees which means we’re expecting incresaed strain on the sector,” Mr Gannon said but we need to see reduced red tape when it comes to planning and regulation allowing developers to appropriately fast-track new builds.” KPMG urban economist Terry Rawnsley said suburbs where deaths outpaced births mostly fell into three categories which have a concentration of aged-care facilities have a higher number of registered deaths than registered births,” Mr Rawnsley said “Then there are coastal locations popular with retirees “In locations like Caloundra-Kings Beach and Sandgate-Shorncliffe limited housing development has prevented younger people from entering the housing market resulting in fewer babies being born in these areas.” Falling property values reflect these shifts Sign RBA is creating ticking time bomb The most popular reno jobs this Christmas Where to find Australia’s cheapest homes PropTrack data shows house prices in Bribie Island fell 16.4 per cent over the past year to a median of $700,000 Bribie Island agency principal Claire Uttley said the region was ripe for generational change with families increasingly drawn to the same attributes that have long attracted retirees “Bribie has the most incredible community spirit It’s kind of like a country town in terms of safety and has a more chilled-out lifestyle It’s the kind of place where kids can just go out She noted an influx of Melbourne buyers in recent months seeking family homes priced between $750,000 and $1m as well as luxury builds topping $2m in Banksia Beach Jordan Strudwick with his partner Jana and son Noah at their home in Ripley STRUD Property managing director Jordan Strudwick said Ipswich’s “affordability advantage” had underpinned its growth with young families and owner-occupiers comprising about 80 per cent of buyers with its new builds and some rare quarter-acre blocks “Many young families are relocating from Brisbane probably even more than interstate buyers — a segment that was pumping for a while,” Mr Strudwick said “If you are a couple making $150,000 or $200,000 a year Ipswich is arguably one of the few places in southeast Queensland where you can still afford to get a nice home for $800,000 to $900,000.” Bribie Island real estate agent Claire Uttley Although competition had eased since the pandemic boom “We’ve had properties with an $850,000 price guide sell for $900,000 Buyers need to accept that Ipswich has become very desirable While baby boom suburbs show continued resilience ageing areas like Bribie Island could benefit from reinvestment to attract a broader mix of buyers and ensure long-term viability “When you get a different influx of people you have a fresh set of eyes and excitement about new opportunities,” Ms Uttley 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 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NAB will temporarily close 46 branches and eight business centres across Queensland and Northern New South Wales over the next two days in response to the imminent threat posed by Cyclone Alfred The precautionary measure is being taken to ensure the safety of customers and colleagues NAB’s local Personal Banking Executive Tony Story said that while there will be temporary closures teams across the nation are prepared to support customers affected by the cyclone “We apologise for the inconvenience these closures may cause We want our customers to know that we are here to help and are fully committed to supporting their banking needs during this challenging time,” Mr Story said “Customers can still access our ATM network during this time and we are committed to keeping cash supplies available.” “Our teams are also members of the community too and they’re deeply connected to their neighbours We want to ensure their safety and provide them with enough time to prepare their homes and families amid the risk posed by Cyclone Alfred.” NAB customers can continue to access their banking services through: Support is also available via NAB messaging in the app and on internet banking NAB remains committed to helping communities withstand and recover from natural disasters. Over the years, NAB Foundation has provided extensive support and resources to impacted Australians. Whatever comes, we’re ready together. To find out more visit nab.com.au/disasterrelief please contact the NAB Media Line on 03 7035 5015 NAB’s Chadstone branch will throw open its doors for Saturday trading bringing the total number of branches open on Saturday to 31 across Australia NAB is providing $1,000 grants and additional financial relief to customers severely impacted by the severe storms in New South Wales to assist them in the immediate aftermath How a local BP and NAB Banker helped the Redland Bay community in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred Find out how NAB is adopting a sustainable approach to managing our business Subscribe to NAB News to receive news straight to your inbox You will not receive any advertising material by signing up to receive NAB News Thank you for subscribing to NAB News to receive news straight to your inbox © National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686. Website Terms. 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Council’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Matt Smith said council was prioritising a limited collection service in the affected suburbs for medical facilities and residents with medical collections Mr Smith said the action was taking place after council and three unions could not reach agreement on council’s offer of a 12.75 per cent wage increase over three years “Unions asked for a 15 per cent wage rise over three years which we have not been able to accept,” Mr Smith said “That would mean millions of extra dollars added to the council wages bill which could impact rates or other services council offers over the next three years to off-set the proposed increase where residents aren’t getting services they would expect from their council “The unions’ initial position of a 15 per cent wage increase over three years and an increase in superannuation would have significant impacts on council’s budget and they have not moved from this position over several months of negotiations “Council’s latest offer included a wage increase of 12.75 per cent over three years as well as a transition to a 36.25 hour working week “This offer also includes the current 13.5 per cent superannuation for resource recovery drivers – above the superannuation paid to the majority of council officers and employees covered by other certified agreements at 12.5 per cent and the three unions have exercised their right to commence protected industrial action which impacts the community just before Christmas.” many residents had not had their bins collected today “We have opened our resource recovery centres for affected residents to dispose of up to 80kg of general waste or organic green waste at no charge,” Mr Smith said Mr Smith said residents whose bins had not been collected on Friday should bring them back in at the end of the day “To try to ease the impact of the unions’ action on residents both of council’s resource recovery centres at Riverview and Rosewood are anticipated to remain open and waste charges for residents in affected suburbs will be waived this weekend,” Mr Smith said “While there may be some disruptions to our resource recovery centres council will endeavour to provide this free service to affected residents “Residents will simply need to provide identification such as a drivers’ licence showing their proof of address within the affected suburbs to access free waste disposal up to 80kg to allow them to dispose of general waste from their red-lidded bins or organic green waste from their green-lidded bins “This will allow residents to manage health and safety concerns related to their uncollected bins “Should industrial action continue into next week and extend into more suburbs council will need to reassess this free service “Unfortunately it is not possible for council to make short-term citywide changes to our fixed bin collection calendar to collect the missed bins outside the usual schedule.” Mr Smith said council had been negotiating in good faith for several months with the unions representing council’s operational divisions on a new three-year agreement covering resource recovery drivers and some field services employees “Council has been negotiating with the Construction Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) and the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) for their members covered by the Local Government Employees and Resource Recovery agreements,” Mr Smith said “Council respects the right of employees who are members of a union to take protected industrial action but we urge these unions to recommence negotiations representing council’s other employees covered by Council Officers and Civic Centre agreements have accepted council’s offer in principle “We are now working to deliver a wage increase back paid to 1 October 2024 before Christmas as a show of good faith to these employees who have accepted our offer “Council recognises the ongoing impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on our employees and Ipswich residents and we believe the offer made to the CFMEU in keeping with what ratepayers would expect.” >> Ipswich City Council disappointed in unions’ industrial action >> Ipswich kids try out new sports in record numbers >> St Nicholas Precinct unwrapping soon this Christmas “Unfortunately it is not possible for council to make short-term citywide changes to our fixed bin collection calendar to collect the missed bins outside the usual schedule.” I do not understand why this is not possible. It should be a simple matter to instruct the department to empty the bins from Friday first and then follow on with the normal schedule. Please confirm why this is not possible and if you expect us to wait till next Friday for a pick up, what do you suggest we do with a weeks worth of rubbish until then. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced Springfield Township trustees on Thursday are expected to consider — and likely move forward — on a plan to construct retention ponds across the street from town hall in the Sawyerwood area of the town would help improve water quality for Springfield Lake by holding and filtering storm runoff that would otherwise flow into the lake State funding for the idea became available last month as Ohio lawmakers finalized capital spending plans Jack Daniels to secure funding in Ohio HB 2 She was notified June 28 that their effort had been successful Springfield Township will receive $250,000 for the retention ponds but some township funds may be required to complete the project A study for the project had already been conducted but rising material and labor costs since the study was completed could add to the cost "We may have to come up with a little bit because we'll get updated bids," she said Daniels, who replaced former state Rep. Bob Young on April 24 said he wasn't in office during much of the budget process But he was able to secure financing for the township project after a quick response from Chapman who forwarded plans from the retention pond study she had everything emailed to me," he said Daniels said he wants to make water quality in his district's lakes and rivers a key issue during his time in office Springfield Lake which is shared by the township and Lakemore Village is 290 acres with a maximum depth of 27 feet swimming and wading are discouraged — as is contact with the water The lake has unsafe levels of algal toxins and a health advisory remains in effect until safe levels are achieved. Results from water testing are posted on the township's website at https://t.ly/u01R3 Where are the retention ponds planned?The ponds are planned for a lot across state Route 224 from town hall "It's going to be a nice space and it's going to benefit the area," said Daniels Chapman said she wants to move as quickly as possible "We're hoping to get started by fall," she said The long-term goal is to get the lake in better condition "We would like to utilize it as much as possible," she said Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman Manoj Chouhan and Garima Shekhawat with children The couple bought their first home in Springfield Lakes one of the suburbs identified as most popular among first home buyers in 2020 QUEENSLAND’S first homeowner hot spots have been revealed as young buyers look set to continue to dominate the real estate market in 2021 Experts say COVID-19 has created prime conditions for many young people to get a foot on the property ladder while Real Estate Institute of Australia figures show first-home buyers make up a greater percentage of property owners than they have since 2009 Realestate.com.au has revealed the most popular suburbs among first home buyers in the state and the Gold Coast and Greater Brisbane suburbs come out on top Coomera and Pimpama on the northern Gold Coast are the most in-demand among first home buyers when it comes to houses Redbank Plains and North Lakes are the most popular Springfield Lakes is part of Greater Springfield privately owned masterplanned city in Australia One of the country’s fastest growing developments Greater Springfield is home to more than 45,000 residents with projections forecasting a population of 80,000 by 2030 Springfield City Group managing director Raynuha Sinnathamby said first home buyers were taking advantage of federal and state incentives to enter the Greater Springfield market “We’re finding these grants are encouraging and assisting home-ownership in Greater Springfield it can be a helpful bridge towards life as a property owner,” Ms Sinnathamby said She said about 10 per cent of buyers were coming from interstate “They are coming from not just Victoria and New South Wales but the Northern Territory and WA as well,” she said “We’re finding the scarcity of land is a big issue particularly in the Brisbane market — as there aren’t a lot of opportunities for people to purchase land so close to the CBD “We have home sites ranging from 400 sqm to 870 sqm so our price points present something for everyone.” Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said first homebuyer activity had accelerated since COVID-19 with federal and state government incentives encouraging more first time buyers into the market Ms Conisbee said suburbs like Pimpama on the Gold Coast had become popular because of the large amount of house and land packages available “HomeBuilder switched a lot of people who were looking at units to houses we saw a lot of first home buyers looking at new home locations so they’ve become more dominant than they were before,” Ms Conisbee said “It’s definitely having a big impact on the new home sector and house and land.” declining home prices — particularly units — and the desire for more space and a better lifestyle was also driving first homebuyer activity But Ms Conisbee said one of the other factors could be the lack of investors in the market for first home buyers to have to compete with “They seem to be picking up a lot of the investor-type apartments that were built with investors in mind,” she said This two-bedroom unit at 13D/5 Clifford St first home buyers are looking to get in to Surfers Paradise and Southport on the Gold Coast “Surfers Paradise tops the list for units,” Ms Conisbee said “There are a lot of apartments there and they’re pretty cheap Surfers Paradise is one of the suburbs where first homebuyers most want to buy a unit AVID Property Group general manager Queensland Bruce Harper said he noticed a shift in the types of homes first homebuyers were looking for in the past six months “They’re now wanting to purchase larger blocks of land and larger homes,” Mr Harper said “There’s been a recent significant decrease in the desire to buy three-bedroom houses and an increased desire for four-bedroom homes AVID Property Group general manager Bruce Harper buyers want to stretch their money that extra distance so instead of accepting a 300 sqm block of land Mr Harper said demand from first homebuyers for house and land in AVID’s projects on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast had been particularly strong “AVID has 12 communities across southeast Queensland and we’ve seen our strongest sales and highest percentage of first homebuyers in the Sunshine Coast at our Harmony community,” he said This four-bedroom house at 12 Bunderoo Circuit 1) 0ms;transition:fill 200ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:1.5rem;}.mui-13xs5pt{width:100vw;max-width:100vw;margin-top:1px;}.mui-68tkgc{width:100vw;max-width:100vw;margin-top:1px;}.mui-1i0sejk{min-width:200px;border-radius:4px;}.mui-o2bopd{text-align:center;-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;font-size:1.5rem;padding:8px;border-radius:50%;overflow:visible;color:rgba(0 0.54);-webkit-transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;padding:12px;font-size:1.75rem;}.mui-o2bopd:hover{background-color:rgba(0 0.04);}@media 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maintain the momentum of growth at Greater Springfield 25km south-west of Brisbane.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a rare offering Sinnathamby’s Springfield City Group is putting a 12.7ha development site on the block to “inject a new wave of activity”—as he puts it—into what is already one of Australia’s fastest growing regions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe mixed-use City West site is being taken to market with initial approvals in place for a variety of uses—including convenience retail and medium density residential.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A lot of the heavy lifting has already been completed over the past 32 years with $18 billion of social and physical infrastructure projects completed to date including the $1.2-billion Springfield Rail network with two stations the $80 million Brighton Homes Arena and the $85 million Mater Hospital just to name a few,” Sinnathamby said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It's now time to offer this unique site to the market.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The development will inject a new wave of activity into Greater Springfield and provide further amenity to the rapidly growing region.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe landholding is listed for sale with Colliers’ Lachlan MacGillivray and Harry Dever in conjunction with Stonebridge Property’s Julian White and Philip Gartland.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe expressions of interest campaign closes on March 15.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e”New retail floorspace needs to grow by 2.2 million square metres to service the population growth over the next decade,” MacGillivray said key retail development sites such as City West are becoming critical as retail demand outweighs supply.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGartland said what made the offering so unique was “from a planning perspective Lendlease’s third residential building in the Collins Wharf precinct of Victoria Harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 28-storey building at 971 Collins Street in Melbourne’s Docklands will deliver 312 homes in a mix of one two and three-bedroom apartments as well as townhouses and penthouses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Lendlease the project has already secured more than 50 per cent in presales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is the construction contractor—it completed the precinct’s first development in 2019 and is also working on LendLease’s second tower Regatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Ancora Hickory is implementing several technical construction methods including various piling techniques and precast concrete solutions that enable a parallel-track construction program.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe building’s facade designed by architect Warren and Mahoney uses a three-stage design incorporating double-glazed glass and textured precast concrete with Reckli and brick finishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural design transitions from a solid podium base to lighter upper levels “reflecting a maritime theme” aligned with the Collins Wharf design objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAncora will connect to the neighbouring Regatta development via a podium allowing resident access to shared amenities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as an all-electric building that includes electric vehicle infrastructure the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star certification Completion is expected in 2027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegatta including build-to-rent and build-to-sell units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive wharf works including remediation of pre-existing wharf piles installation of raker piles and construction of the extension to Australia Walk are also part of the project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical challenges include constructing on the finger wharf and co-ordinating extensive above-wharf road reserve and public parkland works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Collins Wharf precinct will ultimately comprise six residential buildings of more than 1800 homes surrounded by over 5000sq m of parks and community space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease is developing the parkland concurrently with the residential components including the extension of Australian Walk that forms part of the City of Melbourne’s Greenline project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease executive director of development Adam Williams said Collins Wharf “is fast becoming a sought-after address .. which took just a handful of hours to emerge on Saturday night the Coalition’s failure to sway voters has come under intense scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts lack of policies around property that resonated with voters has been a large part of that criticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong those policies was a $5-billion infrastructure program to unlock up to 500,000 new homes was greeted with no small amount of scepticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Coalition also campaigned on its previously revealed plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation giving access to up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile that proposal had won some support it got the thumbs down from many of Australia’s top economists who said the measure could prove highly inflationary among other issues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly its plan to allow mortgage interest for first home buyers to be tax-deductible was roundly criticised for its likely inflationary and regressive effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt has also been pointed out that the Coalition’s rejection of the Green’s policies around housing supply affordable housing and help for renters did it no favours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ALP went to the polls spruiking an extension of schemes introduced during its previous term including a $10-billion promise for its first-home buyers’ scheme to encourage 100,000 more homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also had its Help to Buy shared equity scheme under which the Government pays up to 40 per cent of the house price to point to.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf it was these policies per se or the lack of detail and depth to the Coalition’s the nation's ready for the Albanese government to act.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear been endorsed to follow through on its policies and fix the crisis that is crippling the Australian property sector.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive\u0026nbsp;Tom\u0026nbsp;Forrest has pointed out it is time for the Federal Government to get back to work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Housing affordability and housing supply featured large during the campaign,” Forrest said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The key now is for the Government to strike while the iron’s hot.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If legislation is needed to support the delivery of Labor’s $10-billion 100,000 new homes commitment—then pass it through the parliament now and get on with it.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe states have made many changes to how they enable home development The Federal Government’s support of that is crucial to its success material supply assistance or any other factor that affects getting homes out of the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis has been a pivotal election Then Cities for Total Fan Immersion\",\"slug\":\"billionaire-arsenal-rams-denver-nuggets-sports-anchored-precincts\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-30T00:00+10:00\",\"tags\":[],\"summary\":\"Why your next home might be stadium-adjacent; sports are the hook Sinnathamby’s Springfield City Group is putting a 12.7ha development site on the block to “inject a new wave of activity”—as he puts it—into what is already one of Australia’s fastest growing regions The mixed-use City West site is being taken to market with initial approvals in place for a variety of uses—including convenience retail “A lot of the heavy lifting has already been completed over the past 32 years with $18 billion of social and physical infrastructure projects completed to date including the $1.2-billion Springfield Rail network with two stations “It's now time to offer this unique site to the market “The development will inject a new wave of activity into Greater Springfield and provide further amenity to the rapidly growing region.” The landholding is listed for sale with Colliers’ Lachlan MacGillivray and Harry Dever in conjunction with Stonebridge Property’s Julian White and Philip Gartland The expressions of interest campaign closes on March 15 ”New retail floorspace needs to grow by 2.2 million square metres to service the population growth over the next decade,” MacGillivray said key retail development sites such as City West are becoming critical as retail demand outweighs supply.” Gartland said what made the offering so unique was “from a planning perspective Greater Springfield is like no other city” “The entire City West precinct already benefits from development rights of up to 281,560sq m of GFA (gross floor area) with an array of permissible uses,” he said An interstate job transfer has led Lara and Ben Cluff to put their Springfield Lakes property on the market said she had been posted to Canberra for work The couple bought the delightful four-bedroom, two-bathroom home, at 3 Eve Court “It’s going to most definitely be really sad for us to leave here,” Mrs Cluff said “So we’ve had many milestones here and many memories Mrs Cluff said she loved the Queenslander-style home “The kids had their own cubby house built by my father-in-law out the back.” Tucked away in an elevated and breezy private cul de sac the property is surrounded by bushland on one side Mrs Cluff hopes another young family like hers will move into the property so the kids can run around and play,” she said Mrs Cluff said downstairs there was an area which could be used as a workshop “My husband used to do all his carpentry work down there as there was plenty of space,” Mrs Cluff said She said someone with a small dog could also enjoy the home “There’s a big backyard and a little doggie door downstairs,” she said The Cluffs said their 17-year-old dog Barney had lived with them A national real estate giant has unveiled 273 suburbs across Australia where first home buyers should be looking now as home loan approvals rebound to pre-pandemic levels The Unlocking the Home Ownership Dream First Home Buyer Report 2024 by the LJ Hooker Group report identified entry-level suburbs in each state and the incentives available the dream of home ownership has become increasingly elusive but the data is showing people are wanting to secure a property whether as a place to live or perhaps later as an investment,” LJ Hooker Group head of research Mathew Tiller said “It (the report) shows that no matter where you are – whether regional or in a capital city – there are suburbs that meet the criteria to get first home buyer assistance.” the report identified 40 suburbs where first home buyers could purchase a house or unit that meets financial incentive criteria median sales prices ranged from $349,950 on Russell Island to $666,000 at Springfield Lakes Unlocking the Home Ownership Dream First Home Buyer Report 2024 by the LJ Hooker Group prices ranged from $215,000 in Blackwater to $750,000 at Caloundra West prices in Greater Brisbane ranged from $275,000 (Goodna) to $490,000 (Kelvin Grove) The report advised first home buyers to also look to places such as Caboolture Unit medians in the regions ranged from $182,875 in South Gladstone to $557,500 at Southport Other locations to consider included Woree Mr Tiller said that January lending figures showed a positive outlook for first home buyers with loan approvals at their highest level since the pandemic following record lows between 2021 and 2023 LJ Hooker Group head of research Mathew Tiller Victoria dominates loan approvals with over 32 per cent of all new approvals followed closely by Queensland at 19 per cent “The likelihood of further rate increases dissipates and we expect buyers particularly those looking to purchase for the first time to feel more confident about budgeting their future mortgage costs,” he said adding that first home buyers could be missing out on assistance to build a deposit by not properly researching and understanding the specific eligibility criteria application processes and potential benefits of government schemes available in their location “Seeking advice from financial advisors or mortgage brokers can help navigate the complexities of purchasing a first home and accessing available assistance programs,” Mr Tiller said MORE: QLD vacancy rates “critically low” the report found that those looking to purchase for under $650,000 in Sydney should be house-hunting in outer suburbs such as Mount Victoria and Brookfield offered good value for buyers with a budget under $560,000 Other entry-point suburbs include Elizabeth North in Adelaide and Moulden in Darwin where the median house value remains under $365,000 The most affordable regional towns are Broken Hill and Cobar in NSW and Lyell in Tasmania where first home buyers can secure a freestanding property for under $200,000 The report come after the PropTrack Home Price Index revealed that Brisbane home prices prices have officially overtaken Melbourne hitting a record high off a massive 64.7 per cent surge since the pandemic It found that found Brisbane has been consistently peaking every month for over a year – rising 12.82 per cent year-on-year – with the median house price now just $89,000 shy of $1m ($911,000) “We’re continuing to see that demand-supply imbalance fuel strong home price growth in Brisbane,” PropTrack senior economist Eleanor Creagh said We know that population growth is set to remain strong.” ABC News News HomeMan admits killing ex-wife hiding body in wallShare Man admits killing ex-wife hiding body in wallTopic:Courts The Springfield Lakes home where Lin Jin Cui was allegedly murdered (ABC News) Link copiedShareShare articleThe Supreme Court in Brisbane has been told a man killed his former wife because he was angry about their divorce settlement and hid her body in a wall. Jiagen Pan, 45, is accused of killing Lin Jin Cui, 32, in her home at Waterview Crescent in Springfield Lakes in August 2009. The crown says Pan was angry about a divorce settlement with his former wife and believed she was too greedy. It is alleged he went to her home where he inflicted numerous injuries to her head and body before strangling her. The crown says Pan used circular saws and handsaws to dismember Ms Cui's body in her ensuite before putting it in two garbage bags. The court heard Pan then bought eight bags of concrete, which he used to build a false wall inside a hall cupboard. He was in the middle of entombing Ms Cui's remains in the wall when police arrived and arrested him, the court heard. Pan has admitted to killing Ms Cui, pleading guilty in the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Tuesday to the charge of manslaughter. However, the crown did not accept the plea and has proceeded to trial for murder. Pan has pleaded not guilty to this charge because of issues of provocation. He has pleaded guilty to misconduct with a corpse, and his lawyer on Tuesday made a number of admissions relating to his attempted disposal of Ms Cui's body. In her opening, prosecutor Caroline Marco told the court Pan and Ms Cui had divorced five months before her death, at the end of a seven-year marriage. Ms Marco said Pan had been "seething with animosity" about details of the property settlement, which had left Ms Cui more financially comfortable. She told the jury they would hear evidence he drove to her house the day after he returned from a trip to China and killed her. He then tried to hide his crime by telling her family she had been called for jury duty and would not be contactable for 20 days, the court was told. Ms Marco said Pan also told a friend the following day that he was making plans to return to China. She told the court that these factors, combined with the method of killing and disposal of Ms Cui's body, would leave the jury in no doubt that the death amounted to murder. "It's demonstrative of an animosity that is inconsistent with a justified killing that occurred on the spur of the moment in the heat of passion in the manner of which he claimed," she said. Pan's trial is expected to finish next week. This is probably not the page you’re looking for is starting to take shape.More than 20 hectares is being transformed into a centre of cultural diversity A place where people of all religions will be welcomed to eat pray and love.The normally orange-robed Swami Atmeshananda is wearing an even brighter orange safety vest to greet local Division 9 Councillor Sheila Ireland at the work site After a seven-day delay because of the recent wet weather trucks have returned and work has resumed constructing the multi-purpose building just out of sight from the Vedanta Drive entrance This is the $3 million stage one of the Vedanta Centre It is a cheaper and more efficient way of construction They easily clip together and are concrete-filled The panels remain in place and can be rendered or painted While the land was gifted to the Vedanta by Greater Springfield “guru” and SLC boss Maha Sinnathamby money is still an issue and has to be extensively fund-raised within this religious community “Maha is a follower of the Vedanta philosophy But it was still an extremely generous gesture on his part to donate the 20.4 hectares,” Swami said “He doesn’t have any financial interest or any other control He has left it entirely to us to decide … me and my senior but its philosophy is one of “universal religion” It is the core of a worldwide spiritual movement who leads the Brisbane centre from his Springfield Lakes home with the door open to people from any religious persuasion We consider all beings as part of the Divine.” Swami said once the Ashram was up and running in May 2018 followers would turn attention to future stages “Eventually we will have 200 families living here We don’t want to call it a retirement village although it will be mostly retirees,” he said “There will be a research and study centre bush paths and walks … it is an exception site with splendid views in several directions.” Swami said the neighbours had been very receptive to the prospect of a religious centre in their midst There will always be someone who is not happy But we are free to make friends with them and I am sure they will like what they see when it is finished.” Swami planned to make an appearance before Council soon talking about the Vedanta Centre and hoping to persuade Councillors to provide some rates relief had already been designated as having potential for 200 homes to be built and therefore rateable “The Centre has sought the cooperation of Council for exemption of rates as all activities are supported by individual donations of members and we are not receiving any government grants,” he added Cr Sheila Ireland has been to a couple of yoga sessions with instructor Security and Community Safety said the yoga “I can’t get into all the positions,” Cr Ireland said Cr Ireland promised to return for more when the yoga room opened at the new centre in her thriving division The centre overlooks the sprawling Spring Mountain estate which has been cleared to make way for 4500 homes Cr Ireland said the religious centre would add an extra element to the area “It will be wonderful to have the presence of so many cultural offerings in our community,” she said “This is such a marvellous opportunity right here in Springfield Lakes The land gifted to the Vedanta Centre presents the chance to build something unique for many people and many religions.” Cr Ireland said her division and Ipswich as a whole was extremely multi-cultural and the neighbours and wider community had been welcoming “The centre has a very bright and long future and offers so much for everyone.” Cr Ireland said the centre would provide food for people in need “This is a major change to how our society functions The benefits on offer to the general public are outstanding “People will get on board and welcome them with open arms They are very gentle people and do not try to push religion on anyone “And I will be signing up to do some more yoga sessions.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This Greater Brisbane suburb has seen one of the biggest surges in median house price in the country A BRISBANE growth superstar suburb has cracked the national top two for fastest price growth in the country three suburbs saw their median house prices grow by more than a third in over the three month period to May according to CoreLogic August Market Trends report was on top by the narrowest of margins (0.2 percentage points) at 34 per cent growth Queensland tied in second spot with 33.8 per cent growth but while Trundle was 5.5 hours from the Sydney CBD and Sea Lake was almost 18 hours away Spring Mountain was just over half an hour away from the Brisbane CBD Spring Mountain is just 36 minutes drive from the Brisbane CBD which pulled a massive 33.8 per cent quarterly surge in median price was the new hub for developers in the Springfield area whose recent sales were focused on Spring Mountain said it had a higher entry level than most new development zones Among properties he’s sold in the past few weeks was Lot 5069 Steamer Way double garage property that fetched $519,900 on July 19 “Moving forward Spring Mountain is going to be the new Springfield Lakes All the new display homes have been sold at Springfield Lakes and all the developers have moved to Spring Mountain and they have a wide range of Hamptons homes Spring Mountain is going to be the new inner-city hub of Springfield All the new homes in that part are a bit more expensive than the older parts of Springfield.” MOUNT MELLUM (Sunshine Coast) $675,000 17.2% PEACHESTER (Sunshine Coast) $575,000 16.2% (Source: CoreLogic August Market Trends) FOLLOW SOPHIE FOSTER ON FACEBOOK The property will remain a crime scene as investigations continue. (ABC News: Rachel Riga) Link copiedShareShare articleA 58-year-old man has been charged with murder after his 52-year-old partner was found dead at a home at Ipswich, west of Brisbane, on Monday night. Emergency services said the body of the woman was discovered inside a property at Mountain Bell Lane in Springfield Lakes just after 10:00pm. It is understood she suffered fatal wounds to her neck. The man was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. Detective Inspector David Briese said the pair were in a relationship and had just returned from a trip overseas. "It appears that they had been away from the country for a period of time, at least a month, in South-East Asia and had only returned yesterday afternoon," he said. Police said the pair were originally from South-East Asia but are permanent Australian residents, having lived in the country for more than a decade. Detective Inspector Briese said family members, friends and neighbours had been spoken to as part of police inquiries, but anyone who knows the couple is urged to come forward. "If they're aware of any issues, anything that's occurred recently or in the past that's happened between them, we'd be asking them to contact us," he said. "We don't believe the public have anything to fear as a result of this incident." The property will remain a crime scene as investigations continue. "We have forensics and scenes of crime officers at the address under a crime scene warrant and we believe everything we needed to find we have," Detective Inspector Briese said. The man is due to appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning. and giant hail as large as 14cm in diameter battered parts of Ipswich Thousands of homes across the suburbs of Springfield Thagoona and Willowbank suffered extensive roof damage resulting in collapsed internal ceilings and major water damage to internal structures as well as home contents Mayor Teresa Harding said while the hailstorm lasted just minutes the community is still piecing their homes and lives back together “The hailstorm left more than $1.05 billion in damage and 44,000 insurance claims lodged,” Mayor Harding said hundreds of families had no choice but to leave their homes and those families have had to wait months to go home and the most shocking part is there are still 265 homes awaiting repairs “Only 67.56 per cent of residential property claims have been closed and impacted families continue to rely on ongoing support from their community while insurance companies and tradespeople work to repair the damage “Council will continue to highlight their needs on the long road to recovery.” There was nine super cell storms and more than 296,000 lightning strikes across south-east Queensland during the event Three people were trapped inside a Springfield Lakes house after a tree collapsed onto the roof but miraculously no injuries were reported across the region Many homes throughout the region were left without power the Insurance Council of Australia declared the natural disaster a catastrophe A council-led Local Disaster Coordination Centre and Local Disaster Management Group was stood up immediately after the storm to lead a coordinated effort to assist residents Local Disaster Management Group Chair Mayor Teresa Harding and Deputy Chair Councillor Kate Kunzelmann met daily with about 30 representatives from across government and non-government agencies More than 2,000 people are estimated to have been provided with support at the YMCA Springfield Community Centre which opened on Sunday 1 November as a drop-in support centre Ipswich City Council and Community Recovery teams from Department of Communities Disability Services and Seniors provided face-to-face support while local businesses donated food and supplies A special recovery and reconstruction taskforce was established to engage with and co-ordinate key stakeholders to address the ongoing impacts and emerging issues in affected communities Halloween Hailstorm Recovery and Reconstruction Taskforce Chair Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic said she felt the recovery response needed further escalation “By March there was a sense in the community that many people affected by the hailstorm were still suffering hardship and ongoing issues due to the prolonged recovery and reconstruction efforts,” Cr Jonic said “We were able to authorise waivers of fees at council’s waste transfer stations for residents to dispose of storm damaged material and work more closely with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to provide the community with more information on assistance available to them.” Cr Jonic said the community is holding a Breakfast in the Park on Saturday morning across the road from the Springfield YMCA Community Centre to come together and reflect on impact the once-in-a-generation hailstorm has had on their lives “I think it will be an opportunity to thank all of those who helped along the way,” Cr Jonic said “The SES, our orange angels came from all over Australia to help this community and the Ipswich City unit recently won a state award for their response to the Halloween hailstorm “There were also many businesses and residents that extended a helping hand to those who needed it most.” The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) have undertaken audits of the 1,882 Ipswich properties damaged in the hailstorm The initial assessment immediately after the hailstorm identified 520 properties with severe damage 602 dwellings with moderate damage and 652 properties with minor damage A February assessment found that 230 homes were still severely affected with a further 667 houses still having moderate damage and a further 245 houses had minor damage work was yet to begin at 142 properties and 169 homes still required tarps on the roof That latest audit conducted in September 2021 found 86 per cent of properties have now been reconstructed There are 21 properties remaining with severe damage 103 with moderate and 141 with minor damage Mayor Harding said council was now working with relevant agencies on what lessons can be learned from this disaster “The communities affected by the hailstorm should be congratulated on their patience and amazing resilience as they endured long waits due to COVID-19 and unprecedented challenges,” Mayor Harding said “It has been a most trying year but when we look back there there are so many worthwhile lessons to be learned such as the outstanding community-led recovery council and other agencies was ground-breaking in many ways and we will continue to develop protocols based on this disaster.” >>> Ipswich SES top orange angles in state had a passion for fishing at all times of the day He was great at reeling in bass and catfish especially his four kids between 12 and 22 Tragedy struck the family in the early morning hours of Sunday on Springfield Lake in Springfield Township "It seems like it's just a tragic accident," said Springfield Township Police Chief Jack Simone was night fishing with a friend on a paddleboat around 1:30 a.m who was outside the police department right by the lake was flagged down after the boat capsized about 50 yards from shore "Our officer immediately took his gear off and jumped into the lake to see if he could search for the fisherman," Simone said His body was found about four hours later in 7 feet of water You don't ever plan on burying any of your kids," Wisener Sr A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the children of the victim. "There was no life insurance. There was nothing set up for the kids' future. Nothing like that," Wisener Sr. said. Simone said the boat was in poor condition and had holes in it. "When we recovered the boat, it was completely capsized upside down, and only the rear of the boat was out of the water," Simone said. Police said neither man was wearing a life jacket, underscoring one of the most important messages surrounding boating safety. "Life jackets are just a must anytime fishing or out in a boat because you don't know. You don't plan for this kind of stuff," Wisener Sr. said. Springfield Township police and fire offered more safety tips, including discouraging people from drinking while boating, reminding boaters to be familiar with the lakes or rivers they're using, and telling their loved ones about their plans and how long they'll be out on the water. Through his heartache, Wisener Sr. also shared an emotional message about how fragile life can be. "Hug them tight and love them every day. No matter what age they are, let them know you love them. Tomorrow is not guaranteed," he said. A few weeks after taking ownership of their sprawling 70-acre property at Purga the Einam family were exploring their new home when they spotted a koala staring down at them from high up in a tree and the discovery of their furry neighbour inspired the Einams to completely rethink what they wanted to achieve with their rural property the Einams have spent nearly every free moment transforming the neglected cattle property into an ideal nature habitat for native flora and fauna Though the project is still in its infancy the Einams have already planted 500 native trees worked hard to manage invasive weeds and pests achieved improvements in soil health and developed off-stream watering points and a mini-wetland ecosystem restoring the local koala populations has been a key focus Two-hundred-and-fifty koala-friendly shrubs have been planted koala-friendly fencing has been installed and the Einams have signed a Koala Conservation Agreement with Ipswich City Council the Einam family’s hard work has been rewarded after they were named a finalist for the 2018 Healthy Land and Water Awards the annual Healthy Land and Water Awards recognise and celebrate the people and groups working to improve and protect south-east Queensland’s environment Samantha Einam said she was humbled to be named a finalist for the 2018 Awards sweat and tears has gone into our project and we’ve encountered lots of challenges along the way so to gain a bit of recognition makes the tougher times worth it,” she said our only motivation is making sure there is a future and a safe place for the koalas and other native species especially as development increases the pressure on our environment.” three other environment champions from Ipswich have been recognised as part of the 2018 awards: The winners will be announced at the 2018 Healthy Land and Water Awards Gala Dinner in Brisbane on Friday For the complete list of finalists and details on their projects visit www.hlw.org.au/awards/finalists It is heart-warming to witness the passion in the community for our environment and the selfless dedication so many people have for protecting our remarkable part of the world. Given there is so much focus on the issues facing our environment, it is important we celebrate the people helping to make south-east Queensland a greener, cleaner and healthier place to live so they can inspire more people to take action. We are having one of the highest population growth periods yet recorded – and the biggest boom is in the corridor of Redbank Plains It is strong growth considering Ipswich’s population count only ticked over 200,000 at the start of the year These figures are equivalent to an annual population growth of 4.59 per cent and a total annual increase of 8,688 persons Council’s role is to manage growth and development in order to create a socially ecologically and economically sustainable city Council’s Planning and Development September Quarterly Activity Report found strong activity in subdivisions New lots were created at Spring Mountain (231 lots) and South Ripley (178 lots) but the hottest spots for new lots approved were Colllingwood Park (442 lots) and Springfield (406 lots) Council approved 1144 new residential lots for the September 2017 quarter 468 lots were approved in the September 2012 quarter Developers such as Lendlease and Peet are at the forefront of Ipswich’s growth They are building new estates in key suburbs Peet’s Eden’s Crossing in Redbank Plains is one of southeast Queensland’s fastest selling residential developments The 120ha masterplanned community will deliver up to 1200 homes within the next seven years Lendlease’s Fernbrooke Ridge estate at Redbank Plains will be home to about 2000 people on completion The community at Springfield Lakes will be 30,000 residents strong by the time it is completed around 2020  And the nearby Springfield Rise (pictured at top of page) is anticipated to become home to 12,000 people From the kitchen and living areas of Willie Reyes’ new house he has an expansive view over Springfield Lakes and the community he proudly calls home – one of the fastest growing corridors in Ipswich “I would describe it as an oasis,” he said For more than 15 years living at Forest Lake moving to the Lendlease community was the dream Finally in May his family moved into their Springfield Lakes home “Some developments you see are just houses While Mr Reyes puts the finishing touches to the family home two daughters have also been inspired to look at the region for their first homes Mr Reyes said one daughter has bought a block at Spring Mountain and was in the process of designing a home while the other is saving up and looking at the area Newlyweds Thomas and KC Wyse couldn’t wait to start their life together – buying a block of land at Edens Crossing a week before their wedding day with the couple deciding not to tell their families until after the wedding They had been house hunting for three months but chose the Redbank Plains community because they could get a bigger 600sq m block at an affordable price and design a new home of their choice With a German Shepherd and an aim of fostering dogs for the RSPCA Mr Wyse is also able to take the train from Springfield to work Mr Wyse liked the area’s mix of suburbia and bushland – and spotting the occasional kangaroo While the couple has been married less than a month they have been together seven years and are methodical long term planners They have been tracking the market and were optimistic about Redbank Plains as an investment At the November Ipswich City Council meeting Councillors called on State and Federal governments to commit funding to vital infrastructure to support the population growth in the key corridors The $150 million rail extension from Springfield Central to Redbank Plains (School Road) is one of the Council of Mayors (SEQ) priorities for funding in the lead up to the state election on November 25. At the Council meeting Councillor David Morrison said Redbank Plains had seen the strongest population growth of any Ipswich suburb for a number of quarters, and the corridor demanded efficient and reliable transport infrastructure. Mayor Andrew Antoniolli said the Planning and Development quarterly report flags that Ipswich does need an increased investment in infrastructure and a state commitment to that rail line was essential. Baby Mason Leigh was born at 3.48am on Wednesday – 13 days ahead of schedule – to proud parents Sermone and Adam Warn and a distinctly New Year’s vibe in the maternity ward Music was playing and there was a party atmosphere on the ward,” Ms Warn said I never imagined we would have the first baby of 2020.” spent his first 24 hours on a ventilator in the hospital’s Special Care Nursery before joining his mum on the maternity ward Dad Adam and four of Mason’s six siblings – Tori and within minutes had thought up a nickname “They’ve started calling him Mayo,” Ms Warn said The family named Mason after North Melbourne AFL player Mason Wood The Warn family moved from Tasmania to Ipswich two years ago and said they felt very much at home in the city Mr Warn said the timing of Mason’s arrival on New Year’s morning was a welcome surprise “All of the children’s birth have been memorable but this one has been just that little bit extra being on New Year’s Day,” he said >> Life-saving piece of equipment arrives at Ipswich Hospital >> Unique ceremony a first for Ipswich Hospital Play Duration: 21 minutes 41 seconds21m Brought to you by The students from Springfield Lakes State School get Dr Karl's brain ticking. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki(Supplied: Mel Koutchavlis) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Two murder-accused teens have been remanded in custody after appearing in court over allegedly bashing a Queensland man to death with a firearm on a suburban street on the outskirts of Ipswich broke into a Springfield Lakes home on Saturday night began to tail the white ute in his silver sedan The two vehicles pulled over on The Promenade and a verbal spat broke out, before one of the teens allegedly struck the 49-year-old on the head with a firearm causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness who had been driving in the silver sedan with Mr Murphy The teens also assaulted him before fleeing the scene whose father David Murphy was allegedly bashed to death with a weapon on a roadside.Credit: Facebook Mr Murphy was declared deceased at the scene a short time later Neighbors Chloe Nambour and Mark Windler tried to help Mr Murphy but it was too late "I stayed with him and got Mark to run inside and get some towels and sheets to try and stop the bleeding," Ms Nambour said "It’s definitely something that you don’t want to see really ever again." Specialist police found the two 19-year-olds at an address in Atlantic Street just before midnight and took them into custody has been charged over the death of David Murphy.Credit: Facebook A police spokeswoman described it as a "domestic incident" The 19-year-old Springfield Lakes man and a 19-year-old Molendinar man have each been charged with one count each of murder The teenagers appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday Vital's lawyer Daniel Hannay and McPherson's lawyer Daniel Hua fronted media afterwards and said the teenagers were okay despite the serious offences before them "It’s an absolutely tragic set of circumstances," Mr Hannay said "It would be inappropriate of me to discuss the matters that are before the courts and the facts surrounding the allegations the family is completely distressed and I’m taking instructions with respect to a bail application." When asked whether Mr Murphy's death was an accident Mr Hua said it would be a "very bold and foolish thing" for him to ascertain because the allegations were not clear yet he wishes to extend his heartfelt condolences to the victim in this matter," he said "It’s indeed a tragic set of circumstances and at the moment we’re not clear on what the allegations are so it’s something he’s keen to finalise before the courts in an expeditious manner "It's not known what exactly the case against him is and it's going to be some time until that comes out so we’re still waiting for a brief of evidence at the moment." The teenagers' matters have been adjourned and would remain in custody until November 13 The two vehicles pulled over on The Promenade and a verbal spat broke out \\\"I stayed with him and got Mark to run inside and get some towels and sheets to try and stop the bleeding,\\\" Ms Nambour said \\\"It\\u2019s definitely something that you don\\u2019t want to see really ever again.\\\" A police spokeswoman described it as a \\\"domestic incident\\\" Vital's lawyer Daniel Hannay and McPherson's lawyer Daniel Hua fronted media afterwards and said the teenagers were okay despite the serious offences before them \\\"It\\u2019s an absolutely tragic set of circumstances,\\\" Mr Hannay said \\\"It would be inappropriate of me to discuss the matters that are before the courts and the facts surrounding the allegations the family is completely distressed and I\\u2019m taking instructions with respect to a bail application.\\\" When asked whether Mr Murphy's death was an accident,\\u00A0Mr Hua said it would be a \\\"very bold and foolish thing\\\" for him to ascertain because the allegations were not clear yet he wishes to extend his heartfelt condolences to the victim in this matter,\\\" he said \\\"It\\u2019s indeed a tragic set of circumstances and at the moment we\\u2019re not clear on what the allegations are so it\\u2019s something he\\u2019s keen to finalise before the courts in an expeditious manner \\\"It's not known what exactly the case against him is and it's going to be some time until that comes out so we\\u2019re still waiting for a brief of evidence at the moment.\\\" The teenagers' matters have been adjourned and would remain in custody until November 13.