Golden Avenue officially opened on 26 August 2025 at 67 Edward Street, marking the Anyday group’s seventh venue and its first outside Fortitude Valley and New Farm. The project has been in planning for more than three years and introduces Middle Eastern flavours to the group’s expanding portfolio.
Culinary Direction
The restaurant is led by co-owner and culinary director Ben Williamson, group executive chef Adam Wolfers, and head chef Tim Yates. Williamson previously oversaw Gerard’s Bistro, while Yates most recently worked at Scully in London. Together, they bring strong experience in Middle Eastern and wood-fired cookery to Golden Avenue.
Photo Credit: Golden Avenue/Instagram
Menu and Dining Experience
The menu draws on influences from the Levant and Maghreb, prepared over multiple wood ovens and charcoal grills. Dishes include kibbeh nayyeh with Urfa chilli and sheep curd, wood-baked flounder with preserved lemon, swordfish shish with hawaij spice, Spring Bay mussels baked in a clay pot with fennel and roasted rice cream, and a 700-gram machoui lamb shoulder. House-made breads such as pita, saj, and potato sourdough pita are baked fresh to order. Desserts feature luqaimat doughnuts with saffron anglaise and a baklava mille-feuille.
Design and Atmosphere in Brisbane CBD
The 500-square-metre venue was designed by J.AR Office and combines concrete textures, pink granite surfaces, greenery, and skylights. Inspired by Moroccan riads but with a brutalist edge, the design incorporates seven retractable roofs and a mezzanine level to create a bright and open dining space. Music, curated by creative director Graz Mulcahy, adds a further layer to the atmosphere.
Golden Avenue also includes GA, a walk-in-only bar with its own street entrance on Edward Street. The bar offers a separate menu of snacks and mezze, alongside a selection of more than 130 spirits.
Golden Avenue is open from 11:30 a.m. daily, providing Brisbane CBD with a new dining option centred on Middle Eastern flavours and wood-fired cooking.
Brisbane City Markets is giving locals a chance to escape the city with a VIP Strawberry Picking Experience and staycation. Valued at over $800, the prize lets one winner and a guest pick strawberries at Fresh Berries Direct and enjoy a night at Mount Mee Country Lodge, an hour from Brisbane.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Photo Credit: Supplied
Organised by Goodwill Projects, the market offers fresh, farm-direct produce, artisan goods, and gourmet foods. Vendors like Fresh Berries Direct, with over a decade of experience from Caboolture and Stanthorpe, bring regional Queensland produce to the city. The market connects locals with farmers and artisans, promoting healthier eating and supporting small businesses.
A Straw-bulous Escape
Entries for the competition close on 25 August at 4:00 PM, with winners announced on 26 August. Brisbane City Markets at Reddacliff Place runs every Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM at 266 George Street, Brisbane.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Mount Mee Country Lodge provides rustic, comfortable accommodations with mini-golf, sports courts, a pool table, and movie and exercise rooms. Perched atop Mount Mee, the lodge offers sweeping views of the Glasshouse Mountains and Moreton Bay, letting visitors relax in nature near the city.
How the Community Can Join
Locals can enter the competition through an online form, providing basic contact information and sharing feedback about Brisbane City Markets.
The initiative aims to engage the community directly, allowing market-goers to influence the experience while giving them a chance to enjoy a unique farm-to-lodge adventure.
Photo Credit: Supplied
The promotion also highlights Goodwill Projects’ focus on creating meaningful community events that showcase local produce and experiences.
Supporting Local Producers
Through this initiative and regular markets, Goodwill Projects continues to support local growers and artisans, helping them reach a broader audience.
Queensland Rail has issued urgent safety warnings to passengers after a concerning increase in injuries across the South East Queensland network, with Fortitude Valley station recording 12 reported injuries in the past financial year.
The suburb’s railway station ranked third highest for passenger injuries statewide, behind only Brisbane Central with 50 incidents and Roma Street with 38, according to new data released during Rail Safety Week.
The figures represent a significant jump from the previous year, with total customer injuries across the network rising from 299 to 350 incidents during the 2024-25 financial year.
Queensland Rail’s general manager of security and emergency preparedness Drew Brock attributed the spike directly to increased passenger numbers following the introduction of 50-cent fares in August 2024. The fare initiative, which began as a six-month trial before being made permanent in November 2024, led to a 17.9 per cent increase in train patronage compared to the same period in 2023.
“We had 55 million passenger journeys, so since the 50-cent fares came in we have seen new customers coming to the network,” Brock explained during the safety campaign launch.
The majority of incidents involved slips, trips and falls, with outcomes ranging from minor bruising to serious hospitalisations requiring treatment for broken bones. Video footage released by Queensland Rail showed passengers falling between platforms and moving trains, getting caught in closing doors, and tumbling down station stairs.
For Fortitude Valley commuters, the data serves as a stark reminder of the importance of platform safety, particularly given the station’s underground location beneath the Valley Metro complex and its role as a key transport hub for the area’s busy entertainment and business districts.
Brock emphasised that many injuries could be prevented through basic safety awareness. “It really is just a case of using common sense. Don’t rush for the train, there will always be another train. Don’t put yourself at risk by going over the yellow safety line, always stay vigilant,” he said.
Common causes of injuries include passengers taking luggage, bikes, or scooters on escalators instead of using lifts, and people slipping in the gap between trains and platforms at older stations that lack rubber safety barriers.
Queensland Rail has issued key safety recommendations for passengers:
Stay behind the yellow line until trains come to a complete stop
Hold children’s hands when travelling and mind the gap
Use lifts or ramps when carrying large items
Pay attention to surroundings rather than looking at phones
Plan journeys and arrive early to avoid rushing
Use lifts instead of escalators when travelling with bikes, scooters, or heavy luggage
The safety warnings come as public transport use continues to surge across the region. Data shows more than 93.3 million trips have been taken in South East Queensland since the fare reduction began – an increase of 18.3 per cent from the benchmark period in 2023.
While the increased patronage has been welcomed as a sign of the initiative’s success, railway operators stress that safety must remain the priority as more people use the network.
“We see a range of outcomes in these instances all the way from a bruised ego to serious injuries like hospitalisations with broken bones,” Brock warned.
The Rail Safety Week campaign aims to educate both new and existing passengers about platform safety as the network continues to attract record numbers of users taking advantage of the affordable fares.
A Bentley in the window, cocktails served in lava lamps, and furniture you can actually take home, Fortitude Valley’s new nightclub, Pawn & Co., is not just a place to dance but a space where nearly everything is for sale.
Pawn & Co. landed in Brisbane in mid-2024, instantly drawing crowds with its “party-meets-pawn-shop” twist. Tucked along Ann Street in Fortitude Valley, the two-storey venue lets guests sip cocktails, dance to DJs, and even buy the décor, from vintage gramophones to high-end cars.
It’s open Thursday to Sunday, starting with theatrical drinks from 6 p.m. and shifting into nightclub mode from 9 p.m. on select nights. Over 250 items have already been sold through its ever-changing displays. Originally from Melbourne, the concept mixes nightlife, retail and a bit of curiosity into one unforgettable experience.
Everything Is for Sale — Literally
Pawn & Co. may look like a vintage pawn shop, but here, almost everything, including the DJ booth and wall art, has a price tag. Its ever-changing collection, sourced from local pawnbrokers and collectors, keeps the space fresh and unpredictable.
You’ll find $10 trinkets sitting alongside a Bentley worth over $300,000. According to staff, the biggest sellers so far include quirky toys, costume jewellery and cheeky adult items.
Cocktails That Double as Theatre
Pawn & Co.’s cocktails aren’t just served, they’re staged, arriving in locked vaults, framed prints, or boxes filled with rose petals. Each drink is inspired by a signature scent, developed through the venue’s in-house perfumery.
This scent-to-cocktail connection adds a sensory layer that sets the experience apart. Guests can also take part in private sessions where they create their own fragrance, later turned into a custom cocktail. It’s a playful blend of mixology and storytelling that feels both personal and unexpected.
Upstairs: The Vault of Curiosities
Upstairs, Pawn & Co. gets cheekier with its “Vault of Curiosities”, an adults-only lounge featuring risqué novelty items, all available to buy.
Think vibrators, harnesses, and other unexpected finds you wouldn’t normally spot in a nightclub. The vibe is edgy but lighthearted, with staff emphasising humour and guest comfort.
Even the bathrooms play along, hidden behind mirrored glass with a two-way mirror overlooking the bar. It’s all part of the venue’s mission to surprise, delight, and never take itself too seriously.
Prison Island, an indoor team challenge concept that originated in Scandinavia, is expanding into Brisbane with a new venue in Fortitude Valley. The experience, already operating in cities across Europe and Melbourne, is designed around completing various challenges in themed rooms known as “cells”. Each cell requires a combination of logic, skill, or physical coordination. The concept has been developed by Make It Now and is co-produced with Fever.
Photo Credit: Prison Island Brisbane
Experience Format and Game Design
The Fortitude Valley venue will open on 4 September 2025 at 162 Alfred Street. Players form teams of two to five and are given 90 minutes to complete as many of the 35 challenge cells as possible. The rooms range from physical tasks like basketball and laser mazes to puzzles testing memory, reflexes, and communication. The format is designed to appeal to all ages from 7 years and up.
Each challenge cell features a different objective and scoring system, with tasks such as dodging beams, colour puzzles, and interactive props. Game outcomes are tracked digitally, and teams earn points based on their performance in each room.
Venue Applications and Group Options
The Fortitude Valley venue caters to a wide audience including families, friends, schools, and corporate groups. Group bookings are available for teams of over 20 players, and sessions can be tailored for special occasions such as birthdays, bucks and hens parties, or workplace team-building events. Smaller group bookings can be made via the event waitlist.
Among the themed cells are games such as “Whack-a-Mole”, “Studio 21”, and “Joker”, each with its own stress rating and scoring system. Participants are encouraged to work together and play to individual strengths across different types of challenges.
Photo Credit: Prison Island Brisbane
Community Response and Ticket Availability
With thousands of global participants having tried Prison Island, organisers have reported strong early interest in the Brisbane venue. A public waitlist is already open, and general ticket sales begin at 6:00 p.m. on 5 August 2025. Sessions will run from the September launch onwards, with bookings available through the official website.
Prison Island Brisbane introduces a new indoor leisure option in Fortitude Valley, combining elements of sports, puzzles, and strategy into one structured experience. With 35 diverse challenge rooms and a format suited to groups of all kinds, the venue is positioned as a year-round activity for locals and visitors.
After more than a decade, the wait for Australian fans is finally over as global superstar Kesha announces her first headline tour of the country, set to include a massive outdoor performance at Riverstage in Brisbane City.
Kesha is bringing The Tits Out Tour Down Under for four major city stops in February 2026. Beyond the Brisbane show at Riverstage, the tour will also visit Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, giving fans across the country a chance to see her live.
The Australian leg follows an extensive run of shows that began in the United States in July 2025 and will continue in Europe in March 2026, making it the most significant tour of her extraordinary career. Her setlist is expected to be packed with hits like ‘TiK ToK’ and ‘Your Love Is My Drug’ alongside powerful new tracks ‘JOYRIDE’ and ‘Only Love Can Save Us Now’.
For many fans, this tour is more than a concert; it’s the celebration of an artist’s profound evolution. Kesha first burst onto the scene as a glitter-dusted force of energy, with her 2010 debut album Animal defining the sound of an era. However, her career path shifted dramatically following a protracted and highly public legal battle that began in 2014, which effectively put her music on hold.
She re-emerged with 2017’s critically acclaimed album Rainbow, shedding her past persona for a rawer, more vulnerable sound. The album, which featured the Grammy-nominated song ‘Praying’, marked a redefinition of her artistic identity. This journey of creating deeply personal and empowering music has continued through her subsequent albums, including the critically praised 2023 release, Gag Order.
The tour supports her latest work, which includes her sixth studio album, .(PERIOD), released on 4 July 2025. The 11-song collection is described as a defiant and unfiltered declaration of artistic freedom. Conceived, co-written, and co-produced by Kesha herself, the album is a raw and personal sonic journey that showcases an artist who is refusing to play it safe.
It represents Kesha at her most powerful, turning her experiences into vibrant and audacious art. This new music, combined with her catalogue of global hits, promises a concert experience that is both a massive pop party and a moving story of strength.
The tour marks a huge moment for local fans, who will finally see the pop icon in her first headline run of the country in more than a decade. For those eager to secure a spot, tickets go on sale this week. Tickets and venue presales commenced on Tuesday, 5 August, at 10:00 AM. The general public will have their chance to buy tickets on Friday, 8 August, starting at 10:00 AM.
The QUT Centre for Robotics in Brisbane City is home to one of Australia’s most dedicated research mentors. Professor Michael Milford, the centre’s director and an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, has been named a finalist in the 2025 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Researchers.
The Eureka Prizes, considered Australia’s most comprehensive national science awards, honour excellence in research, innovation, leadership and engagement. Professor Milford’s nomination recognises his dedication to mentorship as a core part of his academic and professional identity.
Photo credit: QUT/qut.edu.au
Over the years, Professor Milford has mentored thousands, ranging from high school students to seasoned researchers, across disciplines and continents. His mentees have gone on to win competitive grants, receive top awards, and step into leadership roles in academia and industry alike. Rather than providing prescriptive advice, he prefers to offer adaptable strategies that mentees can tailor to their own ambitions and circumstances.
He believes that mentoring is both rewarding and constantly evolving. It’s a process, he says, that challenges mentors to keep learning, reflecting, and refining their approach. He draws from his own early career experiences, crediting the guidance of his mentors as instrumental to his success. As he stepped into leadership roles, his commitment to mentoring deepened, becoming a central focus of his work at QUT Centre for Robotics.
Photo credit: Google Street View
What sets Professor Milford apart is not only his one-on-one guidance but also his commitment to reaching wider audiences through digital platforms. His Hacking Academia initiative—now boasting over 60 episodes—offers candid insights and practical tips on topics such as publishing, securing funding, and navigating academic challenges. What began as a casual video on paper-writing techniques has grown into a trusted global resource.
He often hears from researchers who say Hacking Academia helped them land their dream job, win their first grant, or simply feel less alone in the often challenging academic environment. For Professor Milford, those stories are among the most meaningful rewards of his work.
The 2025 Eureka Prize winners will be revealed at a special ceremony on 3 September. Whether or not he takes home the award, Professor Milford’s influence on the research community, both in Brisbane and around the world, is already firmly established.
Fortitude Valley is set for a fresh addition to its bustling food scene as one of the city’s fastest-growing hospitality groups transforms the former City Winery site on Wandoo Street into a modern Asian restaurant called Aunty.
The project, spearheaded by local restaurateur Michael Tassis and the Tassis Group, brings together new energy and familiar faces to one of the Valley’s most recognisable addresses, with an emphasis on community, quality, and creative Asian-inspired flavours.
A New Chapter for Wandoo Street
The space at 11 Wandoo Street, which most locals know from its days as City Winery and, before that, Campos café, is undergoing a complete makeover. Work is underway to convert the 450-square-metre warehouse into a sophisticated yet welcoming venue, reflecting both the Tassis Group’s trademark style and a respect for Cantonese traditions. The restaurant will feature an indoor and outdoor bar, a wine cellar, and several different dining areas including an open kitchen, private dining room and booth seating.
Chef Salvatore de Ponte, who previously worked at Fatcow, will lead the kitchen. His approach will combine traditional Cantonese techniques with fresh Australian produce and some Italian influences, bringing something new to the area while honouring the rich cultural history of Asian cuisine in Brisbane.
Diners can expect favourites such as Peking duck, handmade dim sum, and a selection of wood-fired dishes, with weekend yum cha planned for those long, relaxed catch-ups that Brisbane locals love.
Michael Tassis, known for finding unique locations and turning them into community favourites, has stated that the idea for Aunty came naturally after he saw the space. He recognised a gap in the market for a modern yet approachable Asian restaurant in the James Street and Wandoo precinct.
The vision for Aunty is to offer a dining experience that sits comfortably between casual eateries and high-end options already found in the area, while bringing a fresh sense of hospitality and warmth.
The design is being handled by local firm Clui Designs, who have been tasked with creating a “moody, minimalistic, elevated” environment. Inspiration is drawn from the welcoming feeling of a Cantonese teahouse, but with an edge that reflects the changing face of Fortitude Valley.
Aunty is expected to launch in the latter part of 2025, aiming to build on the evolving reputation of Fortitude Valley as one of Brisbane’s leading food destinations.
Fortitude Valley’s Jazz Music Institute will host the first stop of a national tour led by Sydney-based bassist and composer Max Alduca, marking the live debut of his album Monastery.
The Max Alduca Quintet opens its east coast tour at the Jazz Music Institute on 8 August 2025. The nine-date run will take the group through Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, and Victoria, presenting Alduca’s first album as bandleader in full.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Debut Album Blends Precision with Spontaneity
Released on 21 March 2025 through Earshift Music, Monastery draws on contemporary jazz, cinematic textures, and free improvisation. Developed after an intensive period of study in New York, the album explores themes of solitude, sanctuary, and musical connection.
Across seven original tracks, the music shifts between structured motifs and open-ended forms. Pieces like “Unknown Flow,” “Scando,” and “Sympathetic Resonance” reflect Alduca’s focus on space, texture, and dynamic interplay.
Five Acclaimed Artists on Stage
The Max Alduca Quintet features Alduca on double bass alongside guitarist Hilary Geddes, tenor saxophonist Michael Avgenicos, pianist Luke Sweeting, and drummer James Waples. The five musicians have collaborated across multiple Australian projects and officially formed as a quintet in 2022.
Tour Continues Through Regional and Capital Venues
Following the Fortitude Valley performance, the group will appear in Bellingen, Armidale, Nowra, Canberra, Murrah, Melbourne, Thirroul, and Sydney. Each show will spotlight live renditions of Monastery’s full tracklist.
The album was produced by Lloyd Swanton, known for his work with experimental trio The Necks. He supported the group throughout recording and post-production, helping shape the sound’s tonal clarity and overall cohesion.
In addition to leading this project, Alduca is a regular collaborator with the Eishan Ensemble, the Hilary Geddes Quartet, and several other national touring acts. His work continues to bridge composition and improvisation in a distinctly personal style.
Fashion entrepreneur Keri Craig-Lee OAM has been recognised for her pioneering contributions to Australian fashion and business during the 2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame induction, with her journey beginning in Fortitude Valley.
The 2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame ceremony acknowledged individuals and organisations who have made significant contributions to the state’s economic and social development. Among the six inductees was Keri Craig-Lee OAM, celebrated for nearly five decades of leadership in both the fashion and agribusiness sectors.
The Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 through a partnership between the State Library of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, and the Queensland Library Foundation. It honours those who have provided outstanding public value through ethical and impactful business leadership.
Born into a Brisbane fashion family, Craig-Lee’s early years were spent immersed in the operations of her parents’ clothing label, Fifth Avenue Frocks. Based in Fortitude Valley, the family factory doubled as her after-school study space and early training ground. From a young age, she provided input on design decisions and learned the fundamentals of retail from her parents, Peter and Dianne Craig.
After graduating from St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, she took part in a Rotary exchange program in the United States. During that year, she completed a technical fashion course, an experience she later described as transformative.
In 1977, at just 19, Craig-Lee launched her own eveningwear label. Her debut collection—36 garments—achieved national distribution immediately, a rare feat made possible in part by her family’s established retail network. A year later, she opened her first boutique in Brisbane Arcade.
By the early 1980s, she had received several awards including three Supreme Awards from the Retailers Association of Queensland. In 1987, she became the inaugural and only female inductee into the association’s Hall of Fame. She remains the only recipient of its Award of Excellence.
International Exposure and National Legacy
A defining moment in Craig-Lee’s career came in 1984, when she was commissioned to design and coordinate the wedding garments for Elton John and Renate Blauel. The brief—completed in just four days—included the bridal gown, bridesmaids’ dresses, trousseau, floral arrangements, Elton’s accessories, and venue styling. The high-profile event propelled her label to international attention, with global media coverage showcasing her work.
She continued to build her fashion empire throughout the 1980s and 1990s, exporting to markets across Asia, the Pacific, New Zealand, and the United States. In 1983, she opened the Keri Craig Emporium in Brisbane Arcade, a retail and hospitality hybrid offering fashion, homewares, and high tea. The Emporium, still operating today, remains managed by her family.
Photo Credit: QUT/YouTube
Partnership in Business and Life
In 1986, Craig-Lee married Trevor Lee. In 1995, the couple co-founded Australian Country Choice (ACC), which grew into the nation’s largest privately owned vertically integrated beef supply chain. Keri played a key role in shaping ACC’s branding and governance, complementing Trevor’s operational leadership.
The 2025 Hall of Fame induction marks the first time a married couple has been recognised separately for their leadership across distinct industries—fashion and agriculture.
Craig-Lee has also contributed significantly beyond business, holding ambassadorial roles for Brisbane, Expo 88, and the Mater Hospitals Trust. In 2017, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia, and in 2024 she was named a Queensland Great. In 2018, she joined the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard Kennedy School.
Her career has been documented in her 2017 coffee table book, Keri Craig: The Label, The Lady, The Lifestyle, which offers a retrospective look at her impact on Australian fashion and business.
Photo Credit: QUT/YouTube
Enduring Industry Impact
With more than 50 fashion awards, hundreds of staff employed, and decades of retail innovation, Craig-Lee is widely regarded as one of the key figures in Queensland’s fashion history. While often described as “Queensland’s Empress of Style”, her approach remains grounded in work ethic, timing, and family support.
Her influence on Brisbane’s inner-city retail sector, particularly through her long-standing presence in the Brisbane Arcade, continues to shape the local industry. Fortitude Valley, where her journey began, remains a symbolic point of origin for her legacy.
