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Get Ready as The Elephant Hotel Reverts to The Prince Consort with 8 Dining Venues

The Elephant Hotel, a 132-year-old heritage-listed site in Fortitude Valley, is changing back to its original name as The Prince Consort. Under the new management of the owners of Tilley & Wills Hotels, this old site is also getting a massive makeover.

New spaces for drinking and dining, apart from the hotel’s own kitchen, will soon make up the refurbished site as The Prince Consort enlivens Wickham Street with some “friends.”

Once completed before the end of October, the bar and dining spot will feature 400 Rabbits Tequila & Taco Cantina, The Garden Bar (open-air oasis with stadium screen) and Parlour Bar (with state-of-the-art TAB facilities) on the ground floor.

These venues will carry 89 beer taps ranging from international and Aussie brands, contemporary and modern brews, and a creative cocktail selection that packs the punch.

An ornate staircase to the second floor will lead to the La La Land luxe supper nightclub, whilst the antler-suspended hallway will direct visitors to The Bowie Rooms — inspired by icon David Bowie — for functions and events.

These event spaces are prepared to deal with COVID-19 restrictions using 2020 technology to a century-old hotel. For instance, La La Land has a livestream facility, where it may beam the parties to other parts of the world.

The third level will have The Yorke Suite, a music district rental space for Brisbane creatives. The hotel will also have its Naughty Corner — you’ll need to visit to find out what it has to offer!

Head Chef Jack Powlay will debut the new menus when the gastro-pub site opens and he’ll take charge of at least three kitchens — the main hotel, 400 Rabbits and La La Land.

Whilst The Prince Consort spruces up, the music bar, Greaser, will keep trading and feature its popular Comedy and Karaoke Night every Thursday and live music night every Friday and Saturday. The gaming lounge, Footy Tipping, is still up and running, as well as the Valley Wine Shop.

“We are delighted to announce that we’ll be returning as The Prince Consort! That’s right, our stunning 132-year-old heritage-listed site will be reclaiming its original name in all its former glory,” the hotel management posted on Facebook. “We’ll be taking a little downtime to spruce up the old gal, and returning as an entertainment destination with something for everyone including live music, DJs, pub trivia and everything in-between.”

“Now, a new era beckons under the ownership of Tilley & Wills, and we are so excited to see the next chapter for this beautiful hotel!”

Syrian Billionaire Buys The Fantauzzo Hotel

The recent purchase of The Fantauzzo Hotel by Syrian billionaire investor Ghassan Aboud has taken Brisbane’s hotel market out of the doldrums and injected a healthy dose of confidence in the resilience of the local hospitality industry.

It has been announced that Mr Aboud bought The Fantauzzo Hotel from the Art Series Hotels (ACCOR) for a reported $70 to $75 million. The handover will take place in early 2021 and the site’s new name will be unveiled in the coming months.

The transaction is only the second major hotel acquisition in Australia since the pandemic after Gold Coast’s Guok family purchased Byron Bay’s The Bower Hotel in August. It will also mark Crystalbrook Collection’s entry in Brisbane.

Upon the completion of the handover, The Fantauzzo Hotel will join Mr Aboud’s hotel chain portfolio – Byron in northern New South Wales, Little Albion in Sydney, Kingsley in Newcastle, Superyacht Marina in Port Douglas, and Bailey, Flynn and Riley in Cairns.

According to Crystalbrook Collection chief executive Geoff York, a well-located hotel that attracts specific consumers and has fantastic facilities will always win in the market over other hotels. Thus, they expressed interest in The Fantauzzo Hotel in August.

Overlooking Howard Smith Wharves and located below the city’s iconic Story Bridge, ACCOR opened The Fantauzzo Hotel with 166 rooms in mid-2019.

Named for portrait artist Vincent Fantauzzo, ACCOR purchased the hotel from the Manta Group in 2018 and revitalised the property with its rooftop pool next to the Fiume bar, the renowned Italian Polpetta kitchen and bar, its business and meeting facilities, and its fitness centre. Some 300 artworks and digital displays of Mr Fantauzzo are also placed all over the interior.

In June, the hotel received the Gold Award at the Brisbane Design Awards 2020! Hibernating from the COVID-19 for several months, the hotel restarted business by 31 July and it has been gaining strong weekend bookings.

Boom Boom Room Izakaya: From Bank Vault to Cocktail Bar, to Japanese Restaurant

The transformation of Boom Boom Room Izakaya, a Japanese-inspired restaurant and bar in Brisbane CBD, is almost ready as the underground dining spot marks its opening day on Friday, 2 Oct 2020.

Located below Donna Chang‘s modern fine dining Chinese cuisine, the cocktail bar formerly known as The Boom Boom Room shifts its concept to create a more restful, comfortable and safe eatery whilst retaining its dark and moody ambience.

Nehme Ghanem of The Ghanem Group — the same company behind Byblos, Blackbird Bar & Grill and Lord of the Wings — worked out the shift to Boom Boom Room Izakaya pre-pandemic. The timing of the concept’s redevelopment seems to fit the current state of the food and hospitality industry.

The Ghanem Group didn’t tweak a lot of the old bar’s interiors, whilst only removing and replacing some of the furniture with heaps of gorgeous red velvet chairs.

Boom Boom Room Izakaya — Photo Credit: Facebook

However, the former bank vaults of the Queensland Government Savings Bank have been redesigned as private rooms with classy velvet drapes for those small-scale private parties.

Featuring a new Japanese menu from the creative taste of chef Jake Nicolson, Boom Boom Room Izakaya offers food bites and snacks like Barramundi katsu bao burgers with bacon or miso-glazed toothfish yakitori with shichimi pepper and bonito mayo.

Aaron Clark, the beverage director, has also come up with cocktail concoctions with distinctly Asian flavours like green tea, pickled ginger, cherry blossoms and lychee.

Table bookings are now accepted for the big opening day. Phone (07) 3243 4000 or email info@boomboomizakaya.com.au for enquiries.

You may also register your details at the official site to be the first to get the updates.

Primaveral: Buy Now Pay Later Art Exhibition Launches In Brisbane CBD

It’s always nice to have a creative and decorative masterpiece amongst all the gadgets and machines in your home. If you’re looking for new exciting pieces for your collection, an eclectic exhibition titled Primaveral, will be on display in Fortitude Valley, and you can have the artwork of your choice in a Buy Now, Pay Later scheme.

The group exhibit feels fitting amidst the uncertainty today. Primaveral means “of or taking place in early spring.” In the changing of the season, these artists continue to create, discover, evolve and find new meaning in what they do despite the setbacks and challenges.

Happening at Mitchell Fine Art, Primaveral features the following artists: Ann Thomson, Bernard Ollis, Carlos Barrios, David Hayes, Deirdre Bean, Franck Gohier, George Gittoes, Jeff Makin, Margaret Loy Pula, Matthew Cheyne, Min-Woo Bang, Mirra Whale, Peter Hudson, Steve Lopes, Stewart MacFarlane, Adrian Jangala Robertson, Annalisa Ferraris, Idris Murphy, Kenny Pittock, Kim Wilson, and Maximilian Daniels.

Their creations, showcasing a range of genres, times, themes and forms, will be exhibited from 2 Sept to 3 Oct 2020 with a special program on Saturday, 12 Sept 2020, at 2:00 p.m. The event is free but registration is necessary per COVID-19 precautions.

Touring the exhibit is also possible virtually through Facetime or Zoom. Photos of the masterpieces are shared in smaller screen resolution at the online gallery.

Easy Payment Scheme

Mitchell Fine Art supports Art Money, a fantastic scheme for interest-free loans to buy art.

Launched in 2015, Art Money enables every art lover to start or build their collection by paying the initial 10 percent of the artwork’s value with the rest paid up in a staggered arrangement over nine months, at no interest.

For the RSVP, the virtual tour, or to inquire about the artworks and Art Money scheme, phone 07 3254 2297 or email gallery@mitchellfineartgallery.com

Ariana Grande, Gigi Hadid, Kardashians Boost US Sales of Bowen Hills Fashion Shop Amidst Pandemic

An affordable and trendy clothing store in Bowen Hills is experiencing massive growth in sales and staff despite the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to a major boost from celebrities like Ariana Grande and Gigi Hadid.

Verge Girl is fast becoming a favourite label of young women, particularly in the U.S., after big names like Ariana, the Hadid sisters, Kendall Jenner, and Kourtney Kardashian were caught wearing the brand.

Grande, for instance, posted a photo of herself wearing one of Verge Girls’ creations on her Instagram account. The outfit, Holidaying In Italy Knit Set ($119), immediately sold out.

View this post on Instagram
☁️ thankful and here and very much 27
A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Jun 27, 2020 at 1:41pm PDT

Verge Girl founders Natalia and Daniella Dionyssiou said that orders continue to come in when other retailers are struggling in this pandemic crisis. More than 60 percent of their sales come from online U.S. customers and whilst shipping may cost more, the demand for their items is greater.

Part of the appeal of their brand is affordability and style, with new designs coming out every week. The sisters also believe that they click with consumers because of trade directly to their target market. Their designs are not meant for selling someone else’s products. Apart from these reasons, their social media strategy is unshakeable.

Natalia and Daniella credit celebrity stylists for lending credibility and exposure to their brand. It’s these stylists who have reach out to the sisters for the clothes and the duo sends anything they like.

Verge Girl opened its first store in Brisbane in 2007. Natalia and Daniella were 17 and 19 at that time but their small fashion house in the city was always “crazy busy.” They transitioned to a fully operational online business in 2013 and maintained the warehouse in Bowen Hills.

Natalia and Daniella recently expanded this warehouse as the demand grew. Whilst there might be a chance of setting up in the U.S., the sisters said that they will still remain a Brisbane-based team.

“We are definitely here to stay. Brisbane is home.”

Brisbane City Named 5th Most Expensive in the World for Parking

Brisbane lands in the fifth spot of cities around the world with the most expensive parking fees, a survey from a car maintenance company in the U.K. has revealed.

Analysed in the survey were different carparks in shopping centres, airports, city halls, stadiums and on-street parking in 65 major cities across the world.

New York ranked the highest with a parking rate that’s 354.75 percent higher than average. Boston (282.85 percent), Sydney (210.98 percent) and London (191.07 percent) were in the top next three spots, while Brisbane (173.62 percent) claimed number five.

The following rates are Brisbane CBD’s average hourly parking fees:

$17.82	airports
$16.88	shopping centres
$46.43	stadiums
$16.88	city hall
$4.69	on-street parking

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that the survey’s result isn’t surprising but the Council has been keeping parking rates in the CBD as “low as possible.” A spokesperson also said that the fees increased to just $1.20/hour since 2002.

In suburbs like Fortitude Valley, South Bank, and in the CBD, for instance, there are some carparks that cost $5 a day on the weekend.

The city also has early bird rates and other schemes that were not accounted for in the data. These schemes enable motorists to plan their trips ahead of time to secure good rates.

However, parking services companies like Secure Parking, Wilson Parking and Westfield Scentre have also been urged to consider lowering their fees, especially in this pandemic crisis.

Crowbar Brisbane Dims the Lights After 8 Years

Crowbar in Fortitude Valley has announced that it will be dimming the lights and closing its doors after eight years in the business. The stage for live music, which has showcased thousands of Brisbane’s best local music talents, is pulling the plug due to the current pandemic crisis.

In a statement on social media, the management of Crowbar said that the decision to close was made with a heavy heart.

“We’ve shared thousands of gigs, good times, beers, shots, singalongs, laughs, hugs, tears and triumphs with friends from all around the world,” the statement read. “These are trying times for the music and entertainment industries and the future is uncertain for a lot of us, but we hope to be back in Brisbane sometime with a very loud bang.”

Following the unfortunate news, patrons, promoters, and even bands who performed on the Fortitude Valley stage have been posting and tagging the entertainment venue’s social media accounts, as they shared their best memories of Crowbar.

“Thank you for hosting some of the best nights and gigs Brisbane has seen over the last 8 years. Hopefully, you’re able to make the return sooner rather than later. We love you and we will miss you greatly,” one Crowbar follower said on Facebook.

“Thank you for being the best venue to play in Brisbane. I’ve played and seen some of the sickest gigs here. Crowie was the home to a huge chunk of memories that‘ll stay with me for the rest of my life,” Matt of the Walken Band posted on Instagram. “Sending heaps of love, hugs and positivity to all the Crowie family. Thanks for making my life a little brighter.”

Crowbar did not simply become a party venue for Brisbane’s punk, hardcore and metal music lovers. The site was also used for various private birthdays, weddings, corporate functions and even church services.

“It’s really great seeing how many friendships and memories we played some part in for you,” the management said in response to the love and message of support they’ve received.

Crowbar’s online store for merchandise, however, will continue to be up and running despite the venue’s closure. Its outlet in Sydney will also remain in operation.

Fascinating Finds from 1880s Unearthed at the Cross River Rail Project

Archeologists digging for possible artefacts in Albert Street, the site of the city’s Cross River Rail project, have unearthed some fascinating finds from the 1880s that once belonged to Chinese traders.

In the lower part of the area near the botanical gardens, diggers have discovered key items that supported the existence of The Nine Holes, allegedly Brisbane’s first Chinatown.

Found among the artefacts were ceramics, late 1800s coins, horseshoes, pairs of intact leather boots and cut-offs, bottles and crockery, old books, perfume containers, and beautifully decorated opium pipes.

Also among the discoveries was a part of a cellar with a concrete floor that had a set of puppy or small dog paw print.

In his interview with ABC Radio Brisbane, the heritage consultant for the Cross River Rail project, Dr Kevin Rains of the Niche Environment and Heritage, said that the discovery showed the “very ethnically diverse population” where The Nine Holes stood. There were regular people doing their ordinary, domestic, day-to-day activities in a neighborhood that actually had a bad reputation.

The Nine Holes was a row of eateries, leather goods stores, grocers and hotels in Frog’s Hollow, the district named after the abundance of frogs that lived in the low-lying swampland. Mostly occupied by Chinese immigrants, the building with nine “holes” were actually shops-cum-houses combined for the working class.

Frog’s Hollow was also known for its opium and gambling dens, sly grog shops, and prostitution. It was the red light district at that time and was regarded as the “poorest and dilapidated” neighborhood in Brisbane.

Dr Rains is in the midst of analysing the artefacts and preparing the report for the state government. The discoveries could eventually be housed at the Queensland Museum.

Meanwhile, the Cross River Rail project will see a new rail line below the Brisbane River to ease congestion and improve accessibility. The Albert Street station will be able to service 67,000 passengers every day when the project is completed.

CQUniversity Brisbane Health Clinic Swings Into Action

As the COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, the CQUniversity Brisbane Health Clinic has swung into action to assist the local sporting community.

A CQUniversity Physiotherapy team, including Clinical Supervisor Nikki Rathbone and fourth-year Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) students Kaysie Florance and Breanna Keleher, attended a golf competition on Saturday, the 6th of June to provide massage to the members of the Gailes Golf Club.

“It was great to be able to get out into the community and provide a service to the public,” said Ms Florance.

Ms Keleher said she was grateful that the clinic was open and she was able to complete her clinical placement.

“It was also a great opportunity to get exposure to a sporting event during this time, as most organised sport has been cancelled due to the restrictions,” Ms Keleher said.

Ms Rathbone believes physiotherapists will be in high demand as restrictions on sport begin to be lifted.

“As we gradually return to our normal activities post COVID-19 restrictions, we expect there to be a spike of people suffering exercise or sporting-related injury concerns.

“Our hope is to build some relationships with the local community, especially sporting clubs,” Ms Rathbone said.

The Physiotherapy service is a new addition to the CQUniversity Brisbane Health Clinic at Indooroopilly.

“It is a very exciting opportunity to be involved in the new CQUniversity Brisbane Physiotherapy clinic, as it will be able to accommodate an extra 20 to 30 placement opportunities for our third and fourth-year physiotherapy students each year,” explained Ms Rathbone.

“The clinic also operates alongside our very successful student-led chiropractic clinic, which is a rare opportunity to have both disciplines working together out of the same location.”

According to the Australian Government Job Outlook, employment prospects for future physiotherapists is bright with a very strong future growth forecasted.

It is anticipated there will be around 13,000 job openings over the next five years.

Both Ms Keleher and Ms Florance chose physiotherapy as a career because of the opportunity to help people.

“I wanted to do something that helps people, and physiotherapy can help people with a hands-on approach. It gives people independence to help themselves, to improve their health and wellbeing long term,” explained Ms Florance.

Ms Keleher said, “I always wanted to work in healthcare, and I admire what physios do, especially with those patients who have longstanding or chronic issues.”

The CQUniversity physiotherapy students are available for appointments Monday to Friday to assist with back and neck pain, sporting injuries, as well as post-operative rehabilitation and exercise programs.

Appointments are just $30 for a thorough physiotherapy assessment and treatment.

To book call the clinic on (07) 3023 1498 or email BrisbaneHealthClinic@cqu.edu.au

Ingenious Plan to Merge Two Buildings Into One in Brisbane CBD Unveiled

Midtown Centre, an ingeniously designed redevelopment in Brisbane’s CBD, is an ecologically sustainable project which will transform and repurpose a presently disused office complex into a contemporary workplace, by merging two buildings into one, in a bid to avoid demolishing them.

In what will be an Australian first, the former government office buildings located at 150 Mary Street and 155 Charlotte Street will be transformed into one tower through what architects call a full building join.

Fender Katsalidis was engaged by AM Brisbane CBD Investments to design the new, 26-storey structure.

“The project proposes the connection of the two separate but conjoined sites, to create an internal, publicly accessible cross-block link between Mary and Charlotte Streets, realising Brisbane City Council’s master plan vision for laneway and linkages of city blocks,” the project description from Fender Katsalidis reads.

The 26-storey Midtown Centre will combine and enlarge the existing Health and Forestry House Building towers on a 3,670-square metre site fronting both Charlotte Street and Mary Street.

Keeping the heart of the building

The new building will have a podium which incorporates and revitalises the facade of the heritage-listed, late 19th -century Walter Reid Building, which was designed by Architect George Cowlishaw.

An outdoor terrace with landscaping will top the podium. On the ground level, there will be a public laneway connecting Charlotte and Mary Streets.

Above the six-storey podium, the existing Health and Forestry House towers will comprise the high-rise section. A “living, breathing, porous infill” will occupy the 20-metre gap between the buildings.

The tower will provide an estimated 1,800 sqm of continuous floor plates from Level 6 up to Level 20. Completing the building will be another six levels of commercial space.

A glazed atrium surrounded by a double-height sky garden marks the transition between the existing structures and the six-storey vertical extension.

The Charlotte Street footpath will be widened, in anticipation of heavier traffic once the building is complete. There will be cafes and retail outlets as part of the commercial mix in the precinct.

Hutchinson Builders is scheduled to complete the building by mid-2021.