The first vertical school in the state, is one of eight new state schools that opened in 2020’s Term One, the most new school opened in one day in more than 30 years.
The Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, McConnel MP and Education Minister Grace Grace, principal Sharon Barker and 30 staff were in attendance as year 7 students entered the $100-million school for the first time.
The Premier described the occasion as the day that would be “etched in Queensland’s history books.”
“It’s so exciting to be here today to see the big smiles on the faces of the students, staff and parents at Fortitude Valley State Secondary College,” the Premier said.
Other schools that opened that day include Mango Hill State Secondary College, Foxwell State Secondary College, Calliope State High School, Yarrabilba State Secondary College, Ripley Valley State Secondary College, Ripley Valley State School, and Lee Street State Special School in Caboolture.
Photo credit: Fortitude Valley State Secondary College / Facebook
“My government is proud to have delivered eight new state schools which all open today, an investment of more than $450 million,” the Premier said.
“More than 1,500 students will be welcomed by around 290 staff at these new schools today.
“We are so proud to have invested in these schools, delivering world-class facilities,” the Premier concludes.
Following the opening of the new learning centre and performing arts centre on Brookes Street, the seven-storey vertical junior learning centre on St Pauls Terrace will also be ready to use by mid-2020.
Love the taste of good old fashioned gin and tonic? Then mark your calendar for a sampling of the best from Australia’s finest distilleries this Saturday, the 29th of February 2020, as the Ginfused Festival returns in Fortitude Valley.
Pig ‘N’ Whistle on Brunswick Street is hosting and celebrating another showcase of glorious ginfused drinks. Expect a variety of mixers and flavours as heaps of local distillers have signed up for this spirited event.
Besides the classic lime mixer, these distillers will be offering unique various tasteful concoctions. Gin and tonic muddled in sorbet or chillies? You’ve got to come to the event to see and taste for yourself!
Pair your chosen gin with the perfect match of cheese or cured meats from a pre-purchased set served in a convenient charcuterie board upon registration. If you’re unsure what to get, free cocktail masterclasses will be underway to help you pick the best gin to go with the right type of food.
Sip and nibble on this relaxing weekend as live music plays in the background. But the fun isn’t done after you’ve gulped down all the drink you can have as a raffle draw will take place for some lucky gin lovers to win amazing prizes.
Register online to attend the festival, which will run from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
David Jones has confirmed it is closing its store in Fortitude Valley. Three years since it opened on James Street, the upscale department store will be shutting down in June 2020.
The site is the first David Jones to close in Queensland. However, a spokesperson said that this decision is in line with its “retail network strategy.”
The department store is optimising its operations as the needs and preferences of customers change. The company insisted that it is still doing OK.
With the impending shutdown, David Jones Fortitude Valley staff will not lose their jobs. Many of the team members have been redeployed at nearby outlets, including the biggest outlet in Brisbane at the Queens Plaza. This store is located some 5-kilometres away from the James Street site.
“We look forward to welcoming Brisbane customers to our QueensPlaza CBD flagship, our new-concept Carindale store and other surrounding David Jones stores as well as to davidjones.com,” the spokesperson said.
In August 2019, the department store’s owner Woolworths Holdings said, through its representatives, that it will be “aggressively” shutting down its physical stores as profits from these stores declined by 42 percent. In contrast, online sales during the second half of 2019 jumped by 61.8 percent, representing 10.4 percent of total sales.
Meanwhile, the outlet in Elizabeth Street in Brisbane City has also successfully contributed to last year’s sales. The site has undergone a massive nine-storey refurbishment, which is due for completion this March.
Seventeen years of memorable fun times at The Bowery in Fortitude Valley will come to an end as the owners recently announced they are closing shop. To mark this special, albeit sad day for its patrons, the bar will be hosting a big send-off on Sunday, the 26th of January 2020, its final day of trading.
“We would like to sincerely thank all the people that have made this great bar what it is, the staff, the bands, the DJs and all the customers that frequented the bar throughout its long run as one of Australia’s best cocktail bars,” The Bowery announced on its social media pages.
“The Bowery will be trading as per normal from tonight until Sunday the 26th of Jan. That Sunday we will be holding the official goodbye Bowery party. In which we will send the bar off in style.”
The relaxing and intimate watering hole on Ann Street is credited for moulding Brisbane’s nightlife scene. Patterned after 1920s New York’s dimly-lit dive bars with brick walls and red-leather seats, The Bowery launched in 2003 amidst large-scale drinking venues, which was then the rage in Queensland.
Locals, however, quickly became drawn to The Bowery because of its extensive drink list. The place also provided an easygoing vibe, where both staff and customers could have friendly and pleasant encounters amidst the cool sound of jazz music featuring The Bowery Hot Five.
With tonnes of waste going to landfills each year, it’s best to rethink our rubbish. In this year’s kerbside collection for Fortitude Valley (20 January 2020), help reduce landfill waste by upcycling your large unwanted household items instead of throwing them away.
Large household items in usable condition can be donated to charities and tip shops. But if you can’t let go of an item, probably because it has sentimental value or you feel guilty about getting rid of something from someone you love, better reuse it. Here are the best upcycling ideas to turn your old stuff into something new and useful:
Art studio L’Atelier d’Orel took the spinning drum from an unrepairable washing machine and made it into a nice coffee table. If you have an old washer sitting around, you can have it converted into a table. Here’s an instruction on how you can create one yourself from home.
Do you have a worn-out bike that you can’t simply throw away because it lasted you for so many years and it reminds you of your first cycling years? Give it a new life by painting it with something bright like pink or yellow to match your greenery. It’s an easy DIY project that only takes a few minutes to do.
There is a lot you can create from an old computer case, like turning it into a mailbox or maybe as a planter. All it takes is creativity, like Nick Pelis of The Mod Zoo who turned his computer case into a coffee maker. Or if you have an old keyboard, why not create a pen holder out of it? Some people even manage to come up with a bookshelf out of it–the possibilities are endless!
Don’t know what to do with your old ceiling fan lights? Why not try making some candle holders using those old fan light covers? This one uses a pine board that serves as a base. You will only need a few tools to get started, like a jigsaw, hammer and nails, hole saw accessory and wood glue. Here’s a tutorial from Thrift Diving on how to upcycle ceiling fan lights into a candle holder.
Kerbside Collection in Fortitude Valley
For general information about bin collections, Council’s waste facilities, recycling tips and myths, install the Brisbane bin and recycling app on your mobile device. The app features a bin collection calendar for Brisbane residents, with a notification option to remind you when your bins will be collected as well as push notifications about your next kerbside collection service.
Construction of Fortitude Valley State Secondary College is well underway and Stage 1, comprising the Brookes Street Precinct, is now complete and ready to welcome the school’s foundation Year 7 students in Term 1, 2020.
The school will open in three stages: Brookes Street Precinct will be ready for Year 7 students at the start of Term 1, 2020; St Pauls Terrace Precinct in mid-2020; and the Future Secondary Learning Precinct in Term 1, 2023.
Brookes Street Precinct is now complete and furniture delivered in time for the start of the academic year. Other construction updates include the removal of scaffolds from the junior learning building in the St Pauls Terrace Precinct, even as internal works, including wall sheeting and joinery, continue to progress.
Photo credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2020 / fortitudevalleyssc.eq.edu.auPhoto credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2020 / fortitudevalleyssc.eq.edu.auPhoto credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2020 / fortitudevalleyssc.eq.edu.au
Fortitude Valley State Secondary College is inner-city Brisbane’s first school to open in over 50 years. The school will be delivered in conjunction with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). In September, 2018, Sharon Barker was appointed as its Foundation Principal.
Photo credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2020 / fortitudevalleyssc.eq.edu.au
Designed by Cox Architecture, Fortitude Valley State Secondary College will be located at the site of the former Fortitude Valley State School, at the corner of St Paul’s Terrace and Brookes Street. The structure will feature a distinctive vertical design.
Artist impression of Brookes Street Precinct Plaza between the learning centre and performing arts building Photo credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2020 / qed.qld.gov.au
Hutchinson Builders is the official builder for Stage 1 which includes the performing arts centre, sports centre, and main vertical building. Once complete, the school will accommodate up to 1,500 students and will service students from Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Bowen Hills, and New Farm.
By 2025, Fortitude Valley State Secondary College is expected to have a student population of 1,500 across all year levels.
There’s no need to travel far for a fun summer swim as Fortitude Valley’s X Cargo makes a splash with its unique take on summer swimming — a shipping container pool. The open-air, multi-use entertainment venue, located at a former empty parking lot in McLachlan Street, is also launching its first-ever X Cargo Pool Club to help you beat the summer heat.
Beginning 1 Jan until 1 March 2020, the X Cargo Pool Club will open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. X Cargo is turning its Eats Alley shipping container into a swimming pool to allow Valley locals and their guests to make some cool plans and dive into the summer party vibe.
Guests will have the option to rent a Cabana (for group use) or sunbeds (for individual use). Each rental is time-sensitive as X Cargo Pool Club will only accommodate 65 people per session to avoid crowding the party venue.
Good for eight people Private waiter and waitress service Towel service Ciroc bottle service Sun packs, including sunscreen
11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. *Strictly a 3-hour session per group
Sunbeds
Sessions
One person per sunbed Towel service
11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. *Strictly a 2-hour session per person
A total of five cabanas and 12 daybeds will be available per session and all guests have access to a private pool club bar with an exclusive menu, a DJ booth and private toilets and change rooms.
Secure your slots online whether you plan to come as a group or soak in the water solo to meet other cool people at the venue. If your group would like the place all to your own for a private party, The X Cargo Pool Club is also available for hire for The Baller package. Inquire about this service by emailing poolclub@xcargo.com.au.
Staying in town for the rest of the holidays? Check out these five stellar options for celebrating New Year’s Eve in and around Fortitude Valley.
Whether 2019 has been your best year or the worst one yet, New Year’s Eve, and the promise of new beginnings that it brings, is still an occasion worth celebrating.
If you happen to be staying in town and you still don’t have a NYE event lined up, here is a list of our top picks a Valley celebration you won’t soon forget.
1. Rico Bar and Dining
Photo credit: Rico Bar & Dining/ Facebook
Welcome 2020 with one of the newest dining spots at Eagle Street Pier, Rico Bar and Dining.
Despite being new to the scene, Rico Bar and Dining has already been making a name for itself for its sophisticated (and delicious!) menu and one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor dining experience.
Whether you’re in for a casual meal or a romantic, sit-down date, Rico is undoubtedly one of your best choices.
“Friendly staff, great service and food was delicious. Located by the River with fantastic views. Would recommend and will be back again.”
“This new restaurant is nothing but PERFECTION. Thank you to your professional staff and house manager who treated us so warmly. Everything we had to eat and drink was delicious, nothing to fault. The views are breathtakingly beautiful and you nailed your decor. I can’t wait to come back and enjoy RICO again. Well done to you all.”
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with flavour at Rico Bar and Dining over a feast of shared plates, Latin-inspired three-course meal, and overflowing drinks at the bar.
Rico’s NYE dinner has two seating times—an a la carte menu from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., and a three-course set price menu for $110pp at 8:00 p.m.
To book your slot for a sit-down meal or a spot with a view for New Year’s Eve at Rico Bar and Dining, click here.
2. Cloudland
Photo credit: Cloudland/ Facebook
Cloudland’s New Year’s Eve Ball is all about the glitz and glamour. If you’re in the mood to socialise, party, eat, drink, and dance the night away, then this place is for you!
Choose between the the Crystal Garden Soiree ($149pp), Elyx Cocktail Lounge ($199pp), and the “Play Among the Stars” VIP Ball Experience ($199pp), all of which are served with premium food and drinks, plus a jam-pack lineup of entertainment for the entire night.
Cloudland’s Elyx Cocktail Lounge and VIP Ball will also be serving up fresh oysters at the bar and free-flowing champagne and Belvedere Vodka to all its guests.
Get ready to be transported back in time as Baedeker Winer Bar is transformed into a lavish, seductive and secretive 1920s speakeasy for New Year’s Eve.
All guests are invited to dress in their finest 1920s-inspired attire as they are ushered towards the hidden bar and be taken back in time through a night of jazz, cocktails, burlesque, immersive theatre scenes and dancing, and more.
The Baedeker Speakeasy is open for guests who are 18 years old and above only. Admission costs $220pp. To book your ticket, click here.
4. Za Za Ta
Photo credit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/
Experience Za Za Ta’s soulful blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist for New Year’s Eve. This new eatery is having two dinner settings, both of which are specially put together by Za Za Ta’s head chefs Roy Ner and Daria Manca.
First dinner setting costs $109pp. This includes Za Za Ta’s Feasting Menu and a glass of Moet Champagne. Dinner slot for this ticket is from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Second dinner setting costs $149pp. This includes Za Za Ta’s Feasting Menu and a 3 hour special beverage Package. Dinner slot for this ticket begins 8:30 p.m. onwards.
Visit Za Za Ta’s eventbrite page to secure your seats and for more information about their NYE offerings.
5. Altitude at Foresters
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at one of Brisbane’s most exclusive rooftop bars, Altitude Bar at Foresters.
Photo credit: https://forestersfv.com.au/
From 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. all guests will get to enjoy a 5-hour food and beverage package, this includes an assortment of canapes, a wide selection of beers, wines and cocktails, plus a glass of champagne to clink on by midnight to celebrate the start of the new decade.
For more fun and entertainment, Altitude Bar will also be having groovy beats played by invited DJs under the starry night sky. And as an added bonus for all, the bar has an enviable skyline view that gives all guests an automatic front row view of the fireworks display happening on New Year’s Eve.
Ticket price for this event varies from $48pp to $156pp. Click here to book your spot for Altitude Bar’s NYE celebration.
Howard Smith Wharves would soon have its own ferry terminal as Council pushes forward with the project which is now in its design phase.
In 2018, then Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the Council’s plan to expand the river transport network with a new ferry terminal for revitalised Howard Smith Wharves
The new ferry terminal will be the first expansion since 2015 and would be an addition to the 25 existing terminals from University of Queensland at St Lucia to Northshore Hamilton.
“With regular events planned at Howard Smith Wharves’ exhibition centre, as well as the restaurants, bars and public parkland expected to attract large crowds, the terminal will provide convenient public transport to the site,” Cr Schrinner said.
Brisbane City Council and Howard Smith Wharves Consortium will be jointly funding the Howard Smith Wharves terminal, which location and initial layouts is currently being investigated.
So far, a possible location being considered is towards the upstream end at the River Shed building. River-based geotechnical investigations have been undertaken at the proposed location last April 2019.
Photo Credit: 2019 Howard Smith Wharves / howardsmithwharves.com
The Howard Smith Wharves terminal project is currently at the design phase and updates are to be released as it progresses.
A piece of furry good news for dog owners! The three-month trial allowing dogs on Brisbane ferries has officially begun Monday, December 9.
Following a survey that had over 5,000 responses, of which 86 percent said “yes” to the trial, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey announced that dogs will be permitted to travel on CityCats, under certain conditions, from Monday to Friday during off-peak times and all weekend.
“This is something Brisbane residents and visitors have wanted to try for a while,” Mr Bailey said while making the announcement at Teneriffe with the RSPCA and Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ).
“We’ve seen dogs allowed on public transport in cities across the world, including Sydney and Melbourne, so why not give it a go right here in Brisbane.”
“We believe the dogs on ferries trial is steering Brisbane towards pet-friendly policies of the like seen across other major cities in the world,” RSPCA QLD spokesperson Michael Beatty said, who also encouraged people to provide feedback on the terms and conditions of the trial.
“We understand there is a degree of anxiety from a small group and that is why muzzles are part of the trial, to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all.
“For many dogs and their owners, this will be the first time travelling via ferry, so we’re introducing a number of conditions to make sure everyone is safe when they travel,” Mr Bailey said.
“This is about making sure we get the right balance between comfort and safety for commuters while making sure there is space for dogs on ferries too.
“We’ll evaluate these conditions of travel as part of the trial.”
Pet owners, however, need to make sure that they only have two dogs per handler and that they carry waste bags and clean up after the dog. All waste should be taken off the vessel and not put in vessel bins or left on board.
Also, the dog should remain under control at all times so as not to disturb other passengers and must stay with their handler outside the ferry cabin at the rear of the vessel.
