Colours, bright lights and upbeat music will fill Chinatown Mall in Fortitude Valley this Saturday, the 7th of Sept 2019, as it is time once again to celebrate the annual Chinese Moon Festival.
Some 3,000 years ago, the Chinese Moon Festival was a community gathering during the brightest night of the season to thank the gods for a bountiful harvest. It was also a time to celebrate harmonious relationships, good health and new births.
These traditions have changed over the years as the harvest festival evolved with the times. Nevertheless, modern Chinese and their friends continue to observe the Moon Festival by mounting an all-day celebration that locals in Brisbane will also have the chance to experience.
Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council/Facebook
So, this Saturday weekend, Chinatown Mall will be packed with activities from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For this year, the Chinese Moon Festival will also include Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean and Filipino cultural performances:
4:00 p.m.
Dragon dance
4:20 p.m.
Opening and welcome
4:30 p.m.
Crafty up-cycle earring making workshop (one hour)
An amusing roving entertainment featuring the Three Brothers Parade and Grandma Anna Yen, the Chinese Clown, will also be featured at this event whilst visitors check out the market and food stalls to score unique finds and treasures or taste Asian treats.
Don’t miss out on the moon-shaped structure at the centre of the mall. Guests may write down the names of their beloved on this installation to strengthen their bond.
This is a free event sponsored by the Brisbane City Council.
Queensland Government has entered into an agreement with Silverstone Developments Pty Ltd. to redevelop the Fortitude Valley facility of Police-Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) Queensland.
According to Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Cameron Dick, two parties have agreed to develop a new facility on a portion of the existing site at 458 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley.
“Recognising an opportunity to renew the ageing infrastructure, Government in consultation with PCYC Queensland ran a competitive bid process, seeking private sector participants to deliver the new PCYC Fortitude Valley facility,” Mr Dick said.
Mr Dick added that the development will create around 162 jobs during construction and will be fully funded by Silverstone Developments.
This new standalone building would allow the organisation to expand their service offerings to the broader Fortitude Valley community. PCYC Queensland Chief Executive Officer Phil Schultz said it will also ensure their facility in Fortitude Valley will continue to be an iconic part of the local landscape.
“It is a very exciting announcement not only for PCYC Queensland but for our members and the local community we serve as a trusted and respected charity,” Mr Schultz said.
Meanwhile, Member for McConnel Grace Grace recognized the facility’s contribution to the whole community, adding that the support of many stakeholders including PCYC Queensland has been integral in reaching this important milestone.
Construction on the new PCYC Fortitude Valley facility is expected to begin late 2019. For more details about this new facility, visit the Queensland Government’s website.
In the decades since its inception, Swedish carmaker Volvo has built its reputation on safety and low-key luxury. Its latest campaign, Vision 2020, aims for a lofty goal — no more deaths or serious injuries in its new cars. In line with this, Volvo is introducing new technology to prevent drink driving, believing that the way to its goal lies in the modification of driver behaviour coupled with leading-edge safety technology. This is a development that should benefit Brisbane car owners greatly, particularly given the prevalence of drink driving incidents in Fortitude Valley and other Brisbane suburbs.
Recently, the Swedish automaker announced that sensor cameras will be installed in the next-generation models for the XC40, XC60 and XC90, which are designed to detect the reaction and behaviour of the Volvo driver. The car will slow down or completely stop and not respond if the sensor determines that the driver is intoxicated.
“Volvo Cars believes intoxication and distraction should be addressed by installing in-car cameras and other sensors that monitor the driver and allow the car to intervene if a clearly intoxicated or distracted driver does not respond to warning signals and is risking an accident involving serious injury or death,” Volvo said in a statement.
Learn more about how Volvo’s drink driving safety feature works in this video:
Volvo’s Outstanding Safety Record
“We want to attract people who think it’s important to drive safely,” Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said following the announcement of Vision 2020.
Early on, safety has been the cornerstone of its vehicle design as Volvo is the inventor of the three-point seatbelt in 1959. Volvo is also a pioneer of the rearward-facing child safety seat and booster seat in the ’70s. It is the first automaker to introduce side-impact airbags.
In 2008, Volvo was way ahead of other car manufacturers when it launched the City Safety system that allowed its vehicles to slow down and prevent a car crash upon detection of an obstruction. To better understand why Volvo is regarded as the safest car in the world, watch this:
Australia to Require New Car Drink Driving Safety Features
Volvo’s big news comes as Australia could mandate similar safety features among new vehicles for sale by 2025 in line with the guidelines of the United Nations.
“Unfortunately, alcohol remains a major problem [of the road toll] with between 15 and 25 percent of our driver fatalities each year from drivers being under the influence of alcohol,” Transport Road Commission road safety director Samantha Cockfield said.
Crime statistics in Australia also show that Fortitude Valley ranks high for violence and accidents due to alcohol. Since 2014, law enforcers, as well as club and pub owners, are proactively implementing strategies to promote a drink safe precinct. Now, even automakers like Volvo are in on the objective to keep the public safer.
“The first technologies we’ll see are passive systems like passive alcohol and drug interlock systems so they will be within the car and they will be able to test if you’ve got any alcohol on your breath,” Ms Cockfield added.
Expectedly, automakers may still improve on the technology by introducing sensor pads on the steering wheel or infrared light detection at the ignition button. This way, the driver under influence won’t be able to bypass the safety features.
Photo Credit: Volvo Cars Australia/Facebook
“Yes, definitely we will see a day when that technology will be standard in vehicles and I think if you look at Volvo internationally, I think they’ve talked about those kinds of technologies being integrated quite soon,” Ms Cockfield said.
Buying Volvo in Fortitude Valley
As of press time, Volvo Australia has not yet announced the availability for the next generation models with the drink driving safety features. However, if you’re interested in owning the safest car for your family, you may phone Volvo Cars North Brisbane at 07 3177 3181 or visit their showroom in at 773 Ann Street Fortitude Valley for a test drive.
If you’d like to experience a spectacular party, then block off Tuesday, the 13th of August 2019, on your calendar. Fluffy, the popular gay-friendly party scene, is hosting a Disney-themed party at The Family on McLachlan Street to celebrate the eve of the public holiday, EKKA Wednesday.
Be in your best Disney costume for this event to get a chance to win amazing prizes. The party will kick off at 9:00 p.m. and the celebration is expected to wind down at 5:00 a.m. the next day.
Fluffy brings a different brand of entertainment led by Holly Spirit, Brisbane’s premier showgirl. To experience this group’s performance would be a treat and a sensory experience.
Photo Credit: fluffynight/Instagram
Online booking to this fabulous Fluffy Disney party is not required. However, there will still be tickets costing between $20 to $25. Ticket purchases are done as you enter The Family.
In an elegant collaboration between Tim Gurner and the Signature Hospitality Groupled by CEO James Sinclair, the corner of Brunswick and Alfred Streets in Fortitude Valley has been revitalised with the 4th of July opening of the Foresters Restaurant and Bar, in what is now the Valley’s growing food and beverage precinct.
Heritage Roots
Built in 1889, Foresters Hall is an iconic heritage-listed building that has since gone through some major architectural facelifts whilst still staying true to its turn-of-the-century roots. Originally used by the Foresters and other Friendly societies as a social hub for their predominantly working-class members, the hall also subsequently became the Valley’s very first movie theatre, Cook’s Picture Palace, in 1910.
Photo Credit: WikimediaCommons
In later years, it became an appliance store, as the rest of the neighbourhood slowly declined before the resurgence that the area is experiencing today.
Old But New — Beautifully Repurposed
Currently one of the stops in the Vibrant Valley Heritage Trail, the handsome building’s distinctive facade, characterised by original exposed brick that are over a century old, natural timber detailing, large archways and metal tin tiles, has since been returned to its original glory, with some tastefully added new fixtures to update its look.
Now in its new incarnation, this iconic landmark gleams in its grand whiteness, the hawkishly cool exterior belying the regal warmth of its interior.
The feeling of warmth starts to build as one enters the beautifully restored entryway, into a 140-seat dining area, with large windows providing great views of both Alfred and Brunswick streets. A dimly-lit bar that can comfortably seat 60 people provides the perfect place for an end-of-day pick-me-up or a good weekend unwind.
Extremely elegant yet comfortable dining ambience is available for singles, couples and small groups. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner – from 6:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Get comfortable on one of their posh leather-covered seats and simply allow Chef Peter Popow, Foresters’ master wine and food pairing guru to work his magic. Just a quick tip – try their intriguingly named special Pornstar Martini or their Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, topped with pieces of popcorn. It’s a delightful tribute to the building’s cinematic past.
Photo Credit: Foresters Restaurant & Bar/Facebook
For Simon Barnes, general manager of Foresters, their modern Australian take on traditional gastropub fare is the key to satisfying their now-growing clientele. Visitors are mainly residents and upwardly mobile, young professionals who patronise the place for its cosy ambience, well-rounded wine selection, carefully curated cocktail list, and the opportunity to see and be seen.
Definitely a place to check out, if you’re in the area.
Are you a serious coffee drinker who can distinguish and appreciate the importance of a good brew? Do you embrace the caffeine culture and regard coffee drinking as a pleasurable hobby?
If you’re a coffee lover and you consider yourself a part of the burgeoning coffee community in Brisbane, then you will enjoy this event celebrating the best coffees in the country. Dubbed The Lane Coffee Festival, this event is taking place on Saturday, the 27th of July 2019, in three famous laneways in Fortitude Valley.
The best coffee suppliers in Australia, including underground roasters, will showcase their products at pop-up stores located around Bakery Lane, California Lane and Winn Lane in Fortitude Valley. Various bars, cafes and restaurants will also open stalls beginning 10 a.m. so that visitors can enjoy their coffee with their favourite food.
Photo Credit: The Lanes Coffee Festival/Facebook
These are the coffee brands and food establishments joining the Lanes Coffee Festival:
It can be overwhelming to try every shop at the festival so there will be coffee tours at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. This way, visitors will be able to try the drinks from the best establishments.
Other than sipping coffee, several activities have been lined up for coffee junkies. A fun Latte Art Smackdown will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the California Lane main stage, while masterclasses are scheduled at the following sites:
Admission to The Lanes Coffee Festival is free but you’ll need to book tickets for the activities via Eventbrite. As of press time, slots for these masterclasses are sold out. However, additional sessions may open a few days before the event. Follow the updates on its events page.
Finally, Stone & Wood Fortitude Valley — Brisbane’s first brewery and taphouse will start pouring its finest beers in spring 2019!
“We originally hoped to open the brewery earlier, but due to the nature of working with a heritage-listed structure, the opening date was postponed so the building’s owner could undertake rectification work needed to install a working brewery,” the Stone & Wood announcement said.
The approved proposal to develop a new 90-seat venue, situated within the Trails Ltd Ice & Cold Stores heritage building, will feature a small brewery producing a rotating range of beers of about 600 litres at a time, exclusive for the on-site tasting room consumption.
Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Details of the development include a brewing equipment behind the main bar along the northern wall; beer hall and dining area; a kitchen; a function space; a small retail shop for takeaway beer and merchandise; ancillary office space; and a caretaker’s residence for on-site brewer.
2018 Backyard Invitational | Video Credit: Stone & Wood / Vimeo
“Alongside the recognisably Stone & Wood interior, merchandise outlet and the working brewery, there’ll be space for community events and training workshops for our trade partners – plus a range of our beers on offer.
Stone & Wood noted that whilst the venue will operate until 10pm daily, they will be not serving cocktails or spirits nor will there be TVs, pokies or a TAB.
“Ultimately, the brewery will be about drawing drinkers to the Fortitude Valley with something uniquely Stone & Wood. We imagine it to be a place for casual mid-week work drinks, Friday afternoon knock-offs and weekends out in the Valley. We see it, like our brewery in Byron Bay, as a place to slow down and connect.
“The building really is beautiful – wait til you see it! – and so we’ve prioritised its integrity and heritage elements. Work is currently underway to prepare the building across the coming months.”
Stone & Wood | 99 Bridge Street in Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley has welcomed a lot of new restaurants and bars in 2019, but it looks like there’s more to come as the suburb welcomes the Foresters Restaurant and Bar on Brunswick Street.
It’s taking over the old Forester’s Hall, which should give you a good idea of the size of the place — it’s over 1,000 square metres and will fit 300 in the bar and restaurant.
With its mid-year opening, the restaurant will feature modern Australian dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with ingredients to be sourced from local farmers and producers.
Spearheading the kitchen is chef Peter Popow, who has more than a decade of experience and worked across Australia and the UK. The executive chef promises to bring in pub staples like pizzas, burgers, and steaks.
The Forester Hall’s iconic facade will remain intact but many internal features will be changed, like the decorative pressed metal ceiling that will be relocated from the former cinema to the ground level.
Occupying the sixth level will be a swish rooftop bar dubbed Altitude, where locals can head over for an after-work drink whilst enjoying the views of the CBD. The 250-sqm bar will feature a hefty list of beverages, bar snacks, and DJs on the dance floor.
Both the Altitude and the Foresters Restaurant and Bar will be the first occupants of the $600 million FV Precinct. In charge of turning the heritage-listed site into a food and beverage precinct are FV’s developer and Signature Hospitality Group, the people behind The Sporting Globe and TGI Fridays.
Victoria Park Golf Complex, located in Herston Road, will undergo a massive transformation in 2021 to become a public park spanning 45 hectares.
Once completed, this site, to be named the Victoria Park Vision, will be the second biggest public park in Brisbane next to the Botanic Gardens in Mt Coot-tha.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the Council’s plans for the golf course to the press. Mr Schrinner visualised that the park would be comparable to Central Park in New York City or Hyde Park in London, as a green sanctuary with a number of free attractions and other recreational amenities like pop-up cinemas and markets.
“About 26 hectares of this council land is currently used as a pay and play public golf course, which over recent years has seen a decline in patronage and a reduction in revenue,” Mr Schrinner said on Facebook.
“From 2021, works will start to transform the golf course into public parkland.”
Victoria Park Vision will be twice the size of the current golf course and will likely boost community connectivity across Bowen Hills, Herston, Kelvin Grove and the Brisbane showgrounds. Access and parking around this area will also be improved.
Meanwhile, Mr Schinner also said that the Council will work with current tenants that use Victoria Park Golf Complex as a wedding venue, events place, putt-putt course, and driving range. These features will also be incorporated in the planned public park.
Photo Credit: Victoria Park Golf Complex/Facebook
Photo Credit: Victoria Park Golf Complex/Facebook
Council has set aside $1 million for this project and public consultations for inputs into the design will soon be underway until 2020.
The new inner-north high school that is set to open in 2020 will be known as Fortitude Valley State Secondary College.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Treasurer and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, and Member for McConnel Grace Grace formally announced the name of the new school which the Premier described as a “game changer for Brisbane city.”
“The college will be the first high school to be built in Brisbane’s inner city in more than 50 years and I’m excited to be able to join with Grace to give the school an identity as it prepares for it’s opening on day one of the 2020 school year.”
Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2019 / yoursay.buildingfutureschools.advancingeducation.qld.gov.au
Majority of the prospective students and parents who attended the consultation at the Holy Trinity Church Hall in Fortitude Valley, Ms Grace said, agree with the chosen name. Fortitude Valley State Secondary College will be welcoming its foundation Year 7 students in Term 1, 2020.
“Fortitude Valley is in this wonderful position at the moment where it’s right on the edge of something very exciting,” Foundation Principal Sharon Barker said.
“Acknowledging Fortitude Valley in the name of our school is a testament to both our location and the important role that we’d like our local community to play in developing the culture of our school.
“As a very proud state school principal, I look forward to welcoming students from every background and capability – this will bring great diversity which will be a strength of our new college,” Ms Barker said.
Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2019 / yoursay.buildingfutureschools.advancingeducation.qld.gov.au
Fortitude Valley State Secondary College, designed by Cox Architecture, will be located on the site of the former Fortitude Valley State School on the corner of St Paul’s Terrace and Brookes Street and will feature a vertical design.
Hutchinson Builders is the official builder for the Stage 1 of Fortitude Valley State School 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.
