Taco Bell fans, the long wait is over as the fourth Australian restaurant of the popular chain is finally opening its doors, just in time for the Christmas crowd.
Taco Bell North Lakes will open at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, 15 December 2018. As part of the opening day party, the first 62 customers through the doors will be receiving limited edition merchandise. That’s not all, one lucky customer will even win free Taco Bell food for a year!
Customers can expect the crowd-favourite taco hats, games, and prizes as well as a music playlist from CrowdDJ.
Taco Bell North Lakes will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, and from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The drive-thru will open the following week.
The US fast-food giant is certainly ready to shake up the Mexican food scene in Australia and New Zealand as it plans to open 60 new locations across NSW, the ACT, and New Zealand by 2024 under the franchise operator Restaurant Brands. This is on top of Collins Foods‘ plans to open 50 stores across Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria by 2021.
Compared to other existing Mexican chains in Australia, Taco Bell offers more affordable quality Mexican food as their menu includes a $6.95 burrito which is lower than that of its rival Mexican restaurants.
Third time is definitely the charm for Taco Bell since their third attempt to invade the Australian market proves to be a success.
Kangaroo Bus Lines is once again conducting their own 4KQ Christmas Lights tours this year.
The bus line’s 4KQ Christmas Lights tour dates will be on Friday, 21 December, Saturday, 22 December, and Sunday, 23 December 2018.
Kangaroo Bus Lines will be giving guests a tour of the north Brisbane suburbs’ amazing lights displays. Light supper and some Christmas treats will also be available onboard.
Pick-ups for the bus tours will be from Caboolture Station, Caboolture Sports Club, Pine Village, KBL Burpengary Lounge, Bindawalla Stop, Deception Bay, North Lakes, and Redcliffe Uniting Church.
Bookings for the bus tours are essential. Tickets cost $39 for adults, $29 for children under 13 years, $36 for concession, and $99 for a family with two adults and two children.
Tours will be from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the given dates. Contact the Kangaroo Bus Lines on 1300 287 525 for further information, including the exact pick-up times, and to book.
Statistics show that Queensland ranks as the top Australian state with the highest number of reported magpie swooping attacks in 2018, including those reported by North Lakes locals.
Photo Credit: Toby Hudson/Wikimedia Commons
For 2018, Magpie Alert!—a social website dedicated to tracking magpie swooping attacks against cyclists, runners, and walkers across Australia—has so far recorded a total of 3,599 reported attacks and 500 of which have resulted in injuries. Data and graphs are updated automatically to reflect the latest reports of magpie swooping attacks.
Photo Credit: Magpie Alert/magpiealert.com
Among Australian states, Queensland makes up 28.1 per cent of reported attacks followed by Victoria with 22.3% and New South Wales with 22.1 per cent.
Photo Credit: Magpie Alert/magpiealert.com
More than half of the swooping attack happen to victims while riding their bikes at 66.9 per cent and 23.2 per cent while walking. Of those who reported the attacks, 13.9 per cent said that they were injured.
Photo Credit: Magpie Alert/magpiealert.com
Magpie swooping attacks can result in skin injuries, eye injuries, and on rare instances, result in fatal outcome. However, many injuries are indirect results, such tripping over or falling off a bike. Magpie swooping attacks usually happen during the mating season, mostly from male birds trying to protect their young.
Magpie Alert! advises residents to be alert and pay attention to any magpie nesting sites, wear sunglasses and hat/helmet, and not to provoke these territorial magpies. Magpies are thought to have good memories. So, when you have already been attacked before, it is advisable to change route and not return to the same location.
Photo Credit: Toby Hudson/Wikimedia Commons
Some actions you can take to discourage magpies from nesting in your yard, according to the Brisbane City Council:
do not feed magpies, ensure no scraps of food or rubbish are left lying around
remove unnecessary sources of water from the backyard (if magpies are causing nuisance)
do not remove nests or eggs and never touch a young bird. If you are concerned for the safety of the young, phone Council’s Nativa Animal Ambulance on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625)
do not disturb the birds when there are fledglings in the nest
do not throw objects at the bird or destroy the nest as this will increase their defence efforts
expect an elevated level of swooping activity during the breeding season between June and December.
Construction works on the $250 million Laguna North Lakes will have to be moved to the middle of 2019 from the originally planned commencement of late 2018.
Project developers, The George Group and Pointcorp, will utilise this time to continue the search for the project’s tenants and contractors. According to them, the leasing phase is going well and the selection process that’s in place ensures a tenant mix that will provide a unique retail experience.
Photo credit: Laguna North Lakes/lagunanorthlakes.com.au
Take a look at the future beating heart of North Lakes… Laguna. Video credit: Pointcorp/YouTube/span>
Approved by the Moreton Bay Regional Council last December 2017, the development project located just 25 kilometres from Brisbane will transform the 1.7-hectare site to a mixed-used precinct.
The development features:
138-room hotel
10,500 sqm A-grade office space
2,000 sqm health and wellness facilities
2,500 sqm function and event centre
3,000 sqm “resort -style” restaurant and bar
5,000 sqm fashion, food, and beverage, as well as a restaurant precinct
publicly accessible aquatic centre with a lagoon-style pool
On-street and underground parking that can accommodate over 900 cars
Pointcorp Laguna North Lakes Fly Through
Video credit: Metropolis/Vimeo
Photo credit: Laguna North Lakes/lagunanorthlakes.com.au
“The Laguna North Lakes project, will be creating a vibrant new retail precinct for Northern Brisbane, centred around a tree-lined, pedestrian-orientated high street. The innovative outdoor retail precinct will form the central spine of the 1.7-hectare project. Leasing of retail space has commenced and Mr George added that the project is already seeing a wealth of interest from locally-based and national retailers who are seeing the benefit of opening operations in the growing region,” the Laguna North Lakes website said.
Slated to be completed by late 2020, the Laguna North Lakes project is set to deliver an extraordinary mixed-use precinct to this fast growing suburb that has been attracting residents, students, and commercial businesses over the past decade.
North Lakes appeared as one of the most searched suburbs by overseas home buyers of QLD properties such as coming from New Zealand, US, & the UK, according to realestate.com.au report.
Twelve-month data from July 2017 reveal that overseas property searches in Queensland have New Zealand as the top property hunters. Brisbane City emerged as the most searched suburb with 13,951 searches followed by Broadbeach with 9,898.
REA Group said that overseas home buyers would often check Brisbane properties first then widen their search to nearby suburbs. Such is the case of one overseas buyer who found their dream home in Aspley which he said is a place with great weather and affordable properties.
The top ten most searched suburbs are Brisbane City, Surfers Paradise, Noosa Heads, Broadbeach, Mooloolaba, Burleigh Heads, Southport, North Lakes, Caloundra, and Hope Island. Whilst UK and USA follow New Zealand, where most overseas property searchers originate.
Photo credit: Michael Glass / Unsplash
The REA Group said that European, American, and Canadian buyers are mostly drawn to Queensland’s beach and lifestyle destinations. Brisbane properties are what they would often check first, primarily because they are seeing better value for their money in Brisbane.
Rounding up the ten countries accounting for the most number of searches of the Queensland properties are Hong Kong, Philippines, Canada, Singapore, China, Japan, and South Africa.
According to the Australian Property Market Report for October from realestate.com.au, Brisbane continues to hold up well, despite tough financial conditions. Buyer demand, and rental demand and pricing are all in the green. Offshore buyer demand has seen a big increase which they attribute to the education sector and relative housing affordability.
The report says that Brisbane is gaining the confidence of the market with its better economic outlook and because of that, premium suburbs are benefiting with the subsequent rise in demand. Inner-north’s Grange and the outer south-east suburb of Chandler appeared as the top two in demand suburbs, according to the report.
Among Brisbane metro regions, East enjoys the most increase in demand year-on-year with 9.1%, followed by Brisbane Inner-city (8.2%) and North (5.0%). South and West saw declines in demand, however, year-on-year with -6.1% and -1.6% respectively.
The price growth is seen to continue over the next 12 months as Queensland economic growth will continue to propel the market.
Deception Bay has several historic sites that tell the story of how the region developed over time. The Deception Bay Heritage Trail highlights these sites and narrates the evolution of the area from being the home of indigenous Australians to becoming a progressive region.
Exploring the Deception Bay Heritage Trail is a great way to learn more about the region. The 4-km heritage trail can be completed in a 90-minute stroll.
Deception Bay Heritage Trail
The heritage trail, consisting of 13 sites, starts at the northern end of Beach Road and ends at the southern end of Deception Bay’s Esplanade. The trail is highly accessible since it’s wheelchair- bike-, scooter-, and stroller-friendly.
The Pictures in the Rocks and the Bancroft Baths
Both baths are in the intertidal zone so they quickly fill with silt. Photo credit: Shiftchange/Wikimedia Commons
The first stop presents sandstone rocks with beautiful patterns. The heritage-listed baths, cut out of sandstone rocks, have a strong connection to the Bancroft family as well as their contributions to science. Joseph Bancroft was responsible for creating the baths that offer the health benefits of sea bathing.
Dr. Joseph Bancroft. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 57297
Dr Joseph Bancroft had many contributions in zoology, botany, and medicine. He discovered that the Wuchereria bancrofti parasitic worm causes elephantiasis. He is also the first in Australia to describe lockjaw (tetanus) and tick paralysis.
Flinders and John Oxley exploration
Chart of Terra Australis. Sheet II, East coast / by M. Flinders, Commr. of H.M. Sloop Investigator, 1799-1802. Photo credit: nla.gov.au
Flinders was able to sail through Deception Bay in 1799 although it wasn’t mentioned in his log.
By 1823, John Oxley did mention Deception Bay in his log during his travels whilst searching for a remote site for convict settlement.
Local Industry
At the time of European settlement, beekeeping, fishing, and tree-felling were introduced in the region. Some areas of land were also cleared for the dairy and beef cattle industry.
Dr Thomas Bancroft’s House
Portrait of Doctor Thomas Bancroft. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 186791
Just like his father, Dr Thomas Bancroft earned a reputation for being an active scientist, botanist, doctor, and photographer. He expanded his father’s work about tropical diseases. He also provided evidence that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes cause dengue fever.
The Second World War
During the Second World War, Deception Bay became an army camp for around 3,000 soldiers. These include Australians recalled back from overseas after the Japanese entered the war in 1942.
A Special Place for Gubbi Gubbi People
Photo credit: www.mustdobrisbane.com
The Gubbi Gubbi people were the first inhabitants of the foreshore of the region. They lived off the natural bounty of the land and the ocean.
In 1897, however, most of the Gubbi Gubbi and other indigenous people of Queensland were forcibly removed from the area.
Campground
In 1905, William Wallin established a kiosk near the popular campground. His son, Oliver took over the kiosk and re-established the post office around 1928-1929. The kiosk has been an important landmark in the area.
Viola and George Turnbull continued to run the kiosk until its closing on October 2004, nearly a century after its establishment.
The 10th site in the heritage trail honours the early settlers that helped in shaping Deception Bay area to become what it is today.
Living Together
A few Gubbi Gubbi people continued to live in the area after the early European settlement. Joseph and Thomas Bancroft even observed the trading between the Gubbi Gubbi people and the Europeans.
Webster’s Boondar
People posing at the office of Brisbane Tug and Steamship Co. Limited in Brisbane, 1913. Photo credit: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image number: 167710
Alexander Brand Webster is a businessman who had an interest in the Brisbane Tug & Steamship Company. He called his holiday house ‘Boondar’ which he believes is an indigenous name meaning kangaroo.
Although his home in the area is just a holiday house, Webster is active in the Deception Bay community. He was the one responsible for establishing the first live saving patrols at the Bay in 1924. He also built a bowling green and tennis court in the area in 1929 for public use.
A Place of Plentiful Food
Sunset over Deception Bay. Photo credit: CC-BY/John/Flickr
Indigenous people living in the area relied upon the abundance of food at the Bay. Collecting food is important for their community. Because of this, most of them spend much time mending nets, sharpening spears, and going out for fishing parties at night.
Today, Deception Bay is made up of diverse communities from the Pacific Islanders and Indigenous Australians to people from different nationalities including those from the British Isles, Europe, New Zealand, and Asia.
Heritage trails are valuable assets for Moreton Bay region. These sites help locals and visitors understand the culture and past influences of the area.
Students at Mango Hill State School will have better transport options in 2019 as a new dedicated bus service will be introduced to meet the growing needs of the community.
The Moreton Bay Regional Council and the State Government revealed the proposed bus service, which would pass through Napier Avenue, Campbell Drive and Caperstone Road before heading to the school.
State Member for Murrumba Steven Miles said the new service is in response to the request of parents for improved travel options for their children.
“Students will be able to walk out their front door in the morning, hop straight onto a bus and arrive safely at the school gate,” said Mr Miles.
Once the bus service is in place, there would eventually be fewer cars on the road. This should improve traffic congestion in the area during school drop-off and pick-up hours, according to Mr Miles.
To make the bus service a reality, some road widening and upgrades will have to be done first. The upgrades will include the Campbell Drive and Jepson Street roundabout.
Division 4 Councillor Julie Greer said the roadworks will ensure that the bus can safely drive through the dedicated route.
“In coming months, crews will get stuck into upgrading the roundabout, widening the intersection and replacing the existing curbs with more suitable painted lines and skirting,” Cr Greer said.
Mango Hill State School Principal Tracy Egan is happy to hear about the proposed for the bus route.
“When we surveyed our families on what they wanted in terms of getting to school, the overwhelming majority supported a dedicated bus route for their kids,” said school Principal Tracy Egan.
“Our student population has hit well over the 1,000-mark and will continue to grow, so a dedicated bus service is a much needed and much welcome outcome.”
The bus service is expected to start before Term 1, 2019.
The REIQ recently reported the latest housing market statistics which showed North Lakes median house price hitting $492,000. The figure signifies a 2.5% rise from the last 12 months and up by 14.4% over the last 5 years. During the 2nd quarter of 2018, there were 86 homes sold in the suburb.
With the school holidays coming up, have you already planned how to keep the kids busy? Fret not because North Lakes Library has a lot of FREE holiday activities to choose from to keep children entertained for the entire holiday break and prevent the dreaded cabin fever!
Check out what’s on at the North Lakes Library for the school holidays.
Activities for Kids
Board Games Olympics
Tuesday, 25 September 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain/PxHere
Do you have what it takes to beat the best? Enjoy playing a wide range of board games and take part in The Games Challenge. This activity is for Grades 3-6.
Are you the best chess player in the Moreton Bay region? Showcase your skills at the online chess tournament for a chance to win a $20 Australian Geographic voucher. Open for Grades 5-12.
Saturday, 6 October 2018 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon)
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain/PxHere
The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge is to draft an entire novel in November or as close as you can! Get ready for NaNoWriMo with this writing boot camp led by award-winning author, Christine Bongers.
Pick up tips for writing a satisfying short story, from the ideas stage right through to nailing the perfect ending. Open for Grades 5-6.
Wednesday, 26 September 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Amity, Candor, Erudite, or Dauntless? Which faction would you belong to? Test your skills on a range of Divergent-themed challenges. Open for Grades 9-12.
Thursday, 27 September 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
Photo credit: GabboT/Wikimedia Commons
Make your own pair of furry ears, just for fun or to add that special touch to your cosplay. Get creative with textile offcuts, flowers, and beads. Open for Grades 7-12.
You’ve been chosen to take part in the Hunger Games. But your participation is just a cover for your real mission. Do you have what it takes to overthrow the Capitol? Open for Grades 7-12.
Want to learn how to apply makeup for formals and other special occasions? Pick up tips from a professional makeup artist using your own makeup. Open for Grades 10-12.
Don’t forget to bring your own foundation, mascara, and eyeliner. Lauren from Velbella Beauty will show you how to use these and other Velbella makeup products to create an evening look perfect for formal occasions.
For more information on these school holiday activities, you may visit the official website of North Lakes Library. You can also call (07) 3480 9900 or email NorthLakes.library@moretonbay.qld.gov.au.
In response to overwhelming public clamour, the Dakabin and Caboolture Treasure Markets will have longer hours of operation in a three-month trial.
This should give locals longer hours to shop for pre-loved goods at a bargain price.
The trial run is from Tuesday 18 September 2018 up to Saturday 15 December 2018. Should the trial be successful, the extended operating hours will continue.
“The Treasure markets have been incredibly popular and we keep hearing that people want to be able to shop here more than just the current Friday and Saturday openings,’ said Spokesperson for Asset Construction & Maintenance Cr Adam Hain.
New Operating Hours
During the trial run, the opening hours of the Treasure Markets will be:
Tuesday – Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 2.00p.m.
Monday: Closed
Closed on Good Friday, Anzac Day & Christmas Day
Division 7 Councillor Denise Sims believes the extended hours will give added convenience to local residents wishing to make a visit to the tip shop.
Photo Credit: Moreton Bay Regional Council
“We want people reusing and recycling as much as they can and this message is being embraced more and more in our community,” she said.
“With more options now to visit the Dakabin and Caboolture Treasure Markets, we hope to see more people coming along and seeing what trinkets they can pick up at a bargain.”
Waste Recycling and Reuse
The Dakabin and Caboolture Treasure Markets are an initiative by the Moreton Bay Regional Council to better manage waste disposal. First started 16 years ago, these tip shops have become widely popular among locals.
Photo Credit: Moreton Bay Regional Council
At the Treasure Markets, locals can find pre-loved items such as toys, decorative items, books and music. Shoppers can also find furniture items perfect for a DIY project.
Not only are residents saving money when they shop at the tip shops, but they also help provide employment at the Treasure Markets. More importantly, locals get to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill.
The Treasure Markets are located at the following waste management facilities:
Dakabin waste management facility – 336 Old Gympie Road, Dakabin (700m north of Alma Road intersection)
Caboolture waste management facility – 51 McNaught Road, Caboolture (via Pasturage Road, off Bribie Island Road)
Visit the Dakabin and Caboolture waste management facility websites to know what items can be donated.
