Kallangur Archives - Page 2 of 2

Lawnton Resident Among Victims of Phone and Courier Scam

A Lawnton resident has fallen victim to a sophisticated phone and courier scam that has recently targeted elderly individuals across Moreton Bay, prompting local police to issue an urgent warning to the community.

On June 18, an 81-year-old woman from Lawnton became the latest victim of this scam, losing $11,000 to fraudsters. This incident is part of a larger scheme that has cost Moreton Bay seniors a total of $30,900 over the past two months.

The Petrie Criminal Investigation Branch, which is investigating the cases, reports that the scam involves phone calls from individuals claiming to represent banks or government anti-fraud departments. Victims are told their accounts have been compromised and are asked to assist in an investigation of alleged employee fraud.

In the Lawnton case, as with others, the victim was convinced to withdraw a significant amount of cash from her bank account. She was then instructed to hand the money over to a courier who arrived at her home, under the pretence that the funds would be used to trace serial numbers or collect fingerprints to identify supposedly fraudulent bank employees.

Two other similar incidents occurred in neighbouring suburbs:

On May 8, a 73-year-old Kallangur woman lost $9,500 to the scam.
On June 13, an 84-year-old Bray Park resident was defrauded of $10,400.

Local law enforcement is actively working to educate banks in Lawnton and surrounding areas about these scams. They are urging residents, particularly seniors, to be cautious when receiving unsolicited phone calls or requests for financial information.

Police emphasise that while this exact scenario may not be repeated, scams are constantly evolving. Lawnton residents are advised to verify any suspicious calls by contacting their bank directly using official contact information and to report potential scam attempts to the police immediately.

Lawnton residents seeking more information or wishing to report suspicious activity are encouraged to contact the Petrie Criminal Investigation Branch or their local police station.

Published 8-July-2024

Kallangur Mother’s Terminal Cancer Diagnosis Sparks Heartfelt Wedding

Photo Credit: Go Fund Me

A week after welcoming her newborn son into the world, Kallangur mother Belinda Rahe received a devastating diagnosis of terminal cancer.

However, Ms Rahe and her partner, Wayne Skelton have chosen to transform this tragedy into a celebration of love, exchanging vows in an intimate ceremony after five years together.

The couple’s journey, who fell in love for the first time in 2018, has been filled with both great joy and deep sorrow. Ms Rahe, a dedicated employee at UnitingCare Queensland, sought medical attention for severe abdominal pain following the birth of their son George last year.

In November, she received the heartbreaking news of stage four metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, and this week was given a devastating prognosis of only three months to live.

Despite the grim news, Ms Rahe and Mr Skelton have found solace in their “beautiful blended family” of eight, which includes Ms Rahe’s children aged 19 and 10, Mr Skelton’s daughters aged 12 and 10, their sons Henry, 2, and George, born last year. Adding to their happiness, Ms Rahe’s eldest daughter Charlotte recently welcomed her first child, Theodore, making Ms Rahe a grandmother.

The couple’s initial hope of overcoming the illness through chemotherapy was dashed when recent scans revealed the cancer had progressed significantly. Faced with the devastating reality of limited time, Ms Rahe and Mr Skelton have shifted their focus to alternative therapies that may offer a few more precious months together.

“There are different types of therapy I will be starting in the coming days to give me more time with my family,” Ms Rahe shared. “I want to keep fighting and would like to see my sons go to school and hopefully I can make it to George’s first birthday.”

Together, they have crafted a bucket list of 40 cherished experiences, including a cruise around Western Australia, a romantic date night, a Gold Class cinema outing, and witnessing their sons learn to swim.

As the family navigates this challenging time, a close friend, Kate Smith, has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to alleviate their financial burdens. Ms Rahe’s inability to work, coupled with Mr Skelton’s dedication to caring for their family, has left them in a precarious situation.

“We are desperately trying to secure our home so that our family has some stability in such an unstable situation,” Ms Rahe expressed. “We need help, without it this is impossible.”

Published Date 11-June-2024

Kallangur Tradie’s Tragedy Ignites Wave of Community Support

Brad Stapleton, a homeless tradesman, has sparked significant community support after revealing the severe vandalism of his makeshift tent home in Kallangur, highlighting the escalating issue of homelessness in the state.

A forklift operator with over two decades of experience, Brad has been forced to live in a tent at Leis Park since October 2023 due to an inability to secure permanent housing.

This period of rough living was marred by repeated vandal attacks by local youths, leaving his few possessions—including clothing, a barbecue, and a cherished guitar—severely damaged.

The destruction of Brad’s tent and belongings led him to share his plight on a local Facebook group, which quickly rallied community support.

Community Response and Support

His story resonated deeply, leading to an outpouring of sympathy and assistance, including a generous offer from a retired couple in Lawnton, providing him with a room rent-free.

Lisa Holt from Kallangur also opened a fundraiser page.

The region has seen a worrying increase in the number of homeless individuals setting up tents as more residents struggle with the ongoing rental crisis.

Local charity workers, including Beau Haywood, the founder of Nourish Street, have noted a significant rise in homelessness, with the charity now supporting a hundred individuals daily, a stark increase from two years ago.

Charity Spotlight: Nourish Street

Beau and his charity have played a crucial role in addressing the needs of the homeless in Moreton Bay. Operating seven days a week, Beau and his team distribute food, mattresses, and other essentials to those impacted by the housing shortage.

Despite personal hardships, including his own experience with homelessness, Beau continues to drive support for this vulnerable population with limited resources and increasing demand.

As the homelessness crisis deepens, Nourish Street faces growing challenges. Each week, the number of new tents rises, signalling a continuous increase in the homeless population. The organisation’s reach has expanded, but so has the need for resources, particularly food and camping essentials.

Nourish Street’s efforts are funded through personal savings and sporadic donations, highlighting a critical gap in governmental support for grassroots charity initiatives. Community contributions, whether through donations of essentials or financial support, are crucial to sustaining and expanding these much-needed services.

Published 24-April-2o24

Kallangur Resident Celebrates Life-Changing Win

Photo Credit: Unsplash

It was a life-altering moment for a Kallangur woman when news of an unexpected windfall of nearly half a million dollars arrived on an ordinary Sunday.

On 4 February 2024, the woman from Kallangur experienced the shock of her life when she discovered she had won the jackpot prize amounting to a staggering $442,606.90.

The call from an official confirming her win prompted an ecstatic reaction, highlighting the surreal nature of her newfound fortune.

The winner’s immediate response was one of sheer astonishment. Recounting the moment, she described how a casual afternoon turned into a pivotal life event.

Initially thinking she had matched eight out of nine numbers, she was overwhelmed upon realising the actual extent of her win. The news was met with joy and plans for the future, emphasising the life-changing impact of her win.

With a significant sum now at her disposal, the Kallangur local looks forward to enjoying some “serious fun” and embarking on a holiday, enhancing her travel with extra spending money. Beyond leisure, she sees this win as an opportunity to secure a prosperous future for herself and her family, encapsulating the essence of her incredible luck.

The winning ticket was purchased at Kallangur Tavern, a venue that has witnessed its fair share of wins. Sarah Lewis, a spokesperson for the tavern, shared the communal excitement such wins bring, fostering a positive atmosphere and making it a topic of conversation for many. Familiar with celebrating wins, the tavern extends its best wishes to the lucky winner.

In 2023, Keno players in Queensland celebrated wins totalling over $1 billion, with 21 individuals becoming millionaires or multi-millionaires. This broader context underscores the widespread appeal and potentially life-changing impact of participating in Keno, now more accessible than ever through mobile apps in selected regions.

Published 25-February-2024

Kallangur Husband Unconvinced of Wife’s $1.4 Million Win

A Kallangur husband remains unconvinced that his wife won a life-changing sum of $1.4 million despite receiving the official confirmation.

The wife received the official call of her division one winning entry the next day after the draw on Saturday, the 26th of November 2022. She was told that she was one of seven winners across the country and she will soon be getting $1,428,571.43 in her bank account.

The rest of the winners were two from New South Wales, two from Victoria, and one each for South Australia and Western Australia.

Her husband, however, is still in disbelief despite learning of her conversation with The Lott officials. The woman said that her husband thinks it’s all a scam.

“There’s no doubt that he’ll believe the winning news once it hits the bank account,” the Kallangur winner said.

The Kallangur woman bought her winning entry at News Extra Lillybrook inside the Brook Shopping Centre along Old Gympie Road. She and her husband plan to use their lucky win into buying a new family home. They are also going to have a great Christmas celebration.

Kallangur News Extra — Photo Credit: News Extra Lilly Brook/Facebook

The woman revealed that she makes it her routine to buy a ticket or the Instant Scratch-Its whenever she goes grocery shopping.

“Funnily enough, my husband always says to me, ‘You better bring home a winner!'”

“I’ve been playing on and off my entire life, but mainly the last 12 months. You have no idea how life-changing this is for us. It’s mind-blowing.”

New Pine Rivers Healthcare Facility Nears Construction

The construction of a new Pine Rivers healthcare facility will soon be underway following a public consultation on the design of the hospital. The new public facility will cover 1.5 hectares of the Mill Priority Development area on Dohles Rocks Road in Kallangur.

In September 2021, the Queensland Government confirmed that the Pine Rivers healthcare facility will be built on an ideal location on Dohles Rocks Road. The site will form part of the $265 million Satellite Hospitals Program that comprises seven new hospitals to support public healthcare delivery as the region’s population grows.

“Satellite hospitals will take pressure off our health system by easing the demand on major hospitals and also support hundreds of jobs for Queenslanders,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“Caboolture, Redlands, Pine Rivers and the Gold Coast are among seven areas where satellite hospitals are being built to under our $265 million election commitment.

“This is the first time this has been done in Australia, and it will bring new and improved health services to the heart of growing local communities.”

Following the announcement, a public consultation for the design of the Pine Rivers healthcare facility was undertaken between September to November 2021. In January 2022, MID-1021-0539 Pine Rivers Health Care Facility was given the go signal to take effect with construction earmarked for early 2022.

Hutchinson Builders will construct the facility. Job openings on the worksite are currently advertised.

“This will make such a big difference to people in Pine Rivers – it will mean less stress on our main hospital and easier access to services – it’s a win, win,” Member for Pine Rivers Nikki Boyd said.

“The rapid population increase has seen heightened demand on our health services – and this satellite hospital will help meet that need, and ease the pressure on hospitals,” Deputy Premier and Member for Murrumba Steven Miles said. “Now is the right time to invest in additional infrastructure to make sure the residents in this area continue to get quality health care.”

The new satellite hospital is expected to open in 2023.

Updates on 3 New Shopping Centre Development Near North Lakes

North Brisbane is bustling with a trio of shopping centre developments. The significant commercial sites to watch out for are in the North Lakes area — the Dakabin Shopping Centre, Kallangur’s Murrumba Village complex and the Narangba Heights Shopping Centre.

Dakabin

Woolworths Dakabin is set to open Stage One on 19 Aug. 2020. The 3,300 sqm site’s specialty stores, as well as a child care centre, a service station, and health service shops, are set for Stage Two of the opening in October.

The commercial centre is conveniently accessible via train stations within the 5 km radius: Dakabin station, Narangba station (3.6 km), Kallangur station (3.9 km), Murrumba Downs station (4 km), and the Petrie station (4.5 km). It’s also accessible to the North Lakes community via the M1 motorway.

Kallangur

Moreton Bay Council approved the development of a shopping village in Kallangur in 2019. Construction will officially begin for a Fresh and Save supermarket in September 2020.

The supermarket is just one part of the massive commercial and residential development in the areas around Anzac Ave, Brays Road and Cecily St. The plan is to develop a Murrumba Village complex that will also include a health and medical precinct, child care facility, playground, and heaps of retail shops and restaurants.

These sites have target opening dates for October 2021 but the childcare facility might be ready by July next year.

*Photo Credit: PD Online/Moreton Bay Council*

Aside from Fresh and Save, other confirmed tenancy include Palace Kebabs, On A Roll, SG Cafe, and Liquorland. Also moving in are a laundromat, barbershop and salon, and a pick-up centre for the Australian Post. The shopping complex will replace the Tulip Town shopping centre demolished in 2003.

This development comes on the heels of the completion of Stage 1 of a townhouse complex development, which has reportedly sold out.

Narangba

Earthworks at the site of the Narangba Heights Shopping Centre was completed in May and residents are likely seeing the first level construction of the new site. Located around the corner of Sovereign Drv and Oakey Flat Rd, this centre will have Coles supermarket aside from restaurants and retail stores. Oxmar Properties is in the process of locking in tenants.