Moreton Bay region Archives - North Lakes Today

PsiQuantum Breaks Ground on Utility-Scale Quantum Computer at Petrie

PsiQuantum has broken ground at Moreton Bay Central in Petrie, officially beginning construction of what the company describes as the world’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer on a site that once housed one of Queensland’s largest paper mills.

Construction began on 17 June, with the project backed by approximately $940 million in combined investment. It positions Moreton Bay Central as PsiQuantum’s Asia-Pacific headquarters and places the region at the centre of one of the most ambitious technology construction projects in the country’s history.

The potential impact of quantum computing

Fault-tolerant quantum computers operate on fundamentally different principles from conventional computers. Where today’s machines process information as binary bits, quantum systems use quantum bits, or qubits, that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, enabling certain classes of problems to be solved at a scale and speed no classical computer could approach.

The applications researchers expect to unlock include breakthroughs in drug discovery, materials science, energy systems, logistics optimisation, financial modelling and agricultural science. The qualifier “utility-scale” matters: it describes a machine powerful and reliable enough to tackle real-world commercial and scientific problems rather than laboratory demonstrations. No such machine exists yet anywhere in the world.

“For decades, quantum computing has held the promise of transforming what humanity can achieve through computation,” said PsiQuantum Interim CEO Victor Peng at the groundbreaking. “Today in Australia we are beginning to turn that promise into reality.”

How PsiQuantum is building it

PsiQuantum’s approach is photonic, using particles of light rather than superconducting circuits or trapped ions to carry quantum information. The practical advantage of photonics is that it operates closer to room temperature in some components and can leverage existing semiconductor manufacturing techniques used to produce optical chips.

The facility’s central piece of infrastructure is a cryoplant ordered from Linde Engineering in late 2024, which will cool critical quantum components to near absolute zero. It will be one of the largest cryoplants ever constructed for quantum computing. Delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2027, after which PsiQuantum will commission the system before accepting cryogenic cabinets filled with photonic quantum chips networked via standard optical fibre.

The system at Moreton Bay is expected to be operational in 2029, pushed back from the original 2027 target that was announced when the project was first revealed in April 2024.

The site that made this possible

PsiQuantum originally planned to build the facility at Brisbane Airport, but relocated to Moreton Bay Central after identifying the Petrie site as better suited to the project’s power, utility and infrastructure requirements.

The former Petrie Paper Mill had operated at industrial scale for decades, giving the site the heavy-duty services infrastructure that quantum computing at this level demands. New energy infrastructure commissioned ahead of the 2032 Olympic precinct development at the site has added further capacity.

Robert Lindwall, PsiQuantum’s head of Australian operations, described Brisbane Airport Corporation as a constructive early partner and thanked the airport precinct for its support before the project found its permanent home.

Building the ecosystem around it

A month before the Petrie groundbreaking, PsiQuantum opened its Test and Validation Lab at Griffith University‘s Nathan campus, including a high-powered cryogenic system to test photonic quantum chips and sub-systems. That facility is where the components for the Moreton Bay machine are being developed and refined before going into the main system.

The co-location of the Test and Validation Lab at Griffith, the TAFE Centre of Excellence at Moreton Bay Central and the USC Moreton Bay campus reflects a deliberate plan to build not just a machine but a regional quantum ecosystem, with research, training and manufacturing capacity growing alongside the hardware itself.

Jobs across engineering, technical operations, advanced manufacturing, research and professional services are expected to be created at the Petrie site as construction progresses.

For more information on PsiQuantum and the Moreton Bay Central project, click here.

Published 22-June-2026

Digital Water Meters Roll Out Across Kallangur to Help Detect Hidden Leaks Earlier

Almost 2,300 properties across Kallangur, Murrumba Downs, Bray Park, Strathpine and Warner will have digital water meters installed during June. This rollout helps Unitywater provide faster leak identification, earlier notification of potential leaks to customers, clearer billing and a more complete picture of water use across the network.

The rollout follows an ongoing wave of installations completed across the region. Unitywater Acting Executive Manager Customer Experience Steve Wimberley said since March 2026, Unitywater has installed about 4,000 digital water meters across its service region and sent out more than 160 notifications advising customers they may have a leak.

For Kallangur households, the upgrade means a meter capable of catching exactly the kind of water loss that leads to an unexpected spike on the next bill.

How digital water meters detect leaks earlier

The digital meters provide daily visibility of water consumption to help catch issues early. While a traditional meter is read once every three months, this digital upgrade flags unusual usage patterns much faster, giving Unitywater the ability to alert a household before costs compound.

Mr Wimberley said the installation approach is deliberate.

“We’re installing the meters in ‘network blocks’, which are defined by the water supply infrastructure layout, rather than street-by-street,” he said. “This means residents may see their neighbours’ meters being upgraded but not theirs yet and this is an intentional operational approach.”

Pilot program delivers strong savings and leak detection

The numbers from Unitywater’s pilot program give a clear sense of scale. The pilot program installed digital technology in 10,000 properties and delivered more than 800 million litres of water savings, more than $5 million in customer savings, and early leak identification support for more than 3,500 households.

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This technology aims to prevent scenarios where property owners go away for extended periods and return home to major, undetected water damage. A digital meter flags unusual usage patterns early rather than letting a hidden leak run unchecked for weeks.

What residents need to know about the upgrade

Customers scheduled to receive a digital meter in the next six months will receive a letter from Unitywater, followed by a notice approximately five to 10 days before their installation window. Residents do not need to be home for the upgrade, which takes between five minutes and one hour to complete.

“We don’t always need to turn off your water for this upgrade, but if we do, we will notify you beforehand,” Mr Wimberley said.

There is no additional fee for customers who receive the digital meter as per Unitywater’s schedule. However, customers wishing to have an early upgrade can opt in, which may incur an additional fee.

For more information, visit Unitywater’s Digital Metering Program page at unitywater.com/smart-meters.

Published 16-June-2026

Griffin Childcare Centre Changes Hands in $7.7 Million Deal

Stonebridge Property

A private investor has paid $7.7 million for the Goodstart Early Learning centre, in a deal that drew more than 135 enquiries and reflects strong investor demand for childcare property in Brisbane’s northern growth corridor.

The sale was brokered by Stonebridge Property Group and completed via an on-market campaign in June 2026 after initially launching as part of a National Portfolio Auction campaign in March. The transaction settled at a yield of 5.30 per cent, which agents described as a benchmark result for the childcare asset class in the current market.

For families in Griffin, the sale changes nothing about the centre’s day-to-day operations. Goodstart Early Learning continues as tenant under a 15-year net lease running to 2035, with options extending to 2055 and CPI-linked annual rent increases built in throughout.

A centre designed for a suburb that needed it

The Griffin Goodstart centre was purpose-built in 2021 specifically to address an undersupply of childcare places in the suburb. At the time it was developed, Griffin had approximately 3.3 children aged between zero and five for every available childcare place, a ratio that signals significant unmet demand.

The 110-place facility sits on a 2,405 square metre landholding with 27 car parks and nearly 79 metres of dual street frontage. Its position directly opposite Griffin State Primary School was a deliberate development decision, creating a natural pathway for families moving between early learning and primary education on the same street.

Griffin State Primary School recently completed a $22 million extension bringing its capacity to 1,159 students, a figure that underscores how rapidly the suburb has grown since the Goodstart centre was built.

Griffin’s growth story is not slowing down

Griffin sits roughly 23 kilometres north of Brisbane’s CBD and has been one of the faster-growing suburbs in the Moreton Bay region for the past decade.

Population forecasts put growth in the immediate area at more than 61 per cent between now and 2046, a trajectory that makes infrastructure assets with long lease terms particularly attractive to investors looking for passive income in a growing catchment.

The suburb currently has a new Woolworths-anchored retail centre under construction approximately 450 metres from the Goodstart site, and is within 1.2 kilometres of Westfield North Lakes.

What Goodstart is, beyond a property investment

Goodstart Early Learning is Australia’s largest not-for-profit early learning provider, operating more than 677 centres nationwide and supporting around 64,000 children each year.

It was formed in 2009 when a consortium including Brotherhood of St Laurence, Mission Australia, The Benevolent Society and Social Ventures Australia acquired the former ABC Learning network after its collapse.

In the 2025 financial year, Goodstart delivered a solid surplus of $28.9 million, which it reinvested into quality improvements, safety upgrades and centre network expansion rather than distributing as profit.

The Griffin centre’s structure as a net lease means Goodstart pays rates, insurance, general repairs and maintenance, and land tax, keeping the investment fully passive for the new owner.

For enrolment enquiries at the Griffin centre, contact Goodstart here or on 1800 222 543.

Published 4-June-2026

Lakes Knights Complete Hat-Trick With Australian Community Club of the Year Win

The Lakes Knights Cricket Club/Facebook

The Lakes Knights Cricket Club has achieved a stunning national hat-trick, sweeping three tiers of community awards in a single season to claim the titles of Brisbane North, Queensland, and now Australian Community Club of the Year. The Knights beat out more than 3,500 cricket clubs across the country to take the top spot.

It is the kind of achievement that takes years to build and a moment to announce. For the Knights, based in North Lakes and playing across fields in Woodside, Burpengary, Newport, and several local schools, the national award caps a four-year stretch that has seen the club transform from a modest suburban outfit into one of the most talked-about grassroots cricket communities in the country.

Club president Daniel Moyle found out about the national win in the most unlikely of circumstances. “It was pretty exciting,” he says. “We were actually told while filming for the Queensland award and had to keep the secret!”

A club that grew when it needed to

North Lakes has grown fast. It is a suburb built over the last two decades on what was mostly farmland, and the sporting infrastructure has had to catch up with the population at pace. The Knights have been part of that story since the start, and the numbers tell their own tale: four years ago, the club had around 240 registered players. Today, that figure sits at more than 700.

Photo Credit: The Lakes Knights Cricket Club/Facebook

That growth is not accidental. The club recently merged with the Burpengary Brumbies, expanding its footprint into a broader regional cricket hub and strengthening the pathway for junior players from Under 10s right through to the senior ranks.

The merger has added teams, coaches, and development opportunities while preserving the tight-knit community feel that made both clubs work in the first place.

Demand has exploded so quickly that the club had to cap its winter competition teams at seven due to a severe shortage of available pitches, turning away more than 50 players who wanted to lace up. For a volunteer-run community club, that is an extraordinary position to be in.

“Our growth has been phenomenal,” Moyle says, “but as with every sport, keeping people interested in that sport is so important.”

Volunteers who made it happen

Cricket Australia’s recognition came via the Toyota Community Cricket Club of the Year award, a flagship category of the national body’s annual Community Cricket Awards, now in their 10th year. The award recognises clubs that demonstrate sustainable growth, strong governance, community spirit, and a fierce commitment to inclusive participation.

James Allsopp, Cricket Australia’s Chief of Cricket, praised the club’s holistic approach to building a community. “The Lakes Knights Cricket Club embodies the absolute best qualities of grassroots cricket,” Allsopp said. “They’ve created a strong, vibrant environment for all members of the family to participate in the sport they love, while heavily giving back to the broader community through initiatives like Clean Up Australia Day.”

Max Parsons, from the Brisbane North Junior Cricket Association, offered a tribute to the people behind the scenes. “The club doesn’t just aspire to be welcoming and inclusive. It lives these values through its everyday actions in the club and wider community. This is just reward for the hard-working committee members and volunteers of the club.”

Daniel Kearney, Head of Participation and Club Development at Queensland Cricket, added that the state body is “extremely proud of the work The Lakes Knights and so many clubs around the state do,” noting that Moyle and his team of volunteers had “fostered some incredible growth in a rapidly expanding community.”

The club’s involvement in Clean Up Australia Day is just one example of that broader community ethic. Membership fees are deliberately kept low to reduce financial barriers for local families, with the club actively redirecting what it saves on infrastructure costs straight back into gear, coaching, and player development.

“We keep our prices quite low. We understand pressures on people,” Moyle says, “and with not a lot of infrastructure, more is spent on equipment, coaching and developing players.”

A ground to grow into

The one piece still missing from the puzzle is a permanent home. The Knights currently share fields across Woodside, Burpengary, and Newport, alongside school grounds at Bounty Boulevard and Mango Hill State Schools, Deception Bay State High School, North Lakes State College, and Grace Lutheran College in Rothwell. It works, but only just, and the pitch shortage is now actively choking further growth.

Securing a dedicated, permanent ground is the ultimate goal, which Moyle sees as the key to unlocking the next phase of what the club can offer the region. A dedicated facility would allow year-round programming, specialized academies, and winter cricket tailored specifically for younger age groups.

“Having our own ground would allow us to run programs all year round, especially running a winter program for our little ones, or academies,” he says.

For a club that has already outgrown its current footprint while conquering the country on community impact, the argument for a permanent home speaks for itself. The Lakes Knights have proved what they can achieve with borrowed fields and volunteer hours. The next chapter is about building something they can finally call their own.

Families and players interested in joining the Lakes Knights for the upcoming season can find more information here.

Published 25-May-2026

Investigation Underway After Police Allegedly Shoot Man in Narangba

QPS/Facebook

Queensland Police shot and killed a 48-year-old man on Cavill Way in Narangba after officers attending a domestic violence callout allegedly encountered him at the front door of a home armed with a long-arm rifle-related weapon.

First responders rushed to the scene at approximately 12.30am on Sunday 25 May, where the armed confrontation quickly escalated.

Police confirmed the man advanced toward officers after they arrived at the address. Officers gave verbal commands and performed a tactical withdrawal before the man allegedly continued to approach them and made threats. He was subsequently shot. Officers rendered first aid and commenced CPR at the scene, but the man died from his injuries.

The incident is being treated as a death in custody. The Ethical Standards Command is preparing a report for the State Coroner, with oversight from the Crime and Corruption Commission. Investigations remain ongoing.

Family members who were present at the property at the time were treated for shock, police said.

What police said at the scene

Acting Chief Superintendent Kerry Johnson confirmed the incident at a briefing shortly after. He said police were investigating whether the weapon allegedly carried by the man was legally owned. He noted the man was known to police.

“He advanced towards police. They did the verbal commands and then did a tactical withdrawal from the situation,” Acting Chief Superintendent Johnson said.

Johnson said he had no concerns about the actions of the officers involved, and described the situation as one that “can escalate and de-escalate as quickly as possible.”

Queensland Police Union President Shane Prior said the union’s critical response team attended the scene, and would continue to offer support to the officers and their families. Prior indicated that the union alleged the man had a military background.

Photo Credit: Shane Prior – QPUE General President/Facebook

“It would seem, on the facts known, that mental health is going to be very significant in the investigation,” Prior said.

Prior said the union’s view, based on the information available to it at the time, was that the officers’ actions were justified.

Neighbours woken in the early hours

For the residents of Cavill Way, Sunday morning began with unexplained noises and then the realisation something serious had happened close to home.

One neighbour said she noticed a police car arrive at the house and then heard four to six gunshots. “Obviously witnessing that has really shook me up,” she said.

Another neighbour said she was asleep when she heard what she described as banging or popping noises. She initially thought little of it. “It almost sounded like someone was banging on the water tank out the back of our house,” she said. “I didn’t really think anything of it because it’s such a nice neighbourhood around here.”

She also said the incident left her unsettled. “Everyone’s so friendly and so it kind of makes you feel a little better that everyone’s feeling the same.”

The fifth police-involved shooting in Queensland in 2026

The Narangba incident is the fifth police-involved shooting recorded in Queensland so far this year. On 3 March, a 21-year-old man died after being shot by police during a welfare check in Tingalpa. The following day, a man allegedly armed with a firearm was shot in Woombye on the Sunshine Coast following a car crash on the motorway.

On 22 March, police shot a 27-year-old man at a shopping centre in Logan Central, where he was allegedly armed with a knife. On 1 April, a 19-year-old man allegedly armed with a large kitchen knife was shot in Arana Hills in Brisbane’s north and subsequently charged with assaulting an officer.

Each of those incidents, like the Narangba shooting, is subject to separate oversight processes.

Anyone experiencing distress following this incident can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 07 3364 6464. Domestic violence support is available through DVConnect on 1800 811 811, 24 hours a day.

Published 25-May-2026

PK Taekwondo’s Evan Han Earns Australian Team Spot for 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Championships

Evan Han of North Lakes-based PK Taekwondo has secured his place on the Australian team for the 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Championships after winning a bronze medal in the Cadet -41kg division at the Junior World and Oceania Championship Team Selections in Sydney.

Han came through five fights in a single day at the selections event to earn his team berth, a physically and mentally demanding feat that underlines just how competitive the pathway to an Australian singlet is. His third-place finish in the Cadet -41kg division was enough to lock in his place on the squad heading to the championships on 28 and 29 March.

That result carries real weight. The 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Championships is a World Taekwondo-sanctioned G-4 event, placing it among the most significant regional competitions on the international taekwondo calendar. The championships take place at the Whitlam Leisure Centre at 90A Memorial Avenue, Liverpool, in Sydney.

A Club with a Long Record of Producing Champions

Han’s selection continues a strong run for PK Taekwondo, the North Lakes club that has operated from Unit 4/9 Flinders Parade since becoming a full-time centre in January 2021. The club runs under Kukkiwon standards and holds affiliations with World Taekwondo, World Taekwondo Oceania, Australian Taekwondo and Australian Taekwondo Queensland, and has produced medallists at local, state, national and international levels of competition.

Han’s competition record at the club stretches back several years. At nine years old, he won a bronze medal in the 10-11 Years Black Belt 25-28kg division at the Australian National Championships held at Nissan Arena in Brisbane, with Head Instructor Master Kangho Park leading the coaching team. He also claimed a gold medal in the World Taekwondo Oceania online flying side kick competition, part of a 36-medal haul PK Taekwondo amassed across state and Oceania competitions. More recently, competition records from the 2024 National Championships confirm Han competing for PK Taekwondo at national level.

That consistency across age groups and competition levels reflects what the club aims to build in its athletes from an early age.

Jeffrey Park Goes Deep at Junior World Championship Selections

Han was not the only PK Taekwondo athlete to make an impression at the Sydney selections. Clubmate Jeffrey Park reached the quarter-finals of the Junior World Championship selections in the Junior -55kg division before his run ended against the eventual gold medallist. Park has been among PK Taekwondo’s established competitors, winning gold medals at both the ATQ Open and World Taekwondo Oceania online competitions in earlier seasons.

Park’s progress to the quarter-finals of a national selection event against the field’s eventual winner points to the depth PK Taekwondo continues to develop across weight categories and age groups.

What the Oceania Championships Represent

For any Australian taekwondo athlete, making the national team for a World Taekwondo-sanctioned Oceania Championships represents a significant step in the sport’s high-performance pathway. The Oceania Taekwondo Union governs the sport across the region and oversees championships that bring together competitors from across the Pacific, with the 2026 event one of the region’s flagship competitions for the season.

PK Taekwondo operates elite sparring and poomsae classes specifically for registered competitors, alongside its broader community programmes, providing the structured training environment that produces athletes capable of competing at this level. Head Instructor Master Kangho Park coaches the competitive team, with Pauline Boyama also serving as coach at national events.

Follow Evan Han and PK Taekwondo

The 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Championships take place on 28 and 29 March at the Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool, Sydney. Families wanting to follow PK Taekwondo’s competitive squad or enquire about training programmes can visit pktkdaus.com or find the club at Unit 4/9 Flinders Parade, North Lakes. Registration and event details for the championships are available here.

Published 2-March-2026.

Dakabin Blackout Misery as Heatwave and Storms Hit Queensland at Once

Photo Credit: Jemma Morris/Narangba Facebook Group

Residents in Dakabin said it felt like “living in a sauna” after the power went out just after 7:00 p.m., leaving homes sweltering in the evening heat.

Homes in Dakabin were plunged into darkness just after 7:00 p.m. this week as another line of severe storms rolled across south-east Queensland. With air conditioners and fans suddenly cut off, residents took to social media to vent about the stifling conditions.

“To everyone in Dakabin who is currently living in a sauna, I think I’m definitely buying a generator,” one resident wrote in a Facebook group.

The outage in Dakabin came on top of days of rolling storms and blackouts across the region. By early Friday morning, 28 November, more than 3,000 homes and businesses across Queensland were still without power, including hundreds in Brisbane and more than a thousand in the City of Moreton Bay.

ENERGEX OUTAGE FINDER

Storms, blackouts and brutal humidity

Thursday’s storms were the fifth straight day of severe weather for south-east Queensland. Thunderstorms swept repeatedly across Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, the City of Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast, bringing hail up to 4–5 centimetres in places, destructive wind gusts and almost two million lightning strikes recorded between Sunday and Thursday.

Residents described homes turning into “saunas” after the power went out, with hot, humid air hanging in the still rooms through the night. With no air-conditioning and limited ability to cool down, households were left to ride out the conditions in the dark.

Power crews worked to repair downed lines and damaged infrastructure, with repeated storm cells and widespread damage affecting restoration efforts across the south-east. In some areas, lines were still down late into the week, forcing families to throw out spoiled food and find ways to cope with the heat without power.

Heatwave on top of a storm belt

The blackout in Dakabin did not happen in isolation. Queensland is in the grip of a severe heatwave, with temperatures running between 2 and 8 degrees above the November average in many areas.

In the Greater Brisbane region, the mercury climbed into the mid-30s, with the “feels like” temperature nudging 40 degrees at times as humidity surged. Brisbane reached 33.8 degrees just before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, while Amberley hit 35.5 degrees with an apparent temperature close to 38.4 degrees. Further inland, towns such as Birdsville, Longreach and Julia Creek topped 40 degrees, as hot air from central Australia spread across Queensland and New South Wales.

Meteorologists say that combination of heat and moisture has fuelled the repeated storms hitting Queensland this week. A hot, humid air mass sits over the state like a lid, while a low-pressure trough moving in from the west acts as a trigger, helping to “knock over the first domino” and kick off severe thunderstorms.

Low to severe-intensity heatwaves are continuing across central and eastern Queensland, with severe conditions affecting the north tropical coast, central coast, Wide Bay/Burnett coast and the south-east coast, extending into northern New South Wales. Authorities warn that the heat is making it difficult for people to manage heat stress, particularly during extended periods of hot days and warm nights.

Warnings to stay cool and stay prepared

The Bureau of Meteorology has urged residents across south-east Queensland to take the heat and storms seriously, advising people to stay indoors where possible, stay hydrated and check in on vulnerable family and neighbours. Severe thunderstorms are expected to be most likely from late morning to late afternoon, with the possibility of continuing into the evening in some areas.

Fire danger ratings remain high in several inland districts, including the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, Channel Country, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Maranoa and Warrego, and Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders. In the south-east, fire danger is lower, but authorities say the combination of storms, wind, heat and lightning remains a hazard.

Daily routines continue between storm cells, even as neighbours swap stories about the blackout and how they coped without power. With forecasters warning of more storms on the way and heat lingering into the weekend, Dakabin’s “sauna” week may not be the last time the suburb faces hot conditions during a blackout.

Published 28-Nov-2025