Narangba Archives - North Lakes Today

Narangba Industrial Growth Moves Into Next Phase as Moreton Bay Land Tightens

Narangba is emerging as a key test of how Moreton Bay can accommodate more industrial businesses and local jobs as available employment land becomes harder to find across the region.

City of Moreton Bay said on 6 October that manufacturing across the city generates more than $5 billion in sales, with industrial engineering, fabrication, marine products, building materials, electronics and robotics among the sectors operating locally. The city has linked further manufacturing growth to the availability of additional industrial land.

Narangba already carries a significant share of that industrial activity. The Narangba Innovation Precinct is recognised as a major enterprise and industrial area and accommodates industries that can be difficult to locate elsewhere, including manufacturing, recycling and other higher-impact operations. Earlier economic analysis also found the precinct had the highest concentration of manufacturing workers in Moreton Bay.

An established industrial base

The Narangba Innovation Precinct dates back to the 1970s, when the Queensland Government developed the area for larger and higher-impact industries.

Economic research commissioned as part of later planning work found the precinct generated about $740 million in gross regional product in 2021, while employment there had grown by almost 50 per cent between 2011 and 2016.

Its role remains significant enough that Moreton Bay adopted another temporary planning instrument in July 2026 for the area east of the Bruce Highway. The measure remains in effect until July 2027 while longer-term planning controls are progressed.

A proposed planning scheme amendment for the eastern precinct is intended to provide clearer rules for Special and High Impact Industry while managing potential effects on surrounding residential areas. City documents estimate the changes could support almost 600 additional industrial jobs and contribute about $129 million to the local economy.

A second employment area takes shape

A separate planning process is under way west of the Bruce Highway at Narangba East, where land currently characterised largely by rural residential development is being considered for a mix of future employment and housing.

Planning investigations released in 2024 identified Narangba East as one of the areas capable of helping address Moreton Bay’s industrial land shortage. Early estimates indicated a future employment precinct there could eventually support up to 10,500 jobs.

A temporary planning instrument introduced in June 2026 is preserving land for those longer-term uses while detailed planning continues. It also identifies an Early Release Area along parts of Old Gympie Road and Richards Road where employment development could begin sooner.

The Narangba East work is distinct from planning for the established Narangba Innovation Precinct east of the highway, although together they place Narangba at the centre of Moreton Bay’s longer-term employment planning.

Industrial land forecasts have shortened

Moreton Bay’s need for additional employment areas has become more pressing as industrial land is taken up faster than previously expected.

A 2022 assessment estimated about 26 years of general industry land and 32 years of light industry land remained across the city. By the 2024 update, both had fallen to an estimated 14 years of supply.

General industry land in southern Moreton Bay could be exhausted by 2031 or earlier if recent demand continues.

The shortage extends across Greater Brisbane. Research released in September 2026 estimated about 205 hectares of industrial land would be absorbed annually over the following five years, with some established precincts holding as little as three-and-a-half years of remaining supply.

More jobs for a growing population

The industrial expansion also sits against Moreton Bay’s much larger population challenge.

Around 80,000 residents were estimated in 2024 to travel outside the city for work each week. State planning requires Moreton Bay to accommodate at least 85,400 additional jobs and 125,800 additional dwellings by 2046.

Longer-term modelling prepared with the University of the Sunshine Coast examined a scenario in which Moreton Bay could eventually support about 402,000 local jobs as its population approaches one million.

Published 7-Oct-2026

Narangba East Future Takes Shape as Housing, Industry and Acreage Plans Go Public

A new vision for Narangba East would open parts of the district to suburban housing and industrial development while retaining other pockets as rural residential land, as City of Moreton Bay asks residents to weigh in on how the 1020-hectare area should change.

Council has released its draft Future Directions Report for the Narangba East Rural Residential Investigation Area after almost three years of planning investigations and consultation.

Public feedback is open until 4pm on Friday, 9 October 2026. The report does not rezone properties or approve development, but will help shape a future planning scheme amendment governing what can eventually be built across the area.

Read: Narangba Flying Fox Colony More Than Doubles as Management Plan Remains Unresolved

Housing Is Back in the Picture

One of the most consequential elements of the updated vision is the amount of land identified for future housing.

The Queensland Government placed conditions on Council’s current Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI), including a requirement to provide for housing as well as employment within the affected area. Several parts of Narangba East are consequently identified for residential development.

The draft envisages small-lot detached homes, duplexes, townhouses and retirement living. Emerging Community areas would generally have a minimum net residential density of 20 lots per hectare, with buildings around a maximum 12 metres, or three storeys.

Mayor Peter Flannery said Narangba East had long been identified as an area capable of supporting Moreton Bay’s growth.

“It’s no secret that growth is coming to City of Moreton Bay and parts of Narangba East have long been earmarked as a key location to support future urban growth,” Cr Flannery said.

He said the city’s population was projected to grow from roughly 530,000 today to one million over the next 30 or so years.

What’s Proposed for Narangba East?

Future housing: Small-lot houses, duplexes, townhouses and retirement living in designated Emerging Community areas.

Employment land: Light and general industry around parts of the existing industrial precinct, including the Old Gympie Road area.

Rural residential: Some established acreage areas would retain their existing rural-residential role.

Environment: Environmental corridors and links would be retained or established, with the investigation area sitting within a Koala Priority Area.

Infrastructure: Significant road and servicing upgrades would be needed as development occurs.

What happens now: This is a proposed planning direction, not a rezoning. Formal changes would require a planning scheme amendment and further consultation.

Industry Stays, but With Buffers

Employment land remains a sizeable part of the vision, particularly around existing industrial areas near Old Gympie Road and Richards Road.

Both light and general industry are proposed, with controls intended to manage noise, vibration, odour, lighting, traffic and operating hours near homes. General industry would generally be separated from future urban residential areas by at least 250 metres, with lower-intensity light industry providing a transition in some locations.

Not every acreage neighbourhood would change. Dean Drive, Casino Court, Gavin Court and Jane Place are proposed to remain Rural Residential because they sit within an environmental health buffer west of Old Gympie Road.

Earlier Consultation Revealed the Fault Lines

Council already has a sense of where some of the debate will lie.

During consultation in 2025, it received 108 survey responses, while another 99 people took part in 14 small-group sessions. The participants were self-selecting, so the figures cannot be treated as a poll of Narangba East as a whole, but they show considerable concern about both major forms of development being considered.

Thirty per cent of survey respondents opposed residential development and another 24 per cent expressed concern. Twenty per cent were supportive and 16 per cent cautiously open.

Industrial and employment development met stronger resistance: 40 per cent opposed it and 29 per cent were concerned, compared with 15 per cent supportive and 7 per cent cautiously open.

Roads, infrastructure, environmental protection, neighbourhood character and certainty for existing landowners also emerged repeatedly. Roads and pathways ranked as the most important immediate priority, while protection and enhancement of the natural environment came first when participants looked 20 to 30 years ahead.

Growth Will Depend on the Infrastructure

Old Gympie Road and New Settlement Road would eventually need significant upgrades, including provision for a four-lane standard. Callaghan, Mackie and McPhail roads are also identified for future work, along with an extension of Marks Road to Callaghan Road.

Council also wants better public transport links between Narangba railway station, Narangba East and destinations including North Lakes.

The report identifies what would be needed to support future development rather than setting out a fully funded construction timetable. Delivery would occur over time and depend on development, funding and coordination between Council, the State Government, utilities and developers.

Likewise, a future change in zoning would not force an existing landowner to sell or redevelop. Lawful uses could continue, potentially leaving established acreage properties beside areas that change progressively over time.

For some residents, the question may therefore be not only what Narangba East becomes, but how quickly the transition happens and what infrastructure arrives with it.

Read: More Details Emerge as Narangba Heights Shopping Centre Takes Shape

The Map Is Not the Final Word

The current TLPI remains in place while the longer-term framework is settled and is due to expire in June 2028 unless repealed earlier.

The consultation now under way is focused on the broad direction for Narangba East. A second opportunity for public input will come when the proposed planning scheme amendment sets out the formal planning controls.

Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway said residents would have another chance to comment.

“You can have your say on the draft Future Directions Report, but it won’t be your last chance to provide feedback on the future of the Narangba East Rural Residential Investigation Area,” she said.

Submissions from this round will help inform the next stage. Until the planning scheme amendment process is completed, the new Narangba East map remains Council’s proposed direction rather than new zoning.

Published 8-September-2026

Narangba House Prices Push Above $1 Million as Market Holds Firm

Narangba’s house market has pushed firmly into seven figures, with the latest three-month median reaching $1.045 million as sales through winter continued to cluster around the million-dollar mark.

The latest Narangba Property Market Overview, covering transaction data to 3 September 2026, puts the three-month house median about 3.9 per cent above the 12-month median of $1.0055 million.

There was also reasonable depth behind the latest snapshot. The dataset contains 80 house transactions over the three-month period, including 78 with usable prices for the median calculation, plus six unit transactions. That takes total residential transaction volume to 86.

Recent monthly results also show the suburb repeatedly trading around the million-dollar level rather than relying on a single strong month.

3-Month House Median

$1,045,000

+3.9% vs 12-month median

3-Month Unit Median

$815,000

0.0% vs 12-month median

3-Month Residential Volume

86 sales

80 houses + 6 units

Median Days to Sell

34 days

Houses; units recorded 28 days

House Market Settles Into Seven Figures

The monthly figures still move around, but the broader direction is clearer than any one result.

House medians were $950,000 in October 2025 and $980,000 in November before moving above $1 million in January 2026. The monthly median reached $1.1475 million in May, then eased to $1.035 million in June before returning to $1.055 million in July and $1.06 million in August.

September’s preliminary figure is lower at $949,000, but it needs to be treated with particular caution. The analysis only runs to 3 September and the figure is based on three qualifying sales, making it a partial-month observation rather than evidence of a broader market shift.

Narangba Houses — Monthly Median Price

The three-month median smooths some of that month-to-month movement and leaves Narangba at $1.045 million.

Selling times have also lengthened in the latest period. Within the PMO dataset, the three-month median for houses was 34 days, compared with 14 days across the 12-month analysis.

Four-Bedroom Homes Dominate Narangba Sales

The make-up of recent sales helps show where most of the activity has been concentrated.

Among house transactions with usable bedroom information, four-bedroom homes accounted for 53 sales during the three-month period. There were another 10 five-bedroom sales and nine three-bedroom sales.

That makes four-bedroom homes clearly the most common configuration in the available bedroom data, which fits Narangba’s strong family-home profile without implying that every transaction falls into the same price bracket.

There was also activity at the upper end.

The highest-priced transaction recorded in the overview was 94 Bazeridge Drive at $2.06 million, a five-bedroom, two-bathroom house attributed in the dataset to Tyson Von Hoff.

It was followed by a $1.518 million transaction at 6 Feeder Street and a $1.46 million house sale at 1257 Oakey Flat Road. Three other houses in the Top 10 changed hands for $1.45 million or more.

A Much Smaller Unit Market

Narangba’s unit market is considerably thinner, which makes the figures more sensitive to individual transactions.

The three-month unit median was $815,000, exactly level with the 12-month median. However, only six unit transactions were recorded in the broader three-month volume data and five had usable prices for the median calculation.

Monthly unit figures therefore need to be read cautiously. Several months in the 12-month analysis contain only one to three qualifying sales, so individual results can move the median sharply.

That is particularly clear in July, when the recorded unit median reached $1.1457 million from just three qualifying transactions, before August produced a $755,000 median from a single transaction.

Who Has Been Active in Narangba?

The transaction dataset also shows several agents appearing more frequently than others during the period.

Gavin Lomas was attributed 15 sales, followed by Tyson Von Hoff with 13. The dataset attributed four to Leanne Kroes, three to Rebecca Blewitt, and two each to Michelle Wheeler and Ryan Suhle.

Those figures are best read as activity recorded within the analysed dataset rather than a definitive market-share ranking. Not every transaction carries complete agent information, and the figures do not necessarily capture every agent active in Narangba.

Taken together, the latest numbers point to a Narangba house market now operating around the million-dollar mark. Monthly medians will continue to move with the mix of properties sold, but the broader measures are more telling: the three-month house median stands at $1.045 million, while the PMO’s 12-month median has also moved just above $1 million.

Read the full Property Market Overview here.

Published 8-September-2026

This overview is based on property transaction data available for the periods stated above. It is provided for general information only and should not be relied on as financial, investment, legal or real estate advice. Market conditions can change, and readers should undertake their own research before making property decisions.

Narangba Flying Fox Colony More Than Doubles as Management Plan Remains Unresolved

The flying fox colony beside New Settlement Road in Narangba has grown to almost 16,000 animals, more than twice the number recorded in April as Council considers a longer-term approach to managing the roost near homes.

City of Moreton Bay’s latest published count puts the colony at 15,866 flying foxes on 21 July, up from 6,380 on 14 April.

That is an increase of 9,486 animals, or about 149 per cent in just over three months.

The rise comes as the outcome of consultation over a proposed canopy-mounted sprinkler system remains publicly unresolved. Residents were asked about the idea early this year, but Council’s project page still says feedback is being reviewed before a proposed direction is presented to Council.

Numbers Climb Through Autumn and Winter

Council’s monitoring shows the colony growing across each of its four counts from April to July.

There were 6,380 flying foxes recorded on 14 April, rising to 8,316 on 26 May and 12,060 on 22 June. By 21 July, the estimate had reached 15,866.

Most of the increase came from grey-headed flying foxes. Their numbers rose from 3,828 in April to 12,693 in July. Black flying foxes increased more modestly, from 2,552 to 3,173.

No little red flying foxes were recorded at the Narangba roost during those four counts.

The figures are snapshots rather than a fixed population. Flying foxes are highly mobile and numbers at individual roosts can change as animals move between locations.

A Neighbourhood Issue Since 2021

Council says concerns about the New Settlement Road colony have been raised since 2021, particularly around noise, odour and droppings, with active management of the site underway since 2022.

Work to date has included trimming and lopping trees to increase separation between the colony and houses. Trees have also been planted elsewhere within the parkland to encourage roosting farther from homes.

Earlier this year, Council investigated another option: oscillating sprinklers mounted in selected trees along the residential edge of the colony.

The proposed system would periodically spray water into parts of the canopy while flying foxes were present, making those particular trees less attractive for roosting.

Importantly, the proposal was not designed to remove the colony from Narangba. Its purpose was to encourage the animals to shift within the parkland and create more distance between the roost and neighbouring houses.

Sprinkler Proposal Still Awaiting an Outcome

Consultation ran from 12 January to 6 February, with Council publishing its summary report in March.

The results showed 58 per cent of respondents supported or strongly supported increasing the separation between houses and the colony. Among residents living immediately beside the parkland, support was 63 per cent.

Several months later, Council has not published a final decision on whether the sprinkler proposal will proceed.

Its project page says Environmental Services is reviewing the feedback to finalise a proposed direction for the Narangba colony and flying fox management more broadly across the city. That approach is to be presented to Council, with timeframes and next steps to be released after final decisions are made.

The Narangba consultation is now listed among Council’s past environment projects, where it carries a last-update date of 16 April 2026.

There is currently no published indication on the project page that the sprinkler system has been approved or installed.

Increased Separation Needed

The sharp rise in flying fox numbers does not, by itself, indicate whether the proposed management approach would be effective.

Council has made clear that success for the sprinkler system would be measured by increasing the separation between the colony and houses, rather than reducing the number of flying foxes.

For nearby residents, however, the latest count puts a new scale on an issue that has been running for years.

The colony numbered 6,380 in April. By July, Council’s estimate had reached almost 16,000. What remains unclear is whether the sprinkler proposal residents were asked to consider earlier this year will become part of Council’s longer-term response.

Published 31-August-2026

More Details Emerge as Narangba Heights Shopping Centre Takes Shape

Photo Credit: Oxmar Properties

The new Narangba Heights Shopping Centre is beginning to come into sharper focus, with fresh details revealing a $35 million to $40 million project with about 300 car parks and space for a broad mix of shops and services.

Construction officially began in June at the corner of Oakey Flat Road and Sovereign Drive, where a full-line Coles will anchor the first stage. Since then, an active leasing campaign has provided more detail about what is planned around the supermarket.

More than 5,200 square metres of retail and specialty floorspace is being marketed, with individual leasing opportunities ranging from about 20 to 400 square metres.

The businesses being sought include food and beverage operators, medical and allied health providers, a pharmacy, fitness businesses, retail services and convenience retailers.

Around 300 Car Parks Planned

Builder Evolve Constructions puts the project value at between $35 million and $40 million and says the centre will have parking for approximately 300 vehicles.

Its plans include fresh food and specialty retail alongside medical, pharmacy and allied health services, fitness and personal services, dining and a service station.

The leasing campaign also points to two access points and frontage to Oakey Flat Road.

It adds considerably more detail to what was known when the first sod was turned in June. At the time, Stage One was described more broadly as comprising Coles, specialty retail, dining, commercial tenancies and a service station.

The project is being developed by Oxmar Properties, with Evolve Constructions delivering the construction works.

A Catchment Expected to Keep Growing

Behind the scale of the project is the residential growth occurring around this part of Narangba.

Leasing material puts the shopping centre’s current primary trade area at about 24,670 residents and forecasts that figure will reach approximately 34,580 by 2036 — an increase of almost 10,000 people.

That catchment includes growth associated with Narangba Heights as well as nearby Ridgeview, Kinma Valley and Pine Valley North.

The centre occupies a prominent position at the entrance to the Narangba Heights estate, with Oakey Flat Road providing an important connection through this expanding residential corridor.

Oxmar’s plans for a shopping centre on the site are not new. The developer announced in 2023 that Stage One had been approved after what it described as years in the court system, while plans for a second stage had been submitted to Council.

Stage Two Could Bring More

Those Stage Two plans point to a considerably larger precinct in the longer term.

The proposal included a limited-line ALDI supermarket, a 120-place childcare centre, another food and drink outlet, a tyre and auto facility and two mixed-use buildings.

Possible uses identified for those buildings included medical and health services, a gym, veterinary services and offices.

Importantly, these are part of the Stage Two proposal and should not be confused with the Coles-anchored first stage now under construction.

For locals, the immediate change is Stage One. Construction has moved ahead following the June sod-turning, while the leasing campaign is working to fill out the mix of businesses that will eventually sit around Coles.

No firm public opening date for the new shopping centre has been announced.

Published 31-Aug-2026

Narangba Residents Invited To Comment On Precinct Plans

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

Narangba residents will be able to comment on proposed changes to the Narangba Innovation Precinct, including future industrial development and a proposed air quality assessment policy.

Public consultation on Major Planning Scheme Amendment No. 5 – Narangba Innovation Precinct (East) will run from 27 July to 24 August 2026.

The proposal applies to the industrial precinct on the eastern side of the Bruce Highway. Residents can also review and comment on the proposed Planning Scheme Policy – Air Quality Impact Assessment during the same period.

Community Feedback Opens In Narangba

The amendment and its supporting documents will be available through the Your Say Moreton Bay website, where feedback can be submitted before consultation closes.

The proposal seeks to establish a long-term planning position for Special and High Impact Industry within a designated section of the existing precinct.

It would not expand the Narangba Innovation Precinct’s overall footprint. Instead, the amendment would provide planning provisions for industrial businesses already operating in the designated area and for future development applications.

City of Moreton Bay says the proposal could support nearly 600 additional Special and High Impact Industry jobs and contribute $129 million to the local economy.

More than 3,000 jobs in Special and High Impact Industry are already located within the precinct.

Map showing the Narangba precinct study area — Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

Cumulative Impacts Form Part Of Assessment

Future development would be considered through a whole-of-precinct assessment approach.

This would require potential impacts from a proposed development to be considered alongside existing emissions from across the precinct, rather than assessing each application in isolation.

Applicants would need to demonstrate that their development would not cause adverse effects in surrounding areas.The proposed air quality policy would provide city-wide guidance for businesses conducting air quality assessments for new developments. It would also give specific guidance on assessing cumulative air emissions within or next to the Narangba precinct.

Aerial view of Narangba industrial precinct — Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

Investigations Inform Precinct Proposal

The planning amendment follows environmental health investigations carried out between 2020 and 2024.

Independent consultants examined air quality, noise, human health, fire risks and other environmental hazards associated with allowable combined impacts from Special and High Impact Industry in the eastern precinct.

Economic investigations also considered the industries’ contribution to employment, productivity and the local economy.

The work followed the introduction of a Temporary Local Planning Instrument in July 2020. The instrument established interim planning rules while a longer-term position was developed for industrial activity and the protection of nearby residential areas.

The Temporary Local Planning Instrument has been extended for a further 12 months, allowing those interim rules to remain while consultation and the planning amendment process are completed.

Any adoption of the amendment will remain subject to the outcome of consultation and ministerial approval. Feedback can be submitted through the Your Say Moreton Bay website from 27 July to 24 August.

Published 21-July-2026

Narangba Shopping Centre Proposed Beside Catholic School Site

Photo Credit: DA/2026/1178

A proposed Narangba shopping centre anchored by Woolworths would add a full-line supermarket, speciality retail, commercial tenancies and childcare at the corner of Callaghan Road and Morgan Road.

Plans Outline Narangba Shopping Centre

Plans lodged with Moreton Bay City Council cover a 2.9-hectare site at the Callaghan Road and Morgan Road intersection.

The development is described as a local centre intended to meet day-to-day needs in Narangba. Its proposed mix includes a full-line supermarket, speciality retail, childcare, commercial tenancies and other centre activities.

Narangba Shopping Centre — Photo Credit: DA/2026/1178

Stage one would deliver the Woolworths supermarket alongside the initial speciality retail and commercial spaces. The first phase would also provide 283 car parking spaces.

A childcare centre would be introduced during stage two, together with further speciality retail and commercial tenancies. Another 105 parking spaces form part of that stage.

Moreton Bay development — Photo Credit: DA/2026/1178

The proposal is structured around the supermarket-led first phase, followed by the childcare component and additional tenancies in the later stage.

childcare centre — Photo Credit: DA/2026/1178

Catholic School Proposed North of Centre

An 11.9-hectare block north of the shopping centre site has approval for a proposed Catholic school.

Brisbane Catholic Education received approval for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation application in August 2025. The organisation has not determined the years in which the school would open.

The infrastructure designation represents one part of the approvals required before the proposed school can begin operating. Further approvals are still needed.

No start date or opening guideline has been set for the education development. Brisbane Catholic Education has indicated that updates will be issued when further information becomes available.

Published 16-July-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

Narangba Residents Back Plan to Manage Flying Fox Colony Near Homes

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

A plan to manage a long-standing flying fox colony in Narangba has drawn support from the community, with residents backing a solution aimed at reducing impacts on nearby homes while keeping the protected animals within the parkland.

Feedback shows strong local interest in finding an approach that improves daily life for neighbours while limiting harm to the bats. After a consultation period from 12 January to 6 February 2026, a report in March summarised feedback on a proposal to install canopy-mounted sprinklers in the parkland next to New Settlement Road.

The system is designed to encourage flying foxes to move deeper into the reserve, increasing the distance between the colony and surrounding homes rather than forcing them out of the area entirely.

A Management Approach Council Has Used Before

Council has pointed to previous use of similar sprinkler systems, including at Redcliffe Botanic Gardens, where the method was found to move flying foxes away from residential edges while allowing them to remain in the broader area.

The approach uses intermittent water sprays in the tree canopy to make certain roosting spots less attractive, with the aim of shifting the colony farther from nearby homes.

The Your Say Moreton Bay project page explains that the goal is not removal, but better positioning of the colony within the parkland.

Narangba Residents Show Measured Support

Survey results show that many residents are open to the proposed solution. Overall, 58 per cent of respondents supported or strongly supported measures to increase the distance between homes and the colony. Among residents living directly beside the parkland, support was higher, with 63 per cent backing the approach.

Photo Credit: Flying Fox Management Consultation Report

While views differ, the results show support for action alongside concern about how the approach would work. Many respondents highlighted the need to reduce impacts on nearby homes while also recognising the importance of protecting flying foxes, which are native species covered by state and federal laws.

Residents living closest to the colony have reported challenges such as noise, odour and droppings affecting their homes and outdoor spaces. The consultation highlights that these impacts are most strongly felt by households bordering the parkland, where more than half described themselves as severely affected.

Residents Favour Council Oversight of Any Sprinkler System

Another strong theme in the feedback is a preference for Council to manage the process. Among residents living adjacent to the parkland, most said they would prefer Council to control the sprinkler system rather than individual households.

Residents also showed interest in how the system would be rolled out, how its success would be measured and what safeguards would be in place for the animals.

While questions remain about implementation and long-term outcomes, the response reflects a mix of support and caution from the community.

Published 17-April-2026

Haley Cobb Heads to National Final with Focus on Cancer Prevention and Mental Health

Haley Cobb/Facebook

Haley Cobb has spent five years turning a love of pageantry into something much larger than a crown, and this month the 28-year-old Narangba resident steps onto the national stage as one of eight finalists in the Ms Galaxy Australia division of the 2026 Australia Galaxy Pageants National Final.

The Crowning Gala takes place on Saturday 2 May at Bankstown Sports Club in Sydney, marking the pageant system’s 15th anniversary. But for Haley, the competition itself is only part of what drives her. Since entering her first pageant in 2021, she has raised almost $15,000 for various causes, earned the Miss Australia International and Miss Charity Australia titles, and built a community presence in Moreton Bay that stretches from school classrooms to retirement villages to clean-up days along the coast.

“I fell in love with pageantry,” said Haley, who graduated from UniSC Moreton Bay at Petrie. The campus at Petrie, approximately 30 kilometres north of Brisbane, was the first full-service university campus ever built in the Moreton Bay region and the place where Haley’s identity as both a student and a community advocate began to take shape. She now holds a Masters in teaching and works as a financial controller.

A Platform That Actually Does Something

Haley’s pageant platform is cancer prevention, and she has developed her own approach to communicating it. She visits schools and distributes health and wellness colouring-in books for children, accompanied by information flyers designed to help parents understand the message behind the activities. The approach is deliberately accessible: complex health conversations translated into something a child can engage with and take home.

Haley Cobb uses pageantry as her platform to spread awareness — Photo Credit: Haley Cobb/Facebook

“Pageant is about getting individuals out and about in the community, volunteering and fundraising and making sure the next generation of leaders is out there advocating for change,” Haley said. “We have our own platform, mine is cancer prevention. I do things like going to schools and helping educate children about being preventative in a kid-friendly way.”

Beyond cancer prevention, her diary reads like a map of Moreton Bay’s community calendar. In a single five-day stretch recently, she helped at a Share the Dignity collection in Petrie, delivered a school speech, attended a hospital Giving Day, joined a Tour de Cure lunch for cancer research, participated in a Conservation Australia Clean Up Day, and helped restore houses with Habitat for Humanity. She has also helped with gift wrapping, marshalled fun runs and spoken in retirement villages.

“I find my way into every community and charity group!” she said.

Why Mental Health Is Personal

This year’s Australia Galaxy Pageants competition requires every finalist to raise $2,000 for batyr, the national youth preventative mental health charity. Batyr is a youth-led mental health organisation pioneering preventative approaches through peer-to-peer education and lived experience storytelling, creating safe, stigma-free spaces where young people feel empowered to prioritise their mental health before challenges escalate.

For Haley, the connection is personal. She moved out of the family farm at 17, began university, and navigated those years with the support batyr provides. “I grew up with mental health issues. Batyr guided me,” she said. “It has young adults, those your own age, talking to you, rather than people like your mum or dad. It focuses on young adults or those who have been through similar situations, helping those from teenagers to university students make their way through mental health.”

The experience has shaped not just what she advocates for, but how she does it. Knowing firsthand what it feels like to arrive somewhere unfamiliar and uncertain has made her a more grounded and empathetic voice in the Moreton Bay communities she serves.

The Community Behind Haley’s Journey

Haley’s connection to the region is not incidental. She credits the Moreton Bay community with shaping who she has become, and that sense of belonging is what makes representing it on a national stage feel meaningful rather than simply competitive.

“I genuinely find the Moreton Bay community to be incredibly welcoming and supportive,” she said. “Moreton Bay has played a significant role in shaping my journey, which is why it feels especially meaningful to be representing and fundraising within the region.”

The 2026 Australia Galaxy Pageants National Final runs from 29 April to 2 May at Bankstown Sports Club in Sydney. Tickets are available here. To support Haley’s fundraising for batyr, visit australiagalaxypageants.com or follow her journey on social media.

Published 13-April-2026