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St Rita’s College Included in Catholic Schools Ballot Amid Union Pay Concerns

Pay differences between Queensland and interstate Catholic school employees have become part of a workplace dispute involving St Rita’s College in Clayfield, where eligible staff will vote on a new enterprise agreement. The proposed package also includes reproductive health leave provisions that the education union considers too restrictive.

St Rita’s College appears in the official Religious Institute Schools employer list. The agreement was released on 8 October 2026, with employees scheduled to cast their votes online between 19 and 29 October.

School officer wages remain contested

The Independent Education Union claims that some Queensland Catholic school classroom assistants receive between 10 and 25 per cent less than comparable employees in New South Wales Catholic schools. It has sought changes to classification structures as well as improvements to teacher salaries, workloads and other workplace entitlements.

An earlier advisory ballot conducted among union members produced a 94 per cent rejection of the employers’ offer, according to the union. The forthcoming formal vote is separate and will be open to all eligible employees covered by the proposed agreement, regardless of union membership.

Five days of leave under restricted conditions

Clause 8.19 of the proposed Catholic school agreements provides up to five days of paid reproductive health leave each calendar year for eligible employees. The entitlement would not accumulate annually, with part-time and term-time staff receiving a proportionate allowance and casual employees excluded.

Eligibility would require an employee to be absent because of chronic symptoms associated with at least one of eight listed conditions or procedures: endometriosis, adenomyosis, dysmenorrhoea, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hysterectomy, menopause, perimenopause or prostate disease.

A further restriction applies to accumulated personal or carer’s leave. Full-time employees must have fewer than 10 days remaining, while part-time and term-time staff must have less than a proportionately adjusted balance. Employees would also need to meet the agreement’s notification and evidence requirements.

IVF included in public-sector leave provisions

Queensland public-sector employees have had access to up to 10 working days of paid reproductive health leave annually since 30 September 2024. The entitlement includes fertility treatment such as IVF, chronic reproductive health conditions, preventative screening and specified medical procedures, without requiring employees to exhaust other types of leave first.

The Catholic school proposals do not expressly include IVF among the qualifying reasons for the new reproductive leave entitlement. Other existing leave arrangements may remain available for medical treatment or appointments, depending on the circumstances. The proposed agreements also provide for accumulated personal or carer’s leave to be used for preventative medical advice or treatment, including reproductive health screening.

Union raises pay gaps and workload concerns

The Independent Education Union Queensland and Northern Territory has sought reproductive health leave comparable to the public-sector entitlement, alongside improvements in wages and working conditions. Its bargaining claims also cover teacher workloads, school officer classifications and recognition of specialist and leadership roles.

The union says some Queensland Catholic school classroom assistants earn between 10 and 25 per cent less than workers performing comparable jobs in New South Wales Catholic schools. It also argues that the proposed agreement does not adequately address increasing teaching workloads or the working conditions of specialist staff.

Catholic school employers have proposed teacher wage increases of four per cent in 2026, followed by 3.5 per cent in both 2027 and 2028. Their package also includes changes to certain school officer and services staff classifications, along with proposed improvements to leave arrangements. The union maintains that the offer does not sufficiently address its outstanding claims.

More than 22,000 employees covered by ballot

According to Catholic Education Queensland, the bargaining arrangements cover more than 22,000 employees across 313 schools. Separate proposed agreements apply to schools operated by diocesan Catholic education authorities and those under Religious Institutes or Ministerial Public Juridic Persons.

The online ballot will run from 19 to 29 October 2026, with eligible employees able to vote whether or not they belong to a union. An agreement must receive majority support from employees casting valid votes and subsequently obtain approval from the Fair Work Commission before taking effect.

Backpay remains contested as vote approaches

Employers say approval during the October ballot would secure their proposed retrospective wage payments, including backpay from 1 July 2026 for teachers. If the agreement is rejected, existing employment conditions would continue while a replacement is pursued.

Under the employers’ stated approach, backpay following a later successful ballot would begin from the first day of the month in which that vote occurs. The union has criticised the condition, arguing that retrospective wages should remain part of further negotiations rather than depend on approval of the current offer.

Published 9-Oct-2026

When Clayfield Was the End of the Line for Brisbane’s Northern Travellers

Photo Credit: The Queenslander/Wikimedia/Public Domain

Long before Sandgate Road became the transport corridor residents know today, Clayfield sat at an important junction between Brisbane’s tram network and northern districts beyond the tracks.

Clayfield’s transport role took shape around the turn of the 20th century. The North Coast railway opened in 1882, with a line running from Eagle Junction through Clayfield towards Ascot, while a tram line along Sandgate Road reached Wagner Street in 1901. Brisbane City Council heritage records say the tram extension helped open Clayfield to further residential development.

Clayfield joins the tram network

The Sandgate railway opened on 10 May 1882, with regular services beginning the following day. During the 1890s, the number of people travelling into the city from Albion, Mayne, Wooloowin, Eagle Junction, Clayfield and Hendra more than doubled. By the turn of the century, tram services linked Albion with Clayfield and the city.

Photo Credit: The Queenslander/Wikimedia/Public Domain

The Sandgate Road tram reached Wagner Street in 1901, adding another transport connection through Clayfield. Council heritage research later linked the tram line with the suburb’s continued residential growth.

Public transport also influenced the development of homes and flats along the corridor. Heritage records for buildings in Clayfield note that access to the tram made travel to and from the city easier and contributed to growth along Sandgate Road.

By 1930, private bus operators were running separate services between Nundah and the Clayfield tram terminus and between Virginia and the Clayfield tram terminus. Records from 10 November that year list James Edgar White and William White as operators of both routes.

Private buses feed the terminus

The feeder network was still operating two decades later. A February 1950 route list shows a service running from the Clayfield tram terminus to Wavell Heights and East Nundah, while another connected Clayfield with Virginia and Nudgee.

Passengers from those northern districts could therefore reach Clayfield by bus and transfer to the tram network for the journey towards the city.

Life grew around the terminus

Transport also helped shape activity around the terminus precinct.

The Savoy Picture Theatre stood on the edge of the Clayfield shopping centre, just south of the tram terminus. Historical accounts record patrons watching silent films from canvas deckchairs before the open-air theatre was later roofed.

Other local institutions benefited from Clayfield’s improving transport connections. Brisbane City Council heritage research on St Agatha’s Catholic Church identifies the Sandgate and Pinkenba railway lines and the tramways to Ascot and Clayfield as major contributors to the suburb’s rapid development.

An oral history preserved by the Australians at War Film Archive also records the terminus as part of everyday working life. Leslie Walker recalled working for a butcher at the Clayfield tram terminus before travelling into town as a telegraph and newspaper boy, using the tram system as part of his daily rounds.

From trams to buses

Clayfield’s transport role changed again as Brisbane’s public transport system moved away from trams.

A heritage-listed waiting shelter still stands on Sandgate Road near Reeve Street. Brisbane City Council records identify it as a BCC bus waiting shed dating from the postwar period. The shelter generally conforms to a standard design prepared by the Department of Works and signed off by City Architect Frank Costello in 1945.

Photographs held by the State Library of Queensland also preserve Clayfield’s place in the final years of Brisbane’s tram system. The Dearden family collection includes a series titled “The last of the trams”, with images taken in Brisbane and Clayfield.

Sandgate Road remains a major transport corridor through Clayfield, but its role reaches back more than a century. Before direct suburban bus networks became the norm, Clayfield was one of the places where private buses from the northern outskirts met Brisbane’s electric tram system.

Published 7-Oct-2026

Wooloowin Family Walk Ends in Surprise $1.21m Home Purchase

Photo Credit: RayWhite

A Saturday morning walk through Wooloowin took an unexpected turn when a Brisbane couple stopped at a neighbourhood auction and purchased a four-bedroom cottage for $1.21 million, despite having no plans to buy another property.

Stefanie and Ewan Ramsey were walking with their children on 3 October when they came across the auction at 12 Owen Street. Bidding had stalled at $900,000, giving the couple an opportunity to consider a purchase that had not been on their agenda.

Ms Ramsey, a property adviser, had not inspected the house beforehand. Within minutes, the couple had assessed the property, established what they were willing to pay and registered to bid. They secured the cottage for $1.21 million, reportedly $290,000 below its valuation. The supporting valuation was not made public.

Wooloowin home auction — Photo Credit: RayWhite

An Original Cottage In Wooloowin

The property occupies a 405 sq m block in one of Brisbane’s established inner-north residential areas, approximately five kilometres from the CBD. The four-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage has retained much of its original character, with substantial scope for renovation. It also has one off-street parking space.

Its location places it close to Wooloowin railway station, public transport services, parks and neighbourhood amenities. The address falls within the catchment areas of Wooloowin State School and Kedron State High School.

Brisbane property market — Photo Credit: RayWhite

The home was marketed by Kim Olsen of Ray White Kim Olsen Property, which operates from Sandgate Road in neighbouring Clayfield. The auction had been scheduled for 11 a.m., with no advertised price guide.

For the Ramseys, who jointly founded Brisbane-based property advisory firm Ramsey Property Wealth, their experience allowed them to assess the property quickly. Ms Ramsey said they had also been prepared to walk away if the bidding went beyond what they considered a reasonable purchase price.

Property auction — Photo Credit: RayWhite

Interested Buyers, But Fewer Willing To Bid

The auction attracted other prospective purchasers, although their interest did not necessarily translate into bids. Ms Ramsey said one party attended with a buyer’s agent but ultimately chose not to bid. Another interested buyer wanted the cottage but could not proceed under the unconditional auction requirements because their existing home remained unsold.

The circumstances left the Ramseys able to secure the property despite arriving without any preparation to purchase it. Ms Ramsey attributed the hesitation among buyers to tighter financing arrangements, higher interest rates and uncertainty about committing to property purchases. She said some prospective purchasers remained interested in buying but were constrained by their financial circumstances or the conditions attached to a sale.

The Wooloowin auction also coincided with a period of low reported auction clearance rates across Brisbane. Property figures for the week ending 4 October recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 19.6 per cent across Greater Brisbane, the lowest among Australia’s capital cities that week.

Published 6-October-2026

Hamilton Pink Party at Hamilton Neighbourhood Hub Brings a Lively October Morning

The Hamilton Pink Party at Hamilton Neighbourhood Hub has settled into the kind of event locals recognise and return to each year. It is practical, friendly and built around a straightforward goal.

The event runs from 8am to 12pm on Saturday 10 October at 68 Oxford Street, Hamilton. It begins with a cake stall, a re-loved stall, and a plant and produce stall. A fitness session also starts at 8am, with bookings encouraged and a $15 entry fee.

Then comes one of the more light-hearted parts of the morning. The Pink Puppy Parade starts at 9am, and children and their dressed-up dogs can enter for $2. Prizes will be awarded, which adds a little extra fun without shifting the focus away from the fundraiser.

Food, music and a steady pace

The Hamilton Pink Party at Hamilton Neighbourhood Hub continues with BBQ and Devonshire morning tea from 9.30am. HHS students will perform at 10am. Violinist Liz Young will also provide roving entertainment through the morning.

That gives the event a steady flow. Visitors can wander between stalls, listen to music and enjoy morning tea without feeling rushed. HSS PCYC will also run children’s activities, and a treasure hunt will give younger visitors something to follow.

Prizes for the best pink outfits will be awarded throughout the day. It is a small detail, but it suits the event and helps keep the atmosphere lively.

Violinist Liz Young
Photo Credit: lizyoungviolin.com.au

A fundraiser with local value

Money raised will support Be Uplifted Inc, Breast Cancer Network Australia and Cancer Council. This year, a small portion will also go towards the Hub’s own programs and help keep the lights on.

That makes the event more than a general fundraiser. It supports major charities while also backing the local centre that hosts the event itself. The event is supported by the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund, which adds to its standing in the area.

For Clayfield readers, the appeal is easy to see. It is nearby, family friendly and built around a worthwhile cause. The Hamilton Pink Party at Hamilton Neighbourhood Hub offers a simple way to spend a Saturday morning well.

Updated 30-September-2026

Bluey’s World to Stay in Brisbane Until 2028 After Drawing More Than Half a Million Visitors

Brisbane will remain the exclusive home of Bluey’s World until early 2028 after the immersive attraction secured a two-year extension following strong demand from visitors across Australia and overseas.

The experience, based on the globally successful animated series Bluey, will continue operating at Northshore Hamilton until 3 February 2028, extending what has become one of Brisbane’s biggest family tourism attractions.

Since opening in November 2024, Bluey’s World has welcomed more than 500,000 visitors. According to figures released by the operators, the attraction has generated more than 501,000 direct visitor nights and contributed an estimated $156.9 million in direct and incremental expenditure across Queensland.

The extension further strengthens Brisbane’s connection to the internationally recognised children’s series, which is created and produced in Queensland.

Bringing Bluey’s World to Life

Bluey’s World offers visitors a guided, walk-through experience inspired by the hit television series. Families move through life-sized recreations of familiar locations from the show while taking part in interactive games, activities and storytelling designed to encourage imaginative play.

The attraction has been developed by BBC Studios and HVK Productions, with support from the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.

Tourism Boost Continues

BBC Studios ANZ Director of Brands & Licensing Sharon Wilson said the extension would allow even more families to experience the attraction in the city where Bluey’s story began.

She said Bluey continued to resonate with families worldwide and that Bluey’s World captured the spirit of the series by creating opportunities for visitors to make lasting memories together.

Producer Andrew Kay said the attraction had already delivered significant benefits for Queensland’s visitor economy.

“In addition to welcoming over half a million visitors, Bluey’s World has generated more than 501,107 direct visitor nights and contributed $156.9 million in total direct and incremental expenditure across the state.”

The economic figures are based on IER Research covering the period from 7 November 2024 to 17 March 2026.

Brisbane’s Global Drawcard

Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said Bluey’s World demonstrated how Queensland stories could become internationally recognised visitor experiences.

He said the extension would encourage more families from interstate and overseas to visit Queensland while supporting the state’s long-term tourism strategy by giving travellers another reason to spend time in Brisbane and explore the wider state.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the attraction had become one of the city’s major tourism drawcards.

He said visitors were travelling from around Australia and the world not only to experience Bluey’s World but also to see the city that inspired the much-loved television series.

Planning a Visit

Bluey’s World is located at 281 Macarthur Drive, Northshore Hamilton.

Tickets start from $44.90 plus booking fees, with bookings now available through to 3 February 2028.

About Bluey

Created and produced in Brisbane by Ludo Studio for ABC KIDS and BBC Studios, Bluey follows the adventures of Blue Heeler puppy Bluey, her younger sister Bingo and their parents, Bandit and Chilli. The award-winning series has become one of Australia’s most successful entertainment exports and is watched by families in more than 140 countries.

Updated 30-September-2026.

New 20-Year Vision Maps Out Future Of Kedron Brook

Brisbane has released a draft 20-year vision for Kedron Brook, inviting the community to weigh in on plans for a healthier, more resilient waterway, and a stronger lifestyle and recreation corridor.

Read: Then and Now: Waldheim, the Stephen Family’s Homestead in Annerley

The Kedron Brook Revitalisation Draft Vision follows an initial stage of community engagement in 2025. Community feedback and detailed technical investigations have helped shape the latest draft, which is now open for further comment.

For Clayfield residents, the consultation provides an opportunity to comment on the future of the broader Kedron Brook catchment.

A Long-Term Plan For Kedron Brook

The draft vision proposes changes across Kedron Brook’s 20km pathway network, which is used by more than 600,000 cyclists and pedestrians each year.

Plans include upgrading and widening pathways to improve connections for walking, running and cycling. Flood-prone bikeway sections are proposed to be relocated, with safer crossings, flood-resilient lighting and more resilient bridges also identified.

The draft also proposes changes to parts of the waterway itself. At Grinstead Park, concrete drains are proposed to be replaced with natural waterways, while opportunities have been identified to widen waterway pinch points throughout Kedron Brook.

Environmental restoration is also addressed in the draft. It identifies opportunities to improve water quality, strengthen wildlife habitat and restore natural systems, alongside measures aimed at improving resilience to flooding. The vision also proposes more shade, seating and drinking fountains, along with new lookouts and additional trees.

Cr Adrian Schrinner said the vision would help make Kedron Brook an even better nature-based destination.

“Our vision is for Kedron Brook to become an even better nature-based destination, with well-lit paths, safer crossings and more resilient bridges, more shade, seating and drinking fountains, new lookouts, and more trees to help create cooler, leafier neighbourhoods,” Cr Schrinner said.

While we cannot prevent flooding, we can plan for it. This draft vision will improve flood resilience, restore the natural function of the Brook where possible and protect the natural environment that makes it so special.”

The vision is intended to guide the future of the Kedron Brook catchment over the next two decades, with the final Vision and Master Plan expected to be completed in late 2026.

Community Gave Feedback

Clayfield is part of the lower catchment, and consultation was scheduled at Kalinga Park, Clayfield, on Wednesday, August 19, from 2:30pm to 4.30pm.

Residents provided feedback through the online survey, and the results will be made public through the Council site.

Read: The Beginnings of Collins Estate, the ‘Most Cheerful’ Address in Annerley

Updated 27-September-2026

The Clayfield Years of Queensland’s Last WWI Veteran Ted Smout

Photo Credit: UNSW Canberra Australians at War Film Archive

Ted Smout lived to 106, becoming Queensland’s last surviving First World War veteran before his death in 2004. But decades before his name was given to the bridge across Bramble Bay, an important chapter of his long life unfolded in Clayfield, where the young returned serviceman built a home and raised a family after coming back from the Western Front.

Newly published research revisiting Smout’s remarkable 106-year life has brought renewed attention to his years in Clayfield. After marrying Ella Stevens in 1923, the young veteran built a War Service Home in the suburb, where the couple raised their three children and established a family life far removed from what he had experienced on the Western Front.

War at seventeen

Born in Brisbane in 1898, Smout was 17 years and eight months old when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1915. He overstated his age by a year before eventually serving with the 3rd Australian Sanitary Section of the Australian Army Medical Corps.

Photo Credit: UNSW Canberra Australians at War Film Archive

Smout served on the Western Front, working on sanitation and water supplies and taking on first-aid and stretcher-bearing duties during fighting. At Passchendaele, he later recalled working for about 72 hours with little rest as casualties were carried along duckboards through deep mud.

His wartime memories also included reaching the scene after German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, was fatally shot down in April 1918.

The difficult journey home

Smout returned to Australia in 1919, but his wartime experiences followed him into civilian life. In recorded oral histories, he described suffering what was then called delayed shell shock. He recalled having a breakdown after returning home and struggling to adjust to life after the battlefield.

Smout resumed work and later established a long insurance career. His personal life also changed after he met Ella Stevens while playing tennis at a Redcliffe guest house operated by her family. Ted and Ella married in June 1923.

Building a life in Clayfield

The newly married couple built a War Service Home in Clayfield and raised their children Westell, Betty and John there. The Commonwealth’s War Service Homes scheme had been established after the First World War to help eligible returned servicemen and women obtain homes. The Clayfield house became the setting for marriage, parenthood and the civilian career that followed his return from Europe.

Another piece of Smout’s Clayfield history later surfaced at 15 Highclere Street. When the vacant property was offered for sale in 2016, it was marketed as “Ted Smout’s Paddock”, with the listing describing the land as having been owned and loved by Smout and indicating it had not been available for building since 1927.

His career eventually took the family beyond Clayfield. They later lived in Hawthorne and Sydney before returning to Brisbane, and Ted and Ella eventually settled in Sandgate.

A Long Life After Clayfield

Smout lived for another eight decades after establishing his young family in Clayfield. He received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1978 for community service and was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by France in 1998 for his First World War service.

Ted Smout (left) in France
Photo Credit: UNSW Canberra Australians at War Film Archive

He died in June 2004 aged 106. Six years later, the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge opened across Bramble Bay between Brighton and Clontarf.

Today, the bridge bearing his name is perhaps Smout’s most visible legacy in south-east Queensland. But Clayfield preserves an earlier chapter of his story — the years when a young man returned from one of history’s most devastating wars, built a home with his wife and began raising three children in suburban Brisbane.

Opening Day, Ted Smout Bridge
Photo Credit: Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0

Published 28-Sept-2026

Bail Granted To Man Accused Over Clayfield Wellness Centre Fire

A 22-year-old man accused of involvement in three alleged arson attacks, including a fire that damaged a Clayfield wellness clinic, has been granted bail after appearing in Brisbane Supreme Court.

Read: Inside the QLD Fire Department Team Training Rescue Dogs for Disaster Zones

The man is facing three counts of arson and one count of possessing tainted property. The charges have not been resolved, with the allegations still before the courts.

The case centres on three alleged incidents targeting one family, including a fire at City Cave Clayfield on Sandgate Road on April 30. Two vehicles were also allegedly set alight at Ormiston on April 14 and Birkdale on April 26.

What The Court Heard

The Supreme Court heard the prosecution case was circumstantial and included encrypted communications that police allege showed the accused arranging the attacks. Police also allege a meeting between people involved was captured on CCTV, with the accused allegedly seen taking a paper bag containing cash. Police later seized about $6370 from his Birkdale address.

Prosecutors alleged the money was connected to the planned attacks, while the accused disputed that claim and said the cash was savings intended for a trip to Ireland.

During the bail hearing, Justice Melanie Hindman said the prosecution alleged the accused had been paid to act as a middleman in a dispute involving people connected to drugs. She described the alleged offending as serious because, in addition to property damage, it carried a risk of harm to innocent members of the community. The prosecution opposed bail, arguing there was a risk of further offending.

Bail Conditions Imposed

The defence pointed to the man’s age, limited criminal history, a prospective concreting job, and the arrival of his newborn baby. Justice Hindman ultimately granted bail, identifying the newborn as a protective factor and saying the baby should help keep the accused occupied while he was on bail.

The conditions include a ban on contacting witnesses, complainants and co-defendants. The accused must not use drugs, travel without permission, or go within 100 metres of City Cave Clayfield or the homes of the complainants.

Read: Clayfield Residents Urged To Stay Alert After 569 Offences Recorded

He is also subject to a curfew and must show his phone to police on request so they can check for banned encrypted apps. The man had previously been refused bail at Cleveland Magistrates Court in June, when the prosecution relied on evidence including electronic communications, CCTV and the seized cash.

City Cave Clayfield has remained closed since the April fire. In a social media statement, the business said the centre would be closed for several months because of significant damage. The business said it was helping guests access services at its Newstead location while it worked towards rebuilding the Clayfield centre. The criminal proceedings against the accused are continuing.

Published 23-September-2026

What a $1.753m Fixer-upper Says About Albion’s Property Market

Photo Credit: Ray White

A weathered Queenslander with an ageing kitchen and years of renovation work ahead has sold for $1.753 million after a competitive auction in Brisbane’s inner north.

The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house at 17 Stoneleigh Street, Albion, sits on a 764-square-metre block and includes two parking spaces. Eight bidders registered for the 5 September auction and five participated, with most of the bidders families. The successful buyer, who is based on the Gold Coast and is returning to Brisbane, plans to undertake a full renovation over several years.

Bidding climbed $753,000 from the opening offer

Bidding began at $1 million and initially moved in $100,000 increments before slowing at about $1.5 million. Competition continued through smaller $5,000 and $1,000 bids until the property reached $1.753 million. Selling agent Kim Olsen said about $30,000 of the bidding came through $1,000 increases.

The underbidders were a family who had recently sold a home one street away. The house remained largely in original condition, with a weathered timber exterior and dated kitchen, although much of the interior had been preserved.

Big block helps push sale above Albion median

The block was a significant part of the attraction. Olsen said its 764-square-metre size was larger than comparable cottages in the area and gave buyers scope to renovate the existing Queenslander. The listing describes original timber floors, high ceilings, VJ walls and fireplaces among the surviving character features.

The result sits above recent house-price measures for Albion. Property market data based on 27 house sales over the preceding 12 months places the suburb’s median house price at $1.405 million, an annual increase of 18 per cent. Four-bedroom houses had a median sale price of $1.59 million.

At $1.753 million, Stoneleigh Street sold about $163,000 above the reported four-bedroom median.

Published 8-Sept-2026

Only Two of Albion’s Four Listed Toilet Facilities Are Accessible

Half of the publicly listed toilet facilities in Albion are recorded as not having an accessible toilet, according to the National Public Toilet Map.

The four facilities listed for the suburb are at Albion railway station, Albion Post Office Park, Caltex Albion and McDonald’s Albion, giving residents and visitors only a small number of publicly available options across Albion.

A September 2026 export of the national directory records the railway station and Albion Post Office Park as having accessible toilets, while Caltex Albion and McDonald’s Albion are marked “Accessible = FALSE”.

Across Brisbane, recent analysis of the same national database found 105 of 580 publicly available toilet facilities were recorded as not having an accessible toilet, equivalent to about 18 per cent.

Paralympian raises concerns over everyday access

Former Paralympian and disability advocate Karni Liddell has previously raised concerns that inadequate toilet access can restrict social participation for people who use wheelchairs. She has also warned of potential health consequences when suitable facilities are unavailable.

Accessibility has attracted greater attention as Brisbane prepares to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Recent reporting based on National Public Toilet Map data found about 18 per cent of the city’s recorded publicly available facilities did not have an accessible toilet listed.

Commercial and Accessible

Caltex Albion, at 6 McLennan Street, is classified as a service station in the national data, while McDonald’s Albion, at 179 Sandgate Road, is classified as a food outlet. Both are recorded as not having an accessible toilet.

Albion Railway Station and Albion Post Office Park are the two locations listed with accessible toilets. The records create a clear divide in the suburb’s small dataset, with the two commercial facilities carrying “Accessible = FALSE” accessibility entries while the station and park are marked TRUE.

McDonald’s Albion. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Brisbane City Council does not operate every facility included in the Brisbane toilet dataset. Council says its records are sourced from the National Public Toilet Map and geographically filtered to facilities within the Brisbane local government area, including toilets at both public and private locations that are available for public use.

Facility	Type	Address	Accessible toilet recorded?
Albion Railway Station	Transport	Albion	Yes
Albion Post Office Park	Park or reserve	Albion	Yes
Caltex Albion	Service station	6 McLennan Street, Albion	No
McDonald’s Albion	Food outlet	179 Sandgate Road, Albion	No

An “Accessible = FALSE” designation does not establish that a facility has breached building standards or disability-access laws. It means the facility is recorded in the national database as not having an accessible toilet.

Council plan targets wider barriers to access

Brisbane City Council says its Inclusive Brisbane Plan 2019-2029 guides accessibility upgrades and community projects across the city. Council says the plan forms part of broader work to remove physical and social barriers and improve participation for people of different ages and abilities.

Council also provides Accessible Adult Changing Facilities at selected parks, pools and other venues. Its inclusion plan calls for more adult-change facilities equipped with full-sized change tables and hoists, as well as better information about accessible toilets, ramps and lifts at Council facilities.

The plan also identifies accessible pathways to public toilets, shopping centres, public transport stops, community facilities and open spaces as part of Council’s wider approach to improving access across Brisbane.

The figures reflect information held in the National Public Toilet Map rather than the findings of a building or disability-access compliance audit.

Published 8-Sept-2026