Clayfield Villagio Shopping Centre could be set for a major revitalisation and expansion if a recently lodged development application, which will see the development of a new signature building, gets the green light.
The proposal seeks to extend the existing centre activities by establishing a new 1,659sqm signature building including a rooftop deck area. Designed by Feather and Lawry Design, the plans will require the demolition of the existing building to facilitate the construction of the proposed new building at 830-832 Sandgate Road and 139 Junction Road, Clayfield which will offer a range of tenancy arrangements.
Proposed site ( Clayfield Villagio Shopping Centre) | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au Site plan | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au
“The proposal to extend and upgrade the existing centre will revitalise the centre to facilitate increased use and capacity to service local residents’ needs. The existing centre will be rejuvenated in terms of appearance and available range and variety of tenancy space to encourage increased social and economic activity to the site.”
Planning Initiatives
Junction Road view | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au Sandgate Road view | Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au Photo Credit: Brisbane City Council / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Moreover, the existing three-storey building fronting Junction Road will undergo a renovation with “new design and fenestration elements” whilst the five dwellings located on the upper level will be retained. Improvements to the existing building will include gable ends to the roofline, increased glazing and planters as well as new design elements achieved through the “repetition of the brick arch features of the new building.”
The new three-storey signature building will have a total of 1,659sqm of floor space over two levels including a roof deck that can be accessed via a circular staircase surrounding the lift well. The car parking at the basement level will extend across the subject site, thereby, integrating it with the existing building’s car parking.
The application also proposes pedestrian access between the basement, street front and the first level through the inclusion of a ramp, stairs and travelator next to the Junction Road frontage. The new building will also include an atrium-style central arcade that will be connected to the existing building and accessible through a pedestrian walkway across the car parking area.
Also, including the 50 additional car spaces, there will be a total of 93 car spaces, comprising 13 spaces (including 2 PWD spaces) at the ground level and 80 spaces (including 5 secured spaces for residents) in the basement.
Upon completion of the proposed development, the site’s total GFA will increase to 2,659sqm from 1,699sqm and will comprise 588sqm of existing residential GFA and 2,071sqm of commercial floor area.
St Rita’s College, an independent Catholic secondary school for girls, was established by the Presentation Sisters in 1926. Do you know where the school got its name from, and where and how it began?
The story goes that St. Rita’s College was named after Sister Rita, a member of their order. Others say the school was named after the saint of hopeless causes, St Rita of Cascia. Apparently, the Presentation Sisters were in a bit of a predicament as they had quite a debt to clear just to establish the school in Clayfield.
The Early Days
St Rita’s College was established in a prominent Clayfield residence known as Stanley Hall.Stanley Hall was originally built for Herbert Hunter in 1888 but it became the property of Edward Blume and his family from 1911 to 1926.
Mother Alice Ursula Kennedy and Mother Mary Patrick Madden negotiated with Mr Blume, whose family was planning to move out of Stanley Hall, for the five-acre property. The sisters secured a bank loan worth £22,000 with Mr Fred Martin, the brother of Sister Rita Martin, as the guarantor.
Stanley Hall was an answered prayer for the Presentation Sisters who were still living at the presbytery of St. Agatha’s parish school a few meters away. Despite their debt, the sisters managed to make interior changes at Stanley Hall to prepare the site for primary school students.
The first classroom welcomed students in a humble heritage room with only 14 kids between six to 15 years old. The school still lacked amenities on account of the cash-strapped sisters.
In 1927, the Department of Public Instruction granted St Rita’s College approval as a Queensland secondary school. But the Great Depression followed thus no additional facilities were built due to lack of funding. According to the Convent Annals, the Presentation Sisters were considering selling Stanley Hall and downsizing.
However, in spite of the bad state of the economy at that time, the school community thrived and secured years of new enrollees with the opening of the kindergarten department.
From Post-War Struggles to High Academic Standards
In 1938, the Kennedy Centre was built, which was named after Mother Alice, who was also the first principal of St Rita’s. The school also offered boarders and day boarding for its secondary students.
During World War II in 1941, the sisters and the boarders had to be evacuated to a convent in Murgon miles away from Clayfield. Upon the reopening of St Rita’s in 1943, subjects like Science, Music, Art, and Drama were introduced and have remained a major part of the school’s curriculum.
By the 1950s, St Rita’s was flourishing as a school offering high academic standards and a noteworthy music and drama department where the creative students were encouraged to pursue their dreams. In the 1960s, the school added the Sacred Heart Centre with more classrooms as well as the art physics centre.
Progressing With School Improvements
In the 1970s, the school scrapped the boarding facilities and built the Nano Nagle Centre with four science laboratories. It was named after the Irish pioneering founder of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 1700s.
The centre underwent a massive renovation in 2011 with the addition of more science laboratories, Information Technology network and support centre, function rooms, modern teaching rooms, a state-of-the-art resource centre, and a panoramic view of the northern bay suburbs.
The laboratory sections of the Nano Nagle Centre were renamed the Sister Elvera Sesta Science Centre, a former principal who was a science degree holder from the University of Queensland
Photo Credit: StRitaCollege/Facebook
Subsequent rebuilds of St Rita’s College also took place for the next five decades to include the following:
Trinity Centre, where the school auditorium is found, alongside the Film and TV green room, drama rooms, and music rooms
Presentation Center, where hospitality, business, and design classrooms are housed
Acqua Rose Centre, an aesthetically impressive building with a heated pool and glass windows
Eirene Centre, with its multi-purpose hall, art classrooms, and the gym
Photo Credit: M3 Architecture
St Rita’s College at Present
Today, the original Stanley Hall building serves as the school administration area. St Rita’s College maintains its reputation as highly-regarded as a Catholic independent girls school for Years 5 to 12 girls with more than 1,000 enrolments a year.
St Rita has proudly produced thousands of well-educated women who were encouraged to achieve their full potential. Some of the school’s most distinguished alums are Julieanne Alroe, the CEO of Brisbane Airport, Chair of Infrastructure Australia, Eloise Amberger, an Olympian for Synchronised Swimming, Abbie Chatfield, a social media celebrity, Sophie Conway, Australian Rules Footballer with Brisbane Lions, Kate McCarthy, a sportsperson with Queensland Cricket and Brisbane Lions, and Georgia Prestwidge of the Brisbane Heat Cricket Team.
Harris Farm Markets, established in Clayfield in the 1980s, is Australia’s biggest retailer of fruits and vegetables. Know more about its history and how Harris Farm Markets recently went full circle.
When David and Cathy Harris, the family behind Harris Farm Markets, decided to focus on their business’ expansion in NSW in 1991, locals Carlo and Susan Lorenti bought their Clayfield business.
Carlo had long been regarded as the Mango King of Queensland, a moniker he earned because of his penchant for buying the first batches of mango harvests and using them to fund charities like Life Education or Redkite.
Harris Farm Markets holds a special place in his heart because of more than just the produce. He met his wife at Harris Farm Markets in Ashfield, Sydney several decades ago.
Originally from Calabria in Italy, Carlo arrived in Sydney with this family in the 1970s at the age of 12. His work at Harris Farm Markets Ashfield gave him the opportunity to oversee some of the business’ other outlets, including Clayfield. He and David have always maintained a great relationship as business colleagues and good friends.
Susan, from Sydney, was only 18 when she met her future husband and the father of her two boys, Julian and Jamie, at the Ashfield outlet where she also worked. After buying Harris Farm Markets from the Harris family, the Lorentis settled in Clayfield where their sons went to school some two kilometres away from their store.
The Lorentis renamed Harris Farm Markets into Clayfield Markets Fresh, which became known for good quality and the widest varieties of produce, specialty cheese, and grocery items at reasonable prices. The store also offered a selection of international food, including Spanish and Italian meats like jamon or prosciutto, gourmet dips, and designer chocolates or ice cream.
Photo Credit: Google Maps Photo Credit: ClayfieldMarkets/InstagramPhoto Credit: ClayfieldMarkets/Instagram
Coming Full Circle
Sometime in 2019, Harris Farms, through CEO Tristan Harris, one of the sons of David and Cathy, approached the Lorentis to discuss buying back the Clayfield site, the historic family home of Harris Farm Markets in Queensland, amidst the Harris family’s plans to expand in the region.
Carlo and Susan felt it was the right thing to do after 30 years of running Clayfield Markets Fresh. Carlo said that he did not want to pass on the business to an operator that wasn’t as passionate as Susan and him.
Photo Credit: Loving Nundah/Facebook
In a beautiful twist of fate, the pair came full circle and turned over the markets to the family that started their career and to a store where they first built their lives together.
Harris Farm Markets in Clayfield officially re-opened in November 2020 after a rebuild and the addition of more workers. Carlo and Susan are still part of the business as the managers.
Photo Credit: Peter Barton/Google Maps
Photo Credit: Ines Fernandez/Google Maps
Photo Credit: Photograng BNE/Google Maps
Harris Farm Markets Autumn 2022 Recipes
Meanwhile, autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a cooler picnic at Kalinga Park with the family and Harris Farm Markets has provided some amazing seasonal specifics for preparing delicious picnic food using ingredients like raspberries, Pink Lady Apples, broccolini, white grapes, pears, figs, avocados, mandarins, red grapefruit, truss tomatoes, citrus, and of course, loads of veggies.
Spice up breakfasts with a spoonful of baked sweet plums and the flavours of cinnamon and star anise in the morning. Or spoon them over yogurt for a quick and simple dessert. These versatile baked plums are a saviour to have in the fridge.
The Enderley Road heritage precinct in Clayfield has heritage homes that epitomise the alluring and enduring characteristics of well-designed houses from the 1890s to the 1930s. Did you know that the area was once a pineapple farm? Here’s a look back on how one of Clayfield’s best streets metamorphosed into the neighbourhood of choice of some of Brisbane’s most influential people over the years.
Development started in Enderley Road upon its purchase by Deed of Grant around the 1850s. Properties were subdivided and sold for farming pineapple and producing dairy, or as a semi-rural retreat for privileged families.
Photo Credit: Nundah & Districts Historical Society Inc.
Stanley Hall
One of the first grand houses to be built on Enderley Road was Stanley Hall in the 1880s for produce dealer John William Forth, who had 10 children with his wife Selina. The Forths, however, lived in the house for a short period only following the death of one of their daughters and Mr Forth.
Photo Credit: Queensland State Library
The mansion was turned over to Herbert Hunter, a family friend, pastoralist, grazier, and horse racing enthusiast. Stanley Hall appealed to him not only because of the house’s architecture but for its proximity to the racecourse at Eagle Farm. Mr Hunter did subsequent redevelopments to the house but he eventually sold the property to pastoralist and racehorse owner Edward Goddard Blume in 1910.
Mr Blume subdivided most of Stanley Hall, with 4.5 acres going to the Order of the Sisters of the Presentation. The sisters built the St. Rita’s Convent on the land in 1926. Nearly a decade later, the sisters expanded and built a school that has thrived until today.
Ralahyne on 40 Enderley Road was built in 1888 for Robert Gray, then the colonial secretary, by architect George HM Addison. Mr Gray, who became the Commissioner of Railways, lived in the house until his death in 1902.
The home changed owners several times following the death of the public figure until Henrietta Watson bought the house in the 1920s. Ralahyne remained with the Watson family until 1985, when it was bought by private owners.
The Lynton house on 58 Enderley Road, constructed in 1918 for Gilbert Lees, covered three-quarters of an acre of the Ralahyne property. This land was further subdivided into blocks of houses in the 1950s.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
Second Wave of Development
Aside from Stanley Hall and Ralahyne, three other properties stood out in Enderley Road in the early 1900s: Huntington, Fortland, and Stanwraith but only the latter remained in the modern times. Stanwraith, constructed in 1901 on 32 Enderley Road, was the home of architect Montague Talbot Stanley, the son-in-law of Sir Thomas McIlwraith, a former Queensland premier.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
By the 1920s, another wave of development washed over Enderley Road with Interwar houses like the Girrawheen, the Breffney, the Linstarfield, and its neighbouring houses.
The Breffney on 83 Enderley Road was owned by Mr and Mrs Hendry Drew. The Spanish Mission house was designed by prestigious Brisbane architects Hall and Prentice. It had a tennis court, a pool, a stucco garage, and heaps of tropical plantings.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
Girrawheen
Girrawheen on 71 Enderley Road was built in 1923 for insurance manager James Milne and his wife Edna. This property was subdivided from Mr Blume’s land that surrounded Stanley Hall. The Milne family lived in Girrawheen until the 1950s.
In 1956, Sir Walter Campbell, a distinguished lawyer who went on to become the Chief Justice of Queensland and the Governor of Queensland, lived in Girrawheen with his family for three decades. The house went through many alterations during this period but the redevelopments generally retained the character of the Interwar home.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
Linstarfield
The Linstarfield on 64 Enderley Road is a Federation-style timber villa built for mine owner PD Rylance, whose son, Mervyn Rylance, grew up to become a prominent Brisbane architect. A few years later, the house also became the home of another wealthy mine owner, HG Noble, an active figure in Brisbane’s business and society gatherings.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
Some alterations and demolition were done to the house through the years and into the modern period, whilst still maintaining its elegant and very recognisable architectural features.
Mr Noble’s wife, Agnes, purchased the neighbouring lots around Linstarfield that became vital to the heritage-listed precinct. During World War II, the grounds of the Linstarfield were used as a private air-raid shelter and were further subdivided as a family lot.
Beside the Linstarfield is a modern house on 72 Enderley Road. The home is technically not part of the heritage precinct though its development has to be regulated by the Heritage Code.
Also on the former Linstarfield lot is the home on 82 Enderley Road, a house with a terracotta tiled roof. It was built for Mr and Mrs James Ernest Stewart.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
The neighbouring house on 92 Alexandra Road is part of the heritage precinct because it contains part of the former Linstarfield wall and was erected in the 1920s. At least four more houses on Alexandra Road are part of the former Linstarfield wall and are also included in the heritage precinct listing.
Photo Credit: Local Heritage Places/BCC
Camara, Delcotta & Fetlar
Camara, Delcotta, and Fetlar were also built in the 1920s and are considered integral properties to the Enderley Road Heritage Precinct.
Camara, on 24 Enderley Road, is a timber house with a curved front verandah and was originally built for a draper, Cecil Bowerman. Delcotta, on 19 Craven Street (formerly 51 Enderley Road), is a stylish Tudor home designed by influential Brisbane architect EP Trewern for the dentist A. Ure McNaught and his wife. Fetlar, on 57 Enderley Road, was constructed in 1923 for wool expert Mr Richard Baxter. The house stands out as a California bungalow.
The Enderley Road Heritage Precinct was entered into the local heritage listing in 2011.
Today, Clayfield is a highly desirable suburb with generously sized properties in a neighbourhood that has an appealing family vibe and plenty of lifestyle amenities within easy reach. Local providores know people by name. Highly rated schools abound and areas like the Enderley Road Heritage Precinct provide a unique heritage appeal that gives people an enduring connection to the suburb’s roots.
Mie Mie Wing Kee, the owner of Mamaku in Clayfield, has been featured in a documentary special running at the BrisAsia Festival highlighting the inspiration behind her home-style Indonesian restaurant: her mum, Julia, 91.
“Mother’s Table,” which will be running at the online-only installation of the BrisAsia Festival until 20 Feb 2022, follows three local restaurant owners as they talk about how the food they grew up loving shaped the culinary culture of Brisbane. Also featured in the special are Maggie Nguyen of Cafe O-Mai in Annerley and Taro Akimoto of Taro’s Ramen in the CBD.
Mamaku, which means “mother” in Indonesian, is found along Sandgate Road in Clayfield. The restaurant offers street food fares commonly found in Jakarta, where Mie Mie’s mum and grandmother are from.
Mie Mie recalls that she used to cook and serve the family’s fried noodle dish at weekend barbies back in Darwin and the guests would compliment by encouraging her to open a restaurant. But running a family restaurant, where Mie Mie’s mum also helped in the kitchen, came with some challenges. Despite this, however, the business expanded and thrived and now involves four generations of the family.
Mie Mie was only 20 years old when she immigrated to Australia and then vowed to work hard so she could move her mother with her as well. She talks about her journey with her daughter, Angela, in the below video.
The documentary feature on Mamaku is written and directed by Lark Lee and produced by Sounds Across Oceans for Brisbane City Council’s BrisAsia Festival 2022.
“Best Indonesian style food in Brisbane likely the country. Cooked by cooking masters who have fined tuned their skills over an entire lifetime. Beautiful quality food and good pricing. Can I join the family please, surely that involves free meals?”
Daniel McLeod
“Went here for dinner tonight, six of us, ate like kings, took some food home as well and still had change out of $160. Hidden treasure in Clayfield. Very basic but clean and tidy. Delicious authentic food, decent portions, friendly family, great customer service. Would highly recommend to anyone.”
Michelle Amurri
“Takeaway order was 100% correct and food, super tasty! Sorry, no photos, as it was eaten quickly. The Laksa reminded me of one eaten in Singapore. Brought back my travelling days!!”
Let’s revisit the historical places and heritage landmarks that have helpedClayfield evolve from a mid-19th century settlement to the highly desirable suburb we know today.
Clayfield: What’s in a Name?
The suburb’s name was derived from the “clay fields” in the mining town of Albion, where large deposits of clay were transported to Hendra and the neighbouring suburbs for brickmaking. This industry was vital to the growth of the settlements in the north.
With settlements dating back to the mid-1870s, the Clayfield community started with the opening of a Baptist church catering to Clayfield and Hendra.
From the 1870s to 1901, allotments of subdivisions and estates were advertised and auctioned off with Clayfield turning into a locale with heaps of large residences rivaling that of homes in Hamilton and Ascot, where the old rich also settled.
Clayfield’s appeal was underpinned by its elevation and accessibility to the racecourse and central Brisbane.
North Coast Railway
Stages in the evolution of Clayfield were marked by houses or structures that reflected the suburb’s progress and development. One of the developments that greatly influenced the placement of houses in 19th-century Clayfield was the North Coast Railway.
The North Coast Railway opened in 1882 with a line running from Clayfield, Eagle Junction, and Albion. The post office opened the following year. It did not take too long after that before European families started to build houses in the area.
Ralahyne
One of the most notable homes that were established during this period is the heritage-listed property, Ralahyne (1888) in Enderley Road. The house was also called East View, Nowranie, Koojarewon, and Huntington as it changed owners.
Under Colonial Secretary Robert Gray Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland
The single-storey timber residence with iron roof stands on an eight-acre property that Under Colonial Secretary Robert Gray bought. George HM Addison designed the modest four-bedroom home, then known as East View.
The house had distinctive wide verandahs with cast-iron balustrading and frieze panels. On the north side of the house, the verandah opened to a large ballroom with dome ceilings and skylights.
Most of the rooms in Ralahyne had timber ceilings while the dining room featured moulded beams. The drawing room had a Carrara marble fireplace with two fluted columns.
In 1904, the firm of Halls & Dods renovated the house after Ada Laird bought the property from Gray. Three years later, Laird sold the house to Anne Millar and her family lived here until 1918.
A peek at Ralahyne Photo Credit: Google Maps
Ruby Winten owned the property until she sold this to Henrietta Watson, who renamed the house to Ralahyne.
Photo Credit: National Library of Australia
Enderley Road Heritage Precinct
The Watson family owned Ralahyne until 1985, when its current private owners bought the place. The property was subdivided several times during the various phases of ownerships, forming what is known today as the Enderley Road Heritage Precinct.
Enderley Road Heritage Precinct Photo Credit: BCC
Clayfield and Ascot locals are proud of the homes in this precinct, including the surrounding street of Alexandra Road, for its aesthetic and historical value. Enderley Road became a model for historical architectural styles in Brisbane as the houses were designed by prominent architects and built during significant times in history — Federation 1890-1914, World War I 1914-1918, Interwar 1919-1939.
The housing styles in these prestigious locations included California Bungalow, Free Classical, Old English, Queen Anne, Spanish Mission. Aside from Ralahyne, the Delcotta house on Craven Street (formerly 51 Enderley Road) has been highlighted for its Tudor design. Delcotta was built around 1929 to 1930 for Mr A. Ure McNaught, a dentist, and his family.
Delcotta House, Clayfield Photo Credit: University of Queensland Library
Incidentally, Clayfield has the largest concentration of Old English house designs in Brisbane at 18, followed by Hamilton (12), St Lucia (9), Ascot (8) and New Farm (6). Old English houses were deemed out of reach for the average Brisbane homeowners but some local architects believed it did not fit into the climatic and living conditions of Queensland.
Fetlar, the California Bungalow, was designed by Chambers and Ford for Richard Baxter, who was regarded as a wool expert. He named the house Fetlar for his Scottish roots.
Fetlar House, Clayfield Photo Credit: BCC
The Interwar house featured large hallways with spacious living and dining rooms. It has the classic elements of a housing style introduced in Australia around 1910, such as low pitched roofs with street-facing gables, roughcast rendering, and sleep-outs.
Baxter’s property was sold in 1965 to a private owner following his death.
Sandgate Road Electric Tram
When the Sandgate Road electric tram opened in the early 1900s, Clayfield’s housing and building structures also flourished. Spanish mission-style buildings were becoming popular with the opening of the Savoy Theatre, which had a major art deco renovation in 1937. The building was characterised with bevelled glass mirrors and light fittings from sandblasted glass.
Inside the Old Savoy Theatre Photo Credit: Lost Brisbane/Facebook
The foyer at the Savoy Theatre Photo Credit: Lost Brisbane/Facebook
Unfortunately, Savoy Theatre ceased to exist in 1962, in the advent of the popularity of television at homes.
Clayfield Schools
From 1895 to 1926, a boom in educational institutions defined the suburb, beginning with the opening of the Eagle Junction Primary School.
Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC), now known as Clayfield College, started operating in 1902.
BBC moved to its present site in Toowong when the school community had outgrown the campus, allowing Clayfield College to open a primary school on the site, which was named the Somerville House. By 1935, Clayfield College established its secondary school followed by its boarding school a decade later.
Clayfield College continued its expansion amidst the construction of the tunnels in Sandgate Road to provide access to the east of Brisbane. The school bought the former Turrawan Private Hospital and increased its boarding facility.
Turrawan Private Hospital Photo Credit: BCC
The heritage-listed Turrawan Private Hospital is a two-storey masonry building designed in the Interwar Georgian Revival style by prominent local architect Eric Percival Trewern. It was regarded for its high level of care. Matron Amy Olive Aitkin sold the hospital in 1971 but it continued to operate as intended until Clayfield College took ownership.
In 2023, Clayfield College will begin its transition to co-educational learning.
Meanwhile, other Anglican churches in the suburb also built their own schools, such as St Marks in Bonney Avenue, St Michaels in London Road, and St Rita’s College in Enderley Road. St Rita’s College was established in a former house built for produce dealer John William Forth and his wife Selina.
Stanley Hall Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Stanley Hall, now a heritage-listed property, went through different stages of construction. Most of the building’s rich ornamentation was retained, including the elaborately detailed Dutch gables.
Inside Stanley Hall Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Stanley Hall has grand rooms with interlinked modest service rooms. The main entrance is marked by stained glass surrounded by a hibiscus motif, alongside a cedar staircase with carved balusters and fine timber panels. Stanley Hall also has free-flowing wrap-around verandahs.
St Rita’s College Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
In 2021, St Rita unveiled its new state-of-the-art Trinity Learning Centre.
By the 1970s, many of the suburb’s lavish dwellings, especially around Bayview Terrace were turned into units. Property prices rose when the shopping strips filled with essential businesses were established.
For the 12-month period ending September 2021, Clayfield’s median house price sits at $1,380,00 and the median unit price is at $400,000, according to Property Market Updates.
Urban Xtreme, a top indoor sports centre in Hendra, has lined up some exciting events and adventures for all ages, including the extension of the school holiday programs to keep the children active and pre-occupied.
For a fabulous school holiday summer adventure, Urban Xtreme unleashed its special offer for kids, which consists of two hours of fun at the Adventure Park at $28 and an extra third hour for free.
Because of the extension of the school holidays, Urban Xtreme will also continue with the supervised school holiday programs until Saturday, 6 Feb 2022. These programs consist of six hours of access to the Ninja, Parkour, Rock Climbing, Trampolines, Launch Jump, Dodgeball & Laser Tag for kids between the ages of six to 14 years old.
Meanwhile, all other events and workshops from four years old to 14 years old, such as the Xtreme Ninja, aerial cross-training, rock climbing, snowsport, laser tag, and parkour will run as scheduled. The venue is committed to “spread fun safety” with increased daily sanitation, social distancing, and other measures to protect both guests and staff.
Pinnacle Sports 2021 Queensland Lead Youth & Junior State Titles
On 29 and 30 Jan 2022, Urban Xtreme will host the Pinnacle Sports 2021 Queensland Lead Youth & Junior State Titles. Saturday will be reserved for Qualifiers Day with registration starting at 2:00 p.m. This event will run until 8:15 p.m. On the other hand, Sunday will be Finals Day and will start at 7:00 a.m.
The Single Rock Climbing at Urban Xtreme happens first Wednesday of the month. Also known as the Climb Singles Night, this is a social night for climbing and runs from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
On the other hand, the first Thursday of the month is dedicated to the Womxn Climb Night. Learn to rope, lead routes, auto-belays, or race a friend on the speed-walls, whilst making new friends with like-minded women.
“The staff are absolutely wonderful. So kind and happy. From Reception staff to the Kiosk to the activities staff they could not have been more lovely.”
Rosemary Sheen
“My kids have joined in a few different days for the school holiday program and have been having a blast. They have done some days with their siblings and some days with friends and they are really enjoying the different activities. Plus it tires them out for the rest of the day which is awesome! Thanks guys for having this fun activity during school holidays.”
Anika Hope
“Urban Xtreme provided my niece a great place to develop skills in a dynamic, safe, well-staffed and maintained space. I wish this type of centre was around when I was a kid! I really enjoyed the encouraging atmosphere of ‘give it a go’ that was scaffolded well by all the attentive and friendly staff. Well done!”
At Clayfield College, upgrades and building works continue, with the science laboratories now being updated, following the completion of a competition-size tennis court in mid-2021.
Work on the science labs started in mid-December 2021 with plans to paint each room with different colour themes. New furniture, cupboards, and equipment to match the upgraded rooms will also be installed before the new school term starts.
Whilst this is ongoing, MondoClad installation will also continue in the Year 7/8 Building. MondoClads are energy-efficient, low-maintenance solid aluminium panels that can withstand the harsh Australian environment.
According to Dr Andrew Cousins, the principal of Clayfield College, the campus refresh is expected to enhance student learning.
Apart from the new tennis court and the upcoming science labs, the campus also underwent a refurbishment of the Assembly Hall, and the welcome wall on Bayview Terrace last year.
The next phase of the renovation, set for the June/July 2022 school holiday, will include the demolition of the Whitesands Apartments, Vacant House and Maintenance House.
“While these three buildings may be Clayfield College landmarks, they have reached the end of their useful life,” Dr Cousins said.
“Their removal provides a starting point to modernise and visually open up the campus. At this point in time, the areas left by the buildings will, for the most part, provide additional green space for our students.”
The campus refresh received support from the P&F Association and the Old Collegians’ Association and Foundation.
These upgrades come as Clayfield College is set to transition into a coeducational institution in 2023. Director of Corporate Services Director of Corporate Services Mr Dan Drewe also said that they school will be releasing a new Strategic Vision for 2022 to 2025.
“Building on our rich 90-year history, this will be a period of growth and development for our College, and we can’t wait to share this journey with our Clayfield family.”
Buyers, investors and savvy sellers are taking advantage of the strength of the Clayfield property market as the median house price shows another robust increase, rising 12.88 per cent to $1.38 million for the period covering October 2020 to September 2021.
Highlights
From October 2020 to September 2021, Clayfield’s property market rose by 12.88 per cent with the median house price now sitting at $1,380,000.
The unit market’s rise has also been unstoppable with a 10.65 per cent increase with a current median unit price of $400,000.
Clayfield has been attracting a broad market of first home buyers, established families, single professionals, and investors or flippers, all competing for a slice of the strong and robust market.
House Price Growth
First home buyers, established families, and single professionals, along with investors and flippers, are competing for a slice of the Clayfield property market due to its attractive rates per land size, at least above 600 square metres, as these provide opportunities for the new owners to build their dream house or renovate and turn for a profit.
Thus, with the bustling market activity, Clayfield grew by 12.88 per cent within the said 12-month period with the median house price now at $1,380,000, according to Property Market Updates.
From October 2020 to September 2021, 165 properties were sold within an average of 55 days on market, where most buyers have been quickly snapping houses with three to four bedrooms.
In July 2021, a historical family residence spanning 2,226 square metres sold the highest for $5,800,000. Dubbed as the “Tarranalma,” this house, a Clayfield landmark, went on the market for the first time after 23 years after a quality restoration that kept much of its architectural features intact.
Unit Price Growth
Clayfield’s unit market was also unstoppable, with an uptick of 10.65 per cent for the same period, with a current median unit price of $400,000. Young families wanting a foothold in a highly desirable location and retirees on the market for low-maintenance homes close to sought-after schools and essential shops were the heavy investors.
Among the 271 units sold for this period, 167 were two-bedroom apartments. Apartment listings stayed an average of 50 days in the market.
Clayfield belongs to the top 30 most liveable places among 260 suburbs in Brisbane, per a 2019 Domain Liveable Brisbane study. This northern location receives high marks for its public transport accessibility and affordability whilst still close to the CBD.
With its tree-lined streets and plenty of green spaces, Clayfield offers a peaceful suburban lifestyle where families live in heritage-listed homes or modern residential blocks. This suburb has its own thriving cafe scene despite its proximity to popular dining hubs in New Farm and Teneriffe.
“Living in Clayfield…depends which part of Clayfield. But closer to Eagle Junction train station would be ideal if you rely on public transport on a daily basis for work etc. I mean, it’s serviced by quite a few bus routes too but not in some areas, more around Sandgate Road. If you live closer to the Albion side then I’d say it’s good distant from the city and a quick trip back from the valley on night outs.
Sam
“I’ve been in Clayfield for six years. Great space in my opinion, have lived up on Sandgate Rd but now down near Eagle Junction. Both are exceptionally convenient for work and travel with good public transport coverage and $15 (or less) Uber to the airport. I’d recommend trying to get a place near to EJ if possible just because it’s an extremely convenient train station (nine minutes to the city, express trains and access to almost every line). In saying that, it really depends on what you’re looking for. Clayfield in my opinion is a standard “upper middle class” suburb.”
Alison Woodroffejoined Carinity Clifford House aged care centre in Wooloowin as its newest resident in early 2021. A few months after, she turned 100 and officially became a member of Carinity’s 100 Club.
Born on 1 December 1921 in Ascot, Alison has witnessed the growth of Brisbane, from a city of 218,000 to one of over 2.8 million locals today. The middle child of drapery business owners Marion and Frederick Ash, Alison attended Ascot State School and Somerville House, ranking among the top five students in Queensland in the 1930s.
After finishing school, Alison worked in a bank where she met her husband, Norm Woodroffe. They married in 1943 and were blessed with five children. They lived a long and happy life together, until Norm’s passing 62 years later.
Alison Woodroffe pictured on her wedding day in 1943. Photo Credit: Supplied
The Woodroffes travelled extensively overseas, visiting England, Ireland, Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, Japan, and New Zealand. Alison volunteered for Meals on Wheels, delivering food to seniors in need. Working in a charity thrift shop and knitting rugs for communities overseas were some of her other altruistic contributions.
In her young life, Alison was also a proficient tennis player and sprinter, and bowled to win tournaments with her husband in her 50s. After serving two terms as the president of the Clayfield Bowls Club, she retired from playing sports at 85 years old but took up a new hobby: competitive bridge.
Alison Woodroffe pictured as an 18 year old in 1940. Photo Credit: Supplied
Her 100 years, however, were marked by a devasting loss during World War II as Alison’s brother, Ron, who was a Royal Air Force pilot, died during a mission in Germany in 1940. Her husband also enlisted in the infantry and had tours of duty in the Middle East, Papua New Guinea, Kokoda and Milne Bay.
Alison recalled that she frequented Wesley House in the city to serve breakfasts for soldiers on leave. She would then go to work before volunteering to make camouflage nets at Eagle Farm Racecourse in the evening and also helped run concerts to support the war effort. At that time, most household items and foodstuffs were in short supply and rationing was part of everyday living.
Having “seen it all,” Alison believes that her generation was one of the lucky ones. She explained that after marriage, women were not encouraged to stay in the workforce but were homemakers, allowing mothers and children much time together. Looking back, Alison believes she has led a full and happy life doing things she loves best and being with her family.
Alison is the third centenarian of Carinity Clifford House, after Ann Damen, 102, and Jean Clifford, 101.
