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.
Grab your specialty coffee courtesy of Allpress Espresso during the day or if you’re not into caffeine, go for milkshakes, smoothies, and juices. Then in the evening, from Thursday to Saturday, the space transforms into a bar where you can sample locally produced and organic wines, alongside signature cocktails with an Asian spin.
Photo credit: Zhenyu Wang/Google Maps
Coinciding with the expansion, the cafe will be giving their breakfast menu an overhaul by launching a day-time alcohol line-up for a boozy brunch. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, get a chance to try the cafe’s heavenly donuts courtesy of Doughluxe Doughnuts.
Photo credit: My Mistress/Facebook
And if that isn’t enough, the new tapas and cocktail bar lets guests delight in their Japanese-fusion style share menu with choices such as wasabi-spiked guacamole with lotus root chips, pulled pork and kimchi croquettes, and slow-cooked lamb ribs.
Photo credit: baby Jiayou/Google Maps
My Mistress is open for dining in, takeaway, and delivery. A special car delivery service, which will allow patrons to order online at home and then go to the store and have their purchase brought straight to their car out front, is also on the cards.
To stay updated about My Mistress’ offerings, follow them on social media or check out their website for more information.
Did you know that out of the 7.6 million tonnes of food that goes to waste in Australia each year, around 70% is still edible? Clayfield’s Harris Farm Markets tries to make something out of these potentially usable food items through ‘Re-purposeful Picks.’
Re-purposeful Picks is a product range made from upcycling perishable food items into premium quality products with longer shelf life.
Beginning with over 30 products that are only available in-store, the Re-purposeful Picks range will extend the shelf life of items that would have otherwise been thrown away by up to two months. This includes upcycling fruit into smoothies, bread into breadcrumbs and vegetables on delicious pizzas.
Bread upcycled into breadcrumbs (Photo supplied)
As food waste differs from store to store based on the daily shopping lists and consumption of customers, Harris Farm Markets has equipped each store with the facilities to repurpose its food waste in-house to create this new range of upcycled products.
Vegetables turned into salsas, vegetable chips and pizza toppings (Photo supplied)
Harris Farm Markets Co-CEO Tristan Harris the Re-purposeful Picks range was created as a way for Harris Farm to take action at a store level to combat climate change, empowering each branch to reduce its daily food waste.
“Harris Farm has listened to the concerns of its customers about food waste in stores, and for more than a year we have been working on a way to make a meaningful impact without compromising our daily offering to customers,” he said.
“Through this new initiative, we will end up with less products on shelves that are nearing their expiry dates as items will be rotated sooner to create the Re-Purposeful Picks range. This means overall, we are creating longer life cycles to minimise food wastage across all 25 of our stores,” Mr Harris said.
Australia’s Food Waste Problem
Luke, Angus and Tristan Harris at the new West End store (Photo supplied)
Food waste costs the Australian economy more than $36 billion each year. The retail sector contributes more than 500,000 tonnes to this total according to the 2021 National Food Waste Baseline.
Harris Farm has been a pioneer in the retail space for sustainable initiatives, being the first chain store retailer to ban the plastic bag at the beginning of 2018 as well as the first to challenge established food perceptions on fruit and vegetable with its Imperfect Picks range in 2014.
To date, Harris Farm has invested more than $16 million into its sustainability initiatives, which have collectively eliminated over 31,000 tonnes of food waste.
Accomplished actress and NIDA graduate Libby Munro has launched her first collection of handmade hats under her new label, Bluegrass Hat Co. The Hollywood Collection was unveiled to more than 100 guests during a special event at Collingwood Black Espresso in Albion.
Ms Munro, the daughter of William David Munro, a fourth-generation cowboy west of Charleville, has been known for her signature Akubra hat for most of her life. Whilst staying in Los Angeles in 2019, she was gifted a custom-made Meshika “Alberto” hat by her partner, Nick King, and designed this piece with all the hatband elements that fortified her creative experience.
Whilst stuck back home in Australia during the lockdowns, Ms Munro thought back to this custom-made hat. After getting in touch with milliner Brenda Treasure on the Sunshine Coast, Ms Munro trained one-on-one as a hat designer for six months during the pandemic. Out of this venture, Bluegrass Hat Co was born.
Photo Credit: SuppliedPhoto Credit: Supplied
It was her mother who blurted out the name “Bluegrass” whilst she was brainstorming ideas. After doing some reading on the origins of Bluegrass music, Ms Munro realised that it was a link to her long-deceased cowboy father.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Bluegrass Hat Co’s The Hollywood Collection features The Bogie, Eastwood, The Duke, The Pitt, The Monroe, The Blue Angel, The Bacall, and The Taylor, which are named after the actors who have inspired Ms Munro, as a cinema and theatre buff.
Libby also makes custom designs specifically to suit a person and personality, just like her experience with the Alberto hat during her time in Venice. In between her new hat business, Libby has been working on a project with Netflix.
Order Bluegrass Hat Co handmade hats online and follow their Facebook page for updates on the next collection.
Clayfield College, one of Brisbane’s most prestigious private schools for girls from Year 7 to Year 12, will fully transition to a coeducational learning environment with a Parallel Learning model.
In a statement to parents, the administrators of Clayfield College revealed that the transition will be introduced in 2023 and will take place for five years, allowing incoming Year 7 students of all gender to enjoy “the best of both worlds and benefit from the Parallel Learning model.”
“Year 7s will begin single-sex learning streams, continuing through Years 8 and 9,” the statement read. “In Year 10 students come together for selected classes, and then benefit from fully coeducational classes in Years 11 and 12.”
Principal Dr Andrew Cousins confirmed that the school’s dwindling enrolment was a factor in the decision to shift to coeducational learning. Surveys conducted by the school showed that modern parents do not find any value in having a coeducational model from prep to Year 6 and then an all-girls model from Year 7 to Year 12.
At least 40 percent of parents supported the move to co-ed as it would also mean no more separate school drop-offs for siblings, especially since their sons in the lower levels would prefer to remain in Clayfield College for their secondary education.
Experts said that the students may benefit from having a diverse learning environment since genders learn to co-exist in real life.
Dr Cousins expect there will be at least 250 male students when Clayfield College fully transitions to coeducational learning in 2027. The school’s current population is below 500. Nearly a decade ago, there were more than 800 students a year.
Clayfield College, under the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association, turned 90 years old in 2021. The school produced notable students like Jan McLucas (politician), Tania Major (Australian of the Year), and Stephanie Rice (Olympic gold medalist).
With a median house price of $1.318 million, Clayfield continues to be an attractive investment for homeowners and investors seeking a high-end, quiet suburb close to Brisbane’s CBD.
From July 2020 to June 2021, figures from Property Market Updates show that the median house price in Clayfield is at $1,318,000, up 17.42% from $1,122,500 in the previous period. At the current median, the value of properties in Clayfield sits significantly higher than Queensland’s median house price of $540,000.
Highlights
Clayfield posted a 17.4 percent increase in the suburb’s median house price, now at $1,318,000 for the period July 2020 to June 2021. The suburb’s median unit price for the same period, now at $400,000, is up by 5.26 percent over the previous period.
There were 156 houses and 283 units sold for the same time period.
Clayfield joins over 30 other suburbs in QLD which posted double-digit increases in various quarters over the past 12 months, bolstering confidence in the suburb’s strong growth in a high-demand market.
Clayfield joins over 30 suburbs across the state which have hit double-digit increases in various quarters over the past 12 months. With 156 houses sold for the 12-month period ending in June 2021, Clayfield remains a high-demand market. According to popular site realestate.com.au, Clayfield property listings elicit 1,022 visits per property, compared to the QLD average of 836 visits per property.
Unit Price Growth
For the same 12-month period, Clayfield’s unit property market exhibited a 5.26 percent growth over the previous period, with 283 units sold.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
With a median unit price of $400,000, units in Clayfield remain popular and affordable among independent and established professionals working less than seven kilometres away in the CBD or at nearby inner-city suburbs like New Farm or Fortitude Valley, as well as retirees who want the convenience of living in a prestige community sans the hefty price tag of a house purchase.
Why Clayfield?
Good Education Options
Families moving to Clayfield have often cited its excellent education options, which include two private girls’ schools and the demand for school within the desirable catchment area has ensured good property appreciation.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
In May 2021, for example, a 1,215-sqm, five-bedroom California bungalow on 57 Enderley Road sold under the hammer for $5,075,000. That’s $400,000 more than the property’s sale price in 2018. The property sits on a corner lot and is considered highly desirable for families with school-age children, given its proximity to St. Rita’s College and location within the catchment area of Ascot State School.
Other school options include Clayfield College, St Agatha’s Primary School, Eagle Junction State School, and Ascot’s St Margaret Anglican School.
Accessibility and Liveability
Clayfield is in the top 30 most liveable suburbs of Brisbane, according to the inaugural Domain Liveable Brisbane study in 2019 which ranked 260 Greater Brisbane suburbs across 17 indicators. Several major factors considered by people when choosing a suburb to reside in include access to education, public transport, and employment.
Aside from getting top marks for education, Clayfield also rated high for its transport and amenities. The suburb has its own train station, as well as an excellent café precinct, giving it added liveability points for proximity to lifestyle amenities.
Aircraft Noise?
Some of Brisbane’s most prestigious suburbs have grown increasingly affected by aircraft noise as the new runway at Brisbane Airport doubles the airport’s capacity and increases the volume of overhead airplanes travelling along new flight paths.
Increased traffic from the new runway is seen to make some of Brisbane’s most prestigious areas less desirable, fueling greater interest and price growth in suburbs that are less impacted by the overhead noise.
The affected suburbs include some of Brisbane’s blue-chip suburbs such as Ascot, Hamilton, and New Farm, as well as popular suburbs Hawthorne, Bulimba, East Brisbane, Cannon Hill, and Seven Hills.
A new owner has come in to save Tom’s Confectionery Warehouse from closing permanently. The popular lolly store in Hendra was on the verge of liquidation but a restaurateur has big plans to continue the legacy of its former owner and the store’s namesake, Tom Jeanes.
Mr Jeanes died on June 2021, upsetting generations of adults who have been customers of the iconic shop in the last four decades. He was 78 years old.
Now, Adiel Ben-karmona, who owns Redcliffe’s Pilpel Restaurant, specialising in Middle Eastern cuisine, plans to revitalise Tom’s Confectionery Warehouse and continue Mr Jeanes’ legacy.
In a video posted on the candy store’s Facebook, Mr Ben-karmona said:
“We have to keep Tom’s legacy going as the best confectionery warehouse. We will continue with the same (concept), just bigger, better and newer. We’re keeping the same name in the same location.”
“The ideas I have here are crazy…to put a kid in a lolly shop! I can’t wait to start this project. This will be a great add-on to the Pilpel Group. This will become a ‘destination’ with a wall dedicated for Tom’s memory.”
Mr Ben-karmona was only one year old when the shop opened in 1982. He also shared plans to put up a Willy Wonka’s World with an interactive section for families and their kids, as well as an area for the adults to hang out and have coffee or snacks.
Whilst the store is currently closed, Mr Ben-karmona said the remaining stocks will be sold at discounted prices at his restaurant. More details of the transformation of Tom’s Confectionery Warehouse, including additional jobs, will be revealed in the coming months.
A portion of the historic Sisters of Mercy site in Wooloowin has been designated for development as a childcare centre. Changes could be made to the structure of the former convent.
Located on Morris Street, developer De Luca Corporation Pty Ltd detailed plans to build the facility that will accommodate 110 children via DA A005776689, lodged with Brisbane City Council on 16 July 2021.
The development is in line with Cedar Woods’ townhouse project, dubbed Greville Wooloowin, in the same Sisters of Mercy site covering sections of Bridge, Chalk and Merehaye Streets.
De Luca Corporation Pty Ltd said that it’s negotiating to buy the convent’s land for the childcare centre from Dunland Property Pty Ltd, which owns Cedar Woods. The facility will stand next to the aged care accommodations.
Highlights
De Luca Corporation Pty Ltd plans to build a childcare centre in a section of the Sisters of Mercy site in Wooloowin.
The developer intends to buy the land where the convent stands from Dunland Property Pty Ltd, the owner of Cedar Woods, which bought the Sisters of Mercy site in 2015 for residential development.
Some changes to the convent’s structure will be undertaken if the development application receives approval.
The former Sisters of Mercy property is a Local Heritage Place which was sold to Dunland Property Pty Ltd. in 2015. The convent has been empty since the purchase with the doors and windows boarded up to prevent trespassers.
In 2017, Council approved plans for the redevelopment of the sprawling Sisters of Mercy site as an aged care and residential facility. Greville Wooloowin has begun its first stage of civil works this year, where some of the townhouses have been pre-sold.
Photo Credit: Development Application/BCCPhoto Credit: Development Application/BCC
“As a consequence of the change of use of the heritage building some minor heritage fabric is proposed to be demolished and the remaining heritage fabric will be restored,” the developers stated.
“There will also be some alterations and extensions to the heritage building. There is a new single storey building proposed to the south and east of the heritage building which will provide the additional accommodation required for the Childcare Centre.”
De Luca Corporation Pty Ltd also intends to incorporate 22 car parking spaces, play areas at the rear of the building, and pedestrian access from Morris Street to the car park.
In November 2020, the developer met with Council officers to discuss its intention for the facility before lodging the application. As a Local Heritage Place, residents may appeal this project but, as of press time, Council has not yet set a public notification date for submissions.
