FIREFIGHTERS are investigating the cause of a house fire that destroyed a residential property at Weston Street in Zillmere on Tuesday, May 15.
    Twenty firefighters attended the blaze at about 1.30am and within 45 minutes had the fire under control.
    Fire crews reported no injures and all occupants were accounted for at the scene.
    Community Safety Media Unit said the fire was already well underway by the time fire crews arrived and the property was destroyed.
    Further information regarding the cause is expected in the coming days.

NORTH Brisbane athletes Ryan Scott, Chris Bond and Ben Newton have been named in the 2012 Australian Paralympic Team after the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) officially announced the wheelchair rugby team that will head to London.
    Scott (Zillmere), Bond and Newton (both Fitzgibbon) were named alongside eight of their teammates at the recent Opening Ceremony of the International Wheelchair Rugby Test Series between Australia and Japan at Sydney Olympic Park.
    It will be the third Paralympic Games for Scott, who is co-captain of the team with fellow Queenslander Cameron Carr, while both Bond and Newton will be making their Paralympic debuts.
    “This year, it is probably the way Paralympic sport should be in that anybody could win it,” Scott said.
    “We have a better chance against most of the other teams but on the day the best team might not be the highest ranked team which makes it more exciting.
    “It’s the best we are playing and it’s the best team I’ve ever played in.”
    Scott has played for Australia for over a decade and in that time, has seen the team evolve.
    “Our coach Brad Dubberley has had us well drilled – our fitness and preparation is great,” Scott said.
    “Winning becomes a habit, the more you win, the more you want to win again and we want it badly in London.”
    Newcomers Bond and Newton, who only made their Australian debuts last year, are raring to go for their first Paralympic Games.
    “For me it is about getting on court and playing as much as I can,” Bond said.
    “Our team is very confident that we will get to the gold medal match. We have a great team at the moment and everything is going really well.”
    “We’re not going there for silver, we have got as good a shot at knocking the Americans off the number one ranking as Australian wheelchair rugby has ever had,” Newton added.
    Currently ranked second in the world behind the USA, Australia has won two silver medals in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympic Games since it was introduced as a Paralympic sport in Sydney 2000.
    Having lost the gold medal game to the USA in Beijing and again at the 2010 World Championships, Australian Paralympic Committee CEO and 2012 Team Chef de Mission Jason Hellwig hopes the team can bring home gold in London.
    “I would like to congratulate Ryan, Chris and Ben on making the Australian Paralympic Team. Representing your country at the highest level on the world stage is a wonderful achievement,” Hellwig said.
    “Wheelchair rugby is one of the most exciting and explosive sports on the Paralympic program. Competition is fierce and having won silver in Beijing, our team is hungry for gold.”
    Australian Wheelchair Rugby Head Coach Brad Dubberley believes all three are capable of something special in London.
    “Ryan has an amazing tactical mind on and off the court and is a tremendous asset to the team,” Dubberley said.
    “While Chris and Ben are new, they’re raw, strong and still learning the game but ready to carve it up on the court in London.”
    Wheelchair rugby is a team sport for people with a disability that affects all four limbs and is most commonly played by athletes with quadriplegia. Players are assigned a point value from 0.5 to 3.5 according to their level of functional ability. The four players on the court cannot exceed a combined total of eight points at any time.
    The London 2012 Paralympic Games will be held from August 29 to September 9.

A SEWERAGE pipe in Bald Hills blew its lid off and was left open for months, pouring raw sewage into the creek during heaving rains and leaving residents with a foul smell.
    The manhole was reported as being open since Christmas time and children had been sighted playing in the area, which was littered with toilet paper, off Hoyland Street near the ABC radio tower paddock fence.
    Concerned residents said they contacted authorities to report the manhole mishap however Queensland Urban Utility claimed they had no record of being notified about the issue until they were contacted by The Star.
    “Following this report, a Queensland Urban Utilities crew was immediately dispatched to the site in question where they replaced the manhole cover, thoroughly cleaned the area, and replaced six inches of contaminated top soil surrounding the manhole,” a QUU spokesperson said.
    “In the case of significant wet weather flows, sewerage systems are designed to overflow in order to prevent sewage backing up into private homes. This can often result in manhole covers becoming dislodged.”
    During dry weather the average flow of sewage through this system is 3.6 litres per minute and is designed to handle up to five times this rate but during heavy rain QUU is unable to measure the flow rate.
    A Bald Hills resident said he had previously alerted a number of different authorities over the past six months, however he kept getting passed around and no one had bothered to come out and fix it. He was concerned because children were often playing at the site and were throwing toys and sticks down the hole. There was a great deal of wildlife in the area that may have potentially been harmed in Bald Hills Creek.
    This has prompted QUU to encourage residents to call its 24 hour faults and emergencies number on 13 23 64 if they notice an overflow so action can be taken immediately.

• Littered toilet paper and children’s toys were left around an manhole in Bald Hills which was left open for almost six months despite reports from concerned residents.

THE shock death of a Bracken Ridge mother in Tallara Street last week comes less than a month after police were forced to gun-down a man only two streets away in Ivor Street.
    The violence has sent a shock wave through the Bracken Ridge community and has raised questions about a crime surge on Brisbane’s northside and increasing concerns for victims of domestic violence.
    Police allege the body of 55-year-old Noni Zischke was found inside a Tallara Street home around 10.20am on Wednesday, May 9.
    According to police reports, Mrs Zischke had sustained a head injury and had died at the scene in what was described as a ‘suspicious death’.
    Mrs Zischke’s 53 year-old husband, Trevor Zischke, was found driving his vehicle northbound of Bracken Ridge the same day. He was pulled-over and surrendered himself to North District Police officers.
    Charges relating to the death were later laid and Mr Zischke fronted the Brisbane’s Magistrates Court on Thursday, May 10.
    He has since been remanded in custody and is due to face court again next month.
    Meanwhile, residents and neighbours of the victim are still coming to terms with the horrific circumstances of the sudden death, as well as escalating violence and break-ins that continues to cast a gloomy cloud over their suburb.
    On April 17, two police detectives searched the property of 38 year-old Jason Protheroe in Ivor Street, who was wanted over property crime.
    Following the search detectives were allegedly confronted by Protheroe, who Police Union president Ian Leavers says, dropped a water bottle before pulling out a handgun which he leveled at police.
    Mr Leavers said both detectives took cover from the allegedly armed Protheroe before being cornered and forced to open-fire on him with fatal consequences.
    While investigations continue and close relatives of Protheroe claim he had never owned a gun, concerns about a violence surge in Bracken Ridge have raised concerns.
    Bracken Ridge councillor Amanda Cooper, who knew the Zischke’s, sought to put those concerns at ease this week. Cr Cooper highlighted that the two events were ‘extraordinary’ and should not serve as indicators for crime issues in Bracken Ridge.
    “I have massive sympathy for the families and see this as time for the community to pull together in an area that is family friendly and a supportive community,” she said.
    Cr Cooper said the circumstances were something that no one could have known about.
    “These were extraordinary circumstances and they should not serve as indicators for crime issues.”
    Cr Cooper’s comments were supported by Sandgate Police Station officer in charge Helen Barnett, who has also appealed to the community to develop closer bonds and ‘get to know their neighbours’.
    “I can confirm that these matters were unrelated and unexpected,” she said.
    “Whilst sandgate has featured in rising crime issues including smash and grab offences involving businesses, and these two more prominent offences, every effort is being made to ensure public safety and property security remain our focus.”
    Senior Sergeant Barnett said that the suburbs of Bracken Ridge and Deagon had been targets of break and enters, but said those crime rates were seasonal and had begun to fall.
    “These incidents were unforeseen and residents should not be concerned about their safety,” she said.
    “Police have been carrying out increased patrols throughout these suburbs, including new bike patrols to gain access to parklands bordering homes and monitoring of trains, as some of the offenders come from other suburbs.”
    Snr Sgt Barnett also urged anyone suffering from domestic violence, both physical and/or emotional, to reach out for help.
    “There are local services available for victims of domestic violence including local orgainisations such as SANDBAG and I would urge those who feel victimised to seek help,” she said.
    “I’d also encourage residents to get to know their neighbours and form stronger bonds which can often help identify those suffering in silence from domestic violence.”
    Snr Sgt Barnett added that the police were always available to help and anyone in a dangerous or threatening situation should contact their local police station – or in an emergency dial 000.
    Police Link is also available anytime for help and advice on 131444.
    SANDBAG can be contact on 3869 3244 for the Sandgate Community Centre, or 3269 0277 for the Bracken Ridge Neighbourhood Hub.
    Children can also contact Kids Helpline anytime of the day on 1800 55 1800.

• A crime scene was setup at 10 Tallara Street by North District Police after the shock death of mother of two Noni Zischke last week.

THE future is bright for St Patrick’s year 12 student Michael Wallace who will embark on the experience of a lifetime next month.
    Michael, who grew up in Sandgate, was among a small number of Australian students to be selected by the National Youth Science Forum to take part in the Research Science Institute (RSI) held in Boston this June.
    Michael, who has a growing passion for computer science, was selected from a group of more than 400 potentials to attend the forum at the distinguished Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
    He was among only 30 high school aged students from around the world to be invited to the six-week RSI program and join 50 students selected from the USA.
    The program offers students the opportunity to work alongside accomplished professors and scientists and tackle real research projects before presenting a written and oral presentation about their work and experience.
    While Michael is still deciding whether computer science and mathematics are the right fit for him, the accomplished student has received a range of encouraging awards, as well as studying an undergraduate mathematics subject at the University of Queensland.
    Among his growing list of awards are a prize award from the Australian Mathematics Competition, placing him in the top 0.3 per cent of participants, as well as an award for excellence in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Chemistry Competition, placing him in the top 0.4 per cent of participants.
    But the bright spark remains humble about his talents and says his is not motivated by money but rather driven by the search for knowledge.
    “I’d really like the chance to study aboard and experience other cultures and lifestyles,” he said.
    “I want to contribute to society and a knowledge base and at least for now I’m interested in computer science.”
    But of course, like most things, the experience comes at a cost and the entire expense is about $9000.
    The fledgling scientist has already received valuable support from St Patrick’s College, Research Australia and P&F as well as Rotary, who selected Michael to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra – but more help is needed.
    Anyone wanting to contribute to Michael’s journey can contact the National Youth Science Forum on (02) 6125 7158 or contact St Patrick’s College directly or Michael’s mentor Derek Jones, Rotary District Chairman 9600 on 3366 9501.
    Michael also offered some timely advice to help other students achieve their best.
    “Get involved with studies outside of school and take on extracurricular activities, there’s always more to learn and do outside of school, that can help you achieve more,” he said.

• St Patrick’s year 12 student Michael Wallace alongside his principal Michael Carroll.

FOLLOWING the resignation of Racing Queensland Limited (RQL) board directors Bob Bentley, Tony Hanmer and Bill Ludwig, three new directors have today been appointed to the RQL Board.
    Warwick Stansfield, Greg Hallam and John Falvey now join Kevin Dixon, who was appointed just over two weeks ago, and remaining board members Wayne Milner and Brad Ryan.
    Kevin Dixon has been appointed chairman of the board with a deputy chairman to be decided at the next RQL board meeting.
    Incoming RQL chairman, Kevin Dixon said a key priority for the board would be to work closely with the new government to help facilitate a smooth transition to a proposed new governance structure for the racing industry.
    “The government has committed to devolve the current All Codes Racing Board into three separate Control Boards, one for each code, and oversee the establishment of an All Codes Industry Board to advise on matters of strategic importance impacting on the entire racing sector such as television rights,” Mr Dixon said.
    “The Board of RQL looks forward to working with the government during the transition process.”
    Warwick Stansfield has served as chairman of the Albion Park Harness Racing Club (APHRC) since 2008. He was elected to the APHRC committee in 2005 and served as treasurer before becoming chair.
    Mr Stansfield oversaw the successful 2009 Inter Dominion Series conducted by the APHRC.
    He has served as a director of Australian Pacing Gold sales company and has bred and owned standardbreds.
    Greg Hallam is the current chief executive of the Queensland Local Government Association and brings with him a sound understanding of the needs of regional and rural Queensland.
    Mr Hallem has been a board member of LG Infrastructure Services Ptd Ltd, Sporting Wheelies and the Queensland Treasury Corporation.
    Mr Hallam is a thoroughbred owner and breeder and part-owned 2006 Stradbroke Handicap winner La Montagna.
    Mr John Falvey is the former president of the United Queensland Greyhound Association.
    He has more than 25 years’ corporate experience including holding senior executive positions for Stockland, Westfield, QIC and AMP.
    He has trained, bred and owned greyhounds and has also been a standardbred owner.

THE iconic former Sandgate Post Office building officially turned 125 years old on Monday, May 7.
    For more than a century the two-storey brick building, located opposite Sandgate rail station was a focal point of the local community sending and receiving messages from near and far.
    Recounting the building’s history were Sandgate and District Historical Society & Museum president Fay Hebbard, secretary Barbara Bow and the building’s last postal manager Helen Kirkwood.
    In 1882 the block of land on Bowser Parade was purchased for £800 and after many different designs and tenders, the post and telegraph office was built and officially opened in 1987.
    Ms Bow said the building’s plans had to fit within a £2,000 budget and provided post office facilities on the ground floor and a residence for the postmaster above.
    “It was originally going to have a big glass dome but it was too expensive,” Ms Bow said.
    It is unclear who is responsible for Sandgate Post Office’s design as neither original supervisor John James Clark or his successor George St Paul Connolly claimed it as their own. It was suggested draughtsman John Smith Murdoch did most of the ground work before he went to design Old Parliament House in Canberra.
    The Sandgate Post Office building featured wooden floors, verandas, a brick exterior and a narrow staircase which proved difficult to negotiate for those who lived on the top floor.
    “One of the stories on the files (at the Museum) claimed the post master had a piano and had to take it over the railing because they couldn’t get up the stairs (when his family moved in),” Ms Bow said.
    The post office was built in a swampy area on a series of brick stumps which eventually saved it from flood waters that passed through Sandgate in the late 1880s.
    “A man was arrested for indecent exposure for bathing out the front of the post office (during this time),” she said.
    Fellow historian Ms Hebbard said there were many stories surrounding the former post office and during war times the building played a fundamental role within the community.
    “Twice a day they would deliver mail and even on Saturdays. During the war women would deliver the mail,” she said.
    In 1898 a telephone service came to the Sandgate district and in 1907 a telephone exchange operated from the iconic building.
    “(When I was young) we used to ring up and have a number for the telephone exchange wires at the back of the office,” Ms Hebbard said.   
    Former Sandgate postal manager Ms Kirkwood said she worked in the old Sandgate Post Office for 12 years and more than three decades in the industry.
    “We had the postmen out the back of bikes… we used to the get the mail from the boxes and sort it out, stamp it and send it out,” she said.
    “We used to have old heavy drawers and the money was kept in wooden bowls.”
    From manual processing to modern times, Sandgate Post Office was the first place to receive advancements in technology starting with its simple post, money and telegram service which evolved to phone, fax, computer and efpos.
    These changes meant the office itself had to move and Ms Kirkwood said it was a sign of the times when the post office moved from its home of more than 100 years to further down on Brighton Road.
    “It was exciting and historical to walk outside that door and lock it for the last time,” she said.
    Since it’s early days the building has had a number of renovations including the removal of its distinctive cast-iron balustrading after World War II and a restoration which returned the building to its former glory in 1984 and 87.
    The Sandgate Post Office building has now been converted into the 4017 Bar and Grill. However, it still resembles the building from years ago as it is a part of the Australian, Queensland and Brisbane City Council’s Heritage Register.
-Renee Subacius

CARSELDINE Chase residents are eagerly awaiting the decisions of Brisbane City Council on a plan to construct 133 units in their quiet residential area.
    The proposed development would see an extra 65 dwellings added to the approved 2008 plans for 68 units on 202 Lacey and 107 Dannenberg Street. These units would be accessed via the thin and windy Elliot and Dannenberg Streets of Carseldine Chase.
    So far 75 individual submissions and a petition with more than 300 signatures have been created by residents opposing the development.
    Among those to join in on the ‘fight’ were Priscilla and Steve Whyte with their three young children.
    “We don’t object to them developing town houses or developing the area, however it is not appropriate to put that volume of housing in our area,” Mrs Whyte said.
    “We already have these little narrow streets and our kids play on them.”
    “The width of the streets weren’t built big enough to facilitate traffic flows from new developments with (possibly up to) 250 cars,” Mr Whyte added.
    “The whole community here now is about 140 lots so that (development) is more than double without the infrastructure.”
    Among residents’ concerns were safety for children and the elderly who regularly exercised in the streets, a lack of transport to cater for 133 new homes, the value of their homes and the clearing of vegetation which they thought was parkland.
    Sarri Developments prepared a statement about how they have addressed environment, traffic and density issues.
    Between the Carseldine Chase estate and the development site are large overhead transmission towers in a grassy area which the development company intents to landscape.
    “Apart from the obvious and possibly acoustic screening benefits for the Elliot Road residents, this idea undoes the severity of the dividing grass plain that Powerlink and Energex have imposed,” the statement read.
    To cope with traffic the developers plan to provide a cross link between the two entry roads and direct access for emergency vehicles only off Lacey Road.
    “With access denied to any of the three road frontages bounding the site by the local and state authorities, Sarri Developments were obliged to rely on existing two neighbourhoods streets,” the statement read.
    They also stated they would not exceed density levels permitted by the Brisbane City Council and residents and visitors would be ‘more than provided for’ with carparks within the new development. Their traffic report indicated a traffic flow of 80 cars per hour during peak times.
    However Councillor Amanda Cooper (Bracken Ridge Ward) said she did not support the application.
    “I feel this proposal would cause excessive traffic on local streets, loss of vegetation and would impact on the amenities of local residents,” she said.
    Cr Cooper said Brisbane City Council engineers had a look at the possibility of the road access to the development off Lacey Road however it was too close to the intersection and would be too dangerous for commuters.
    Carseldine Chase residents urged the community to contact their state and council representatives to help their quest.
    “If it’s not safe for Lacey Road or Linkfield Road then why is it safe for Dannenberg Street?” Mr Whyte said.
    The comment period for the development has officially closed and the application can be viewed on http://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search for #A003131493.

THE empty shop windows in the heart of Sandgate have finally been filled by proposed development posters for a new Aldi Store.
The Have Your Say signs were recently erected around the building to inform residents on plans to redevelop the vacant site.
The plans will see the building and carpark at the back of 47 Brighton Road, Sandgate and part of the front area transformed into a new building with a carparks underneath, landscaping and new shops for other tenants.
Councillor Victoria Newton (Deagon Ward) said Aldi was one step closer to opening in Sandgate and she encouraged residents to get involved and have their say.
“For too long the old Woolworths site has sat vacant, much to the dismay and frustration of local traders and residents alike,” she said.
“This is a positive move to have another vibrant retailer in our main shopping village.”
Residents and traders will be able to submit the support or objection to development (A003231683) on http://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au until May 18, 2012.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has announced he will commit up to $20 million towards saving the Shorncliffe Pier.
“From day one I have said I would protect this important piece of community infrastructure, which is why I will allocate up to $20 million to save the Shorncliffe Pier,” he said.
“While we are still awaiting the results of the engineering report next month that will determine whether the pier can be repaired or will need to be replaced, what is clear is that it will not be a cheap fix.
“I sincerely understand people want the pier reopened straight away, however first and foremost this is about public safety and I want the engineers to do a thorough job. This will also ensure we get the best outcome for the pier’s future.”
LNP candidate for Deagon ward Gordana Blazevic said, “I am very proud that, in these tough economic times and with so many priorities across our great city, Team Quirk has been able to make a firm financial commitment to saving the Shorncliffe Pier.
“This is not about politics; it’s about saving an iconic structure that represents the heart of our local community and is an important part of the history of our city,” she said.
The 140-year-old wooden pier is currently suffering from an infestation of marine wood borers, which has worsened in recent years despite extensive efforts to strengthen the Pier in 2009.