A Tingalpa burger shop has been recognised as serving Queensland’s best burger, following a public vote as part of the 2025 All the Best of Queensland awards.
Burger venue Mr Jeebus, based in Tingalpa, has been awarded Best Burger in Queensland as part of this year’s “All the Best of Queensland” competition, an initiative linked to Queensland Day celebrations. The recognition was based on more than 61,000 votes cast across 15 categories by residents statewide.
The “All the Best” campaign is run annually to spotlight Queensland businesses and local icons. The 2025 edition included public voting for categories such as best beer, pub, coffee, and burger. Mr Jeebus secured the top burger spot alongside six other Brisbane-based winners, including Botany in Newstead for best parmi and Archer Brewing in Wilston for best beer.
A Track Record of Recognition
This latest accolade follows previous wins for Mr Jeebus, including Brisbane’s Best Burger in 2020 and again in 2024. The business began in Tingalpa and has since expanded operations across Brisbane with venues in Eagle Farm and a weekly Friday pop-up in Nundah.
Photo Credit: Mr Jeebus/Instagram
Community Contribution and Charity Support
Mr Jeebus is also known for its consistent community engagement. The venue has partnered with Richie’s Rainbow, a children’s cancer support charity, as its “Charity of the Month.” Donations can be made directly through their ordering platform, and the campaign is visible across all locations.
Photo Credit: Mr Jeebus/Instagram
Quality and Expansion Plans
In line with its growth, Mr Jeebus has begun franchising. The brand recently announced its move into controlled beef processing by investing in its own commercial mincer. This ensures uniformity in patty production and flavour consistency across all future franchise outlets.
The award win aligns with the business’s franchising launch and has contributed to growing public interest. With ongoing community ties and operational expansion, Mr Jeebus’ recognition adds to Tingalpa’s food scene visibility on a state level.
Over half of the first-stage apartments at The Village Manly retirement development in Brisbane’s bayside suburb of Manly have been sold within six months.
The Village Manly, a retirement living project in Manly developed by The Village Retirement Group in partnership with Anglicare Southern Queensland, has reached a key sales milestone. The first stage of the project—comprising 76 three-bedroom apartments across two six-storey buildings—has sold more than 50 per cent of its available units.
Initial plans for the project were released in August 2021, following development approval granted by the Queensland Planning and Environment Court in December 2019. Construction was delayed following a request in October 2023 to amend the approved plans, changing the original four-storey design to a six-storey configuration.
The revised development includes a total of 187 one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units across six multi-storey buildings, ranging between four to six levels. The buildings are located next to Anglicare’s EM Tooth Aged Care facility and the heritage-listed Lota House.
Stage 1 features basement car parking and community amenities, with architectural design by O’Neill Architecture and construction led by FKG Group. Three-bedroom units in Stage 1 are priced from $1.3 million, with penthouse contributions listed between $1.65 million and $2.5 million, as outlined in the Village Comparison Document issued by the State.
Photo Credit: The Village Manly
Local Context and Living Features in Manly
Situated approximately 20 kilometres from Brisbane CBD, the Manly site offers water views and is positioned to meet the growing demand for retirement accommodation in the region. The development is promoted as a premium lifestyle option, with community facilities including a heated pool, gym, yoga studio, café, cinema, arts and craft rooms, and a medical and allied health suite.
Apartments have been designed to maximise bay breezes and greenery, with a focus on functionality and liveability. The partnership also supports access to homecare services and proximity to residential aged care.
Photo Credit: The Village Manly
Community Feedback and Future Construction
Local residents and stakeholders have shared mixed views regarding the revised plans. Some expressed concerns over the increased building height, while others acknowledged the need for additional retirement housing options in Manly.
The development team has stated that the design balances demand with heritage considerations, particularly the nearby Lota House. This marks the second collaboration between Anglicare Southern Queensland and The Village Retirement Group, following an earlier project in Taigum.
Construction for the revised Stage 1 is expected to be completed by mid-2026. The remaining apartments in Stage 1 are currently on the market, with 38 units still available.
Land has been purchased in Manly West to begin planning new special education facilities aimed at easing enrolment pressure at Darling Point Special School.
Darling Point Special School, located on Upper Esplanade in Manly, has seen rising enrolments. Operating on a site smaller than one hectare, the school faces physical limitations due to its location beside Moreton Bay and surrounding parkland. To manage enrolment growth, a temporary satellite campus has operated at Iona College since 2022.
To address these constraints, the Department of Education has purchased a 2.5-hectare site at 218 Manly Road, adjacent to Manly West State School. This land acquisition marks the beginning of early-stage planning, which will include technical site investigations, a concept master plan, and a detailed business case.
The planning aims to provide long-term relief for Darling Point Special School. These plans will be informed by input from nearby schools and the broader community.
Educational Need and Program Overview
Darling Point Special School delivers a broad range of programs for students from Prep to Year 12. The school is known for its co-teaching model, where curriculum specialists collaborate with special educators. Students access diverse subjects including literacy, numeracy, science, arts, music, hydrotherapy, and vocational education.
The school has a sensory room, therapy services using a transdisciplinary approach, and registered training programs delivering certificate outcomes. It also maintains an international partnership with Denmark and is supported by expert consultants in behaviour analysis.
Caption: For Illustration Purposes Only Photo Credit: Pexels
The concept master plan is due by the end of 2025. Public consultation will follow to guide future planning approvals. Construction will depend on funding and formal approvals. Local families, educators and stakeholders are encouraged to take part in the early discussions. Questions can be emailed to BuildingFutureSchools@qed.qld.gov.au.
Community consultation is underway in Gumdale to determine whether the unformed Tilley Road corridor should be developed into a 1.5-kilometre bikeway and linear park or preserved for future road use.
The Tilley Road corridor, located between Tilley Road at New Cleveland Road and Manly Road at the Hargreaves Road intersection, has been earmarked for infrastructure development for over a decade. Originally designated as Stage 4 of the Tilley Road Extension Project, it was intended to function as an arterial route for heavy vehicles accessing the Port of Brisbane.
Stage 1 of the project was completed in 2011. Since then, upgrades to the Gateway Motorway and the Port of Brisbane Motorway by the State have reduced the strategic need for completing the extension.
Following a 2024 council election commitment by local official Ryan Murphy, $108,000 was allocated for investigation, design, and consultation to explore the repurposing of the corridor. The current proposal seeks to convert the space into a bikeway and linear park that would improve connectivity between Eastside Village in Gumdale and Mayfair Village in Manly West.
The alternative is to retain the land in its current condition as a preserved but unformed road corridor.
Environmental and Planning Considerations
Part of the corridor is recognised as a protected koala habitat and identified as a koala movement area. Any changes to land use would require environmental approvals from the federal government. A bikeway and park are considered more compatible with maintaining habitat than constructing a new road.
Community Sentiment and Feedback
Residents have been invited to participate in a survey which offers two options: transform the corridor into a bikeway and park, or retain it as future road reserve. Around 1,415 nearby properties have received direct invitations, though all Wakerley residents and other interested parties may also contribute.
The consultation is being conducted independently of the BCC website, as a local preliminary gauge of community interest.
Comments shared on social media reflect a range of views. Some residents support the enhanced cycling and walking links, while others have raised concerns about broader planning issues. One resident questioned whether pre-approval had been granted for removal of termite-infested or hazardous trees along the corridor. Local official Ryan Murphy responded by offering to lodge service requests for residents regarding such maintenance concerns.
There were also questions raised about other local road projects, such as the Meadowlands Road extension. Mr Murphy clarified that this is a separate proposal and is currently only funded for a feasibility study.
Pending the outcome of the consultation, BCC will assess whether to proceed with design and planning for the bikeway and linear park. If support is not evident, the area will remain a preserved road corridor for potential future use.
Tingalpa State School is gearing up for one of the most colourful events on the calendar—the Australian Fundraising’s Monty the MONSTAR Fun Run, making a triumphant return on 13 June 2025.
Bursting with energy, colour, and community spirit, this much-loved annual fundraiser promises a fun-filled afternoon where students, staff, and families can run, laugh, and get absolutely covered in colour—all for a fantastic cause. This year’s event will begin at 1:50 p.m. on the school oval, and the entire school community is encouraged to get involved.
Photo credit: Australian Fundraising/Facebook
Following the incredible success of 2024, when an impressive $28,571 was raised, the goal for 2025 is even more ambitious: to double that amount and direct the funds toward much-needed playground upgrades.
Playground Update
Tingalpa State School P&C/Facebook
According to the school’s P&C, demolition of the junior playground officially began on Friday, 16 May, and is now well underway. Students have been watching the transformation with great excitement as their future play space begins to take shape before their eyes.
Because of the generosity and enthusiasm of Tingalpa State School families, the community has already raised an incredible $5,313.00 in just the first week of fundraising.
Whether participants are running for fun, cheering from the sidelines, or supporting the event behind the scenes, the Monty the Monstar Fun Run hosted by Australian Fundraising is a celebration of community spirit, healthy activity, and positive change.
More details will be shared soon in the coming days on how to continue fundraising on Tingalpa State School P&C’s Events Page on Facebook. In the meantime, families are encouraged to save the date, spread the word, and prepare for a spectacularly colourful day.
A trio of swimmers representing Chandler Swimming Club have earned spots at Swimming Australia’s Next Wave Invitational Camp in Canberra, part of their progression toward potential Olympic pathways.
Swimming Australia has reinstated a major talent identification and development initiative, known as the Next Wave Invitational Competition Camp, as part of its long-term preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. The program echoes the early 2000s Trans-Tasman Series and aims to bridge the gap between club-level competition and national team benchmarks.
Held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 6 to 12 July, the camp will involve 64 athletes born between 2008 and 2012 who were selected following their performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships.
Athletes already named in the Australian Junior Team were excluded, allowing the focus to shift to a broader pool of emerging talent not yet exposed to international-level racing environments.
Chandler Athletes Recognised
Three swimmers from Chandler Swimming Club—Ava Gaske, Lincoln Wearing, and Isaac Wearing—have been selected for Swimming Australia’s 2025 Next Wave Invitational Competition Camp, to be held in Canberra from 6 to 12 July. All three are coached by Tsuyoshi Kimura and earned their invitations based on their performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships.
Ava Gaske continues to gain national and international experience. In 2023, she was one of 16 Queensland athletes selected to represent Australia at the Japan Olympic Cup, where she swam the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events, placing sixth in the 800m 15–18 years category.
In 2024, she was selected to the Australian Junior Dolphins team for that year’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Canberra. This selection did not affect her 2025 eligibility for the Next Wave Camp, which excludes only those named to the current Australian Junior Team.
At the 2024 Australian Age Championships, Gaske claimed four gold medals. She followed this up at the 2025 Australian Age Championships, earning four silver medals and one top-eight placing across multiple events:
Lincoln Wearing, 15, delivered one of the most dominant performances at the 2025 Australian Age Championships. He collected six gold medals and one silver, including:
1st in 800m Freestyle (set a new Australian and Australian Allcomers record)
1st in 200m Backstroke
1st in 400m Freestyle
1st in 200m Freestyle
1st in 1500m Freestyle
4th in 200m Butterfly
2nd in 4x50m Freestyle Relay
He also gained recognition at the 2024 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships, breaking Grant Hackett’s 28-year-old Queensland 15 Years Age Record in the 1500m freestyle with a time of 15:28.90.
Isaac Wearing, Lincoln’s twin, also delivered strong results at the 2025 Australian Age Championships:
2nd in 200m Freestyle
2nd in 400m Freestyle
2nd in 1500m Freestyle
3rd in 800m Freestyle
7th in 400m Individual Medley
7th in 200m Butterfly
12th in 100m Freestyle
In 2024, he finished second behind Lincoln in the 1500m freestyle at the Queensland Championships, completing a podium finish for Chandler in that event.
Together, Gaske and the Wearing twins contributed to Chandler’s overall campaign at the 2025 Australian Age Championships, where the club’s 19 swimmers reached 27 finals, collected 15 medals, and secured 16th place on the national point score.
Looking to Brisbane 2032
The Next Wave camp aims to prepare athletes for the demands of international racing through repeat competition, team immersion, and exposure to elite training environments. Participants will compete as either ‘Kangaroos’ or ‘Emus’, gaining racing experience under simulated pressure across multiple events.
Former Australian head coach Leigh Nugent described the program as a crucial missing step in recent years. The camp is designed to condition athletes to race under fatigue, develop consistency, and fast-track learning across consecutive events.
While coaches for the camp are yet to be formally announced, the selection of athletes like Gaske and the Wearing twins signals the potential strength of future Dolphins teams on the path to Brisbane 2032.
A community walk held in Lota successfully raised more than $7,000 for Richie’s Rainbow Foundation, bringing together locals to support children with cancer.
The annual Richie’s Rainbow Walk took place at Lota Park on 18 May 2025, marking its fourth year of community participation and the third birthday of Richie’s Rainbow as a registered charity. The event saw a strong turnout from families, friends, and volunteers, all walking in support of the foundation’s work with children diagnosed with cancer.
Check-in began at 9:00 a.m. The walk started at 10:30 a.m. Participants had the option of completing a 10k or 5k route along the Lota, Manly, and Wynnum foreshore.
Richie’s Rainbow: A Legacy of Support
Richie’s Rainbow Foundation was established to raise awareness about childhood cancer. The foundation’s particular focus is on rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood sarcoma. Each year in Australia, around 800 children aged 0–14 are diagnosed with cancer. About 100 do not survive. The foundation also supports research into improving survival rates and treatment options for these conditions.
Photo Credit: Richie’s Rainbow/Facebook
The organisation works closely with the Queensland Children’s Hospital and the Australian and New Zealand Sarcoma Association to fund research and provide support services. Past initiatives include the iPad scheme and family respite programs.
Activities and Participation
The 2025 walk featured live music, food stalls, face painting, a family fun zone, and raffles. Participants were encouraged to wear gold. Gold symbolises childhood cancer awareness. Many brought pets and dressed in themed outfits. Registration was $25 per walker.
Funds raised will help continue research efforts and provide practical assistance to families affected by childhood cancer.
Organisers credited much of the event’s success to its volunteers. They arrived early and stayed late to ensure the event ran smoothly. The foundation regularly invites members of the public to support its mission through fundraising, volunteering, or event participation.
Photo Credit: Richie’s Rainbow/Facebook
Continued Commitment to Childhood Cancer Awareness
Now in its fourth year, Richie’s Rainbow Walk continues to grow in reach and community support. The foundation plans to maintain its annual event schedule and expand its impact through ongoing research funding and family support programs.
A century after the Battle of Aubers Ridge, the Manly-Lota RSL Hall became the backdrop for a story that connected one family’s past with today. The venue was filled with quiet reflection and warm conversation as community members gathered to hear Paul Dobbyn talk about the book that started with a painting and ended with a powerful family revelation.
The launch of War Spoils opened a conversation about memory, war, and the lasting imprint of both on one Toowoomba family. The event took place on 9 May, a date chosen with care. It marks the day Mr Dobbyn’s grandfather survived serious wounds at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in 1915. It’s also the date his uncle was killed in 1944 while flying with the Pathfinder Force during World War II.
Photo Credit: Supplied
An Afternoon of Reflection in Manly
The program began with a tribute to the men and women who served, setting the tone for what was more than just a book launch. Local poet John-Francis Thomas read “Australian Soil,” a piece written to honour Australians buried far from home. As the words settled over the room, Mr Dobbyn shared why that poem in particular struck such a chord for him.
Photo Credit: Supplied
He then spoke about how a forgotten painting from his childhood, found in an old shoebox, sparked the journey that became “War Spoils.” Piece by piece, he traced the stories behind it, diving into letters, photographs, and official war records. The result is a book that ties together the lives of his grandfather, father, and uncle in the shadow of two world wars.
Stories That Belong to All of Us
Those gathered at the hall listened as Mr Dobbyn read his poem “War Spoils” accompanied by a visual presentation handled by his granddaughter Abby van Rooyen. Afterward, he took a moment to thank the people who helped him bring the project to life: friends, family, and members of the Manly-Lota RSL community, including hall convenor Peter Stacey and Sub-Branch president Harry, Pregnell whose support helped make the launch possible.
There was space, too, for questions from the audience. Some wanted to know more about the research. Others were simply moved and wanted to say so.
As the afternoon closed, guests shared a cup of tea and conversation. Mr Dobbyn signed books, pausing to speak with neighbours and friends who had come to support him. A portion of proceeds from each book ($5) is being donated to the Manly-Lota RSL Welfare Group to assist local veterans.
What’s Next
Mr Dobbyn is considering a weekend launch for those who couldn’t make it to the weekday event. He’ll also be interviewed on BayFM in the coming weeks to talk more about the book and what it’s meant to reconnect with his family’s past in such a meaningful way.
In the heart of Tingalpa lies a modest yet deeply meaningful landmark — the Tingalpa Pioneers Chapel and Cemetery. With its timber chapel, heritage-listed graves, and quiet garden setting, the site stands as one of Queensland’s most evocative reminders of early settler life and enduring community spirit.
The story of the chapel begins in 1868, when a small group of pioneering settlers built a church to serve their spiritual needs in what was then a remote and sparsely populated area.
Funding for the original structure was raised not only locally but also overseas, most notably by parishioners of St Mary’s Church in Bisham, a village west of London. In a remarkable show of transcontinental solidarity, some of these same supporters would later migrate to Queensland and help establish the community at Tingalpa.
Photo credit: Tingalpa Pioneers’ Chapel and Cemetery/Facebook
For nearly two decades, the timber church served as a hub for worship and local gatherings, until a devastating storm — believed to have been a cyclone — swept through the region in 1885, destroying the building.
Rather than abandon their place of faith, the local community salvaged what they could from the wreckage and constructed a smaller chapel from the ruins. Though humbler in form, this second building took on even greater symbolic value — a testament to resilience and shared purpose.
Photo credit: Tingalpa Pioneers’ Chapel and Cemetery/Facebook
Over the years, the chapel and surrounding burial ground gained nicknames that spoke to their place in the community’s heart: “God’s Acre” and the “bush cathedral.” Both names captured the site’s peaceful atmosphere and its central role in the spiritual and social life of the area’s early settlers.
Photo credit: Tingalpa Pioneers’ Chapel and Cemetery/Facebook
By the early 21st century, however, the site had fallen into disrepair. Recognising its historical significance, a group of locals came together in 2002 to form the Friends of Tingalpa Cemetery Heritage Group Inc. What began as a grassroots restoration project has since grown into a well-established organisation with over 150 active members, all committed to preserving the site’s past and securing its future.
Thanks to their efforts, the chapel has been lovingly restored and the cemetery carefully maintained. With more than 300 known burials, including early pioneers, war veterans, and local families, the grounds offer a rich and tangible connection to the region’s early European history.
Today, the Tingalpa Pioneers Chapel and Cemetery is far more than a historical footnote. It remains a living part of the community — a venue for weddings, funerals, christenings, naming ceremonies, and cultural events. Its peaceful surroundings, Gothic architecture, and sense of reverence make it a cherished place for reflection and celebration alike.
Just a few weeks ago, the chapel grounds gained a meaningful new addition — a set of four hand-carved totems, created by members of the Bayside Woodturners & Woodcrafters Club. These striking pieces represent four key elements of the site’s identity:
Faith and the Anglican tradition
First Nations connections to land and water
The unknown graves and untold stories
The unity and dedication of the Friends Group and wider community
The totems were officially handed over at a gathering attended by Vice-President Donna Turner, Committee Member Neil Thyer, and local councillors Alex Givney and Lisa Atwood.
“It was a proud moment for everyone involved,” said Donna Turner.
“I want to sincerely thank the team at Woodies for their generous support and contribution to this meaningful project, which will complement our Reflection Garden — especially in honour of our Unknown Graves.”
For those who visit, the chapel and cemetery offer more than a history lesson. They offer a glimpse into the values that shaped Tingalpa: cooperation, remembrance, and quiet strength. In preserving the site, the community ensures that the stories etched into its weathered gravestones — and carried in its timber walls — will not be forgotten.
Benalla Street in Manly stands as more than just another suburban thoroughfare – it serves as a lasting tribute to Australia’s maritime military history and the brave souls who served during the Great War. This street of remembrance carries the legacy of HMAT A24 Benalla, one of His Majesty’s Australian Transport ships that played a crucial role in ferrying Australian Imperial Forces to overseas battlefields.
With 70% of properties being owner-occupied and residents staying an average of 16 years and 4 months, Benalla Street demonstrates strong community attachment and stability. This commitment to the area is reflected in the fact that 52% of residents have called Benalla Street home for more than a decade. The street’s property transaction history reveals the remarkable transformation of Manly’s real estate landscape, with 38 Benalla Street selling for $49,800 in January 1981 – a testament to the area’s evolution over the decades.
Remembrance: HMAT A24 Benalla
Benalla Street honours the memory of HMAT A24 Benalla, a vital component of Australia’s Great War naval transport fleet. This 11,118-tonne vessel, capable of cruising at 14 knots (26 kilometres per hour), was owned by the prestigious P&O Steam Navigation Company in London and leased by the Commonwealth government until 6 August 1917.
The HMAT fleet represented a crucial lifeline for Australian forces, with ships like the Benalla specifically leased to transport various Australian Imperial Force formations to their overseas destinations. When not engaged in military duties, these vessels carried commodity exports to Britain and France, supporting the war effort on multiple fronts. The fleet comprised both British ships and captured German vessels, symbolising the comprehensive nature of the Allied naval effort.
By naming this street after HMAT A24 Benalla, Manly ensures that the sacrifice and service of those who sailed aboard these transport ships – and the strategic importance of Australia’s maritime contribution to the Great War – remains forever etched in the community’s memory.
Benalla St, Manly Residents
NUMBER OF PROPERTIES: 42 (1 townhouse, 23 houses, 18 others) % OF OWNER OCCUPIERS ON STREET: 70% AVERAGE TIME FOR OWNER OCCUPIERS: 16 years, 4 months % OF PEOPLE 10+ YEARS: 52%
Benalla St, Manly – As It Looked in 1936
Benalla St, Manly in 1936
SOME TYPICAL PROPERTY SALES ON BENALLA ST FROM YESTERYEAR
Property Address
Sale Price
Sale Date
38 Benalla Street, Manly
$49,800
Jan 1981
2 Benalla Street, Manly
$45,000
Mar 1985
8 Benalla Street, Manly
$110,000
Jan 1989
SUBURB PROFILE
The median price of a 3 Bedroom House in Manly in 2025 was $1,300,000 The median price of a 3 Bedroom House in Manly in 2021 was $660,000 TYPICAL INCREASE OF A 3-BEDROOM HOUSE IN MANLY SINCE 2021: $640,000
The median price of a 4 Bedroom House in Manly in 2025 was $1,875,000 The median price of a 4 Bedroom House in Manly in 2021 was $1,013,000 TYPICAL INCREASE OF A 4-BEDROOM HOUSE IN MANLY SINCE 2021: $862,000
