Luke Swindale has dedicated considerable energy to transforming Hargreaves Road Park. His efforts have breathed new life into the area. Clearing invasive weeds, collecting rubbish, and planting native species, he has also constructed a picturesque walkway, providing a delightful space for all visitors to enjoy.
Supported by the Brisbane City Council and the Bayside Creeks Catchment Group, a series of programs have been organised with the primary goal of fostering awareness and engagement in this accessible natural resource. Notably, these initiatives have captivated the curiosity of young minds — encouraging a sense of environmental responsibility from an early age.
June 4 is Community Planting Day at Hargreaves Road Park and everyone is invited for a morning of environmental rejuvenation.
Starting at 9:00 a.m., attendees can help protect and enhance the habitat and biodiversity of the Glider area.
In addition, Wild Rangers will entertain children with an engaging wildlife show at 10:30 a.m. A complimentary sausage sizzle will be provided for all attendees, ensuring that everyone is fueled for a day of meaningful contribution.
Family Fun and Environmental Stewardship
“We’d love to see you on Sunday,” Cr Lisa Atwood announced on her Facebook page. “Just bring a hat and water bottle and we’ll provide the rest (the planting holes will even be pre-dug).”
Desexing your pets is a crucial responsibility, and fortunately for Manly locals, there are excellent desexing services at the Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital.
Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital is currently offering an extended discount on all dog and cat desexing. Enjoy a 20 per cent discount on these procedures until 1 June 2023. Grab this cost-saving opportunity while you can!
2. Health and Safety Benefits for Cats
Desexing your cat is highly beneficial for its overall health and well-being. It helps prevent certain diseases and behavioural issues, reduces the risk of certain cancers, and eliminates the urge to roam or mark territory. By desexing your cat, you are providing them with a safer and healthier life.
3. Preventing Unplanned Pregnancies
It is crucial to emphasise the importance of preventing unplanned pregnancies in pets. By choosing to desex your cats, you eliminate the possibility of accidental litter. Unplanned pregnancies can lead to an overpopulation of stray kittens, which often face uncertain futures. Taking responsibility and desexing your cat helps prevent this issue and promotes responsible pet ownership.
4. Platinum Standard Surgical Care
When you entrust your pet to Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital, you can expect nothing less than platinum standard surgical care. Their experienced surgical teams prioritise the well-being and safety of your pets throughout the entire desexing procedure. You can rest assured that your pet is in capable hands.
5. Dedicated Vets and Nurses
The team at Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital understands the love and attention your pets need during the desexing process. Every day, you’ll find veterinarians and nurses cradling sweet babies in their arms as they wake up from anaesthesia. They provide a safe and nurturing environment until you are joyfully reunited with your pet.
6. All-Inclusive Desexing Pricing
One of the advantages of choosing Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital is its simple and transparent pricing structure. Their desexing rates do not vary based on age, weight, or size. Whether your pet is a small kitten or a large dog, they offer a fixed rate for spey (female) and castration (male) procedures. Please note that additional charges may apply for in-season or pregnant pets and undescended testicles.
7. Compassionate Care Throughout the Process
Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital understands that leaving your beloved pet for desexing surgery can be an emotional experience. However, you can be reassured that their dedicated team provides compassionate care at every step. From admission to discharge, your pet receives individual attention, sedation to ease anxiety, pain relief, and continuous monitoring during their recovery. Additionally, they offer free recheck appointments and free stitch removal appointments to ensure a smooth and successful recovery for your pet.
Manly Road 24hr Veterinary Hospital is a trusted and compassionate veterinary practice with a dedicated team of veterinarians, nurses, and support staff. The company provides a wide range of services, including routine check-ups, vaccinations, dental care, surgical procedures, emergency care, and specialized treatments. The hospital makes use of advanced medical technology and its staff stays up-to-date with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine to deliver the best possible care for your pets.
For more information about this service and to book an appointment, contact their Customer Support Team at 3396 9733.
Did you know that desexing your pet could give it a healthier life? Here’s a good deal for pet parents in Manly West and nearby suburbs! A 24-hr veterinary hospital, Manly Road Vet, is offering a discounted rate for desexing pets for a limited time only.
From March to 28 April 2023, Manly Road Vet will cut 20 per cent off the standard desexing fee to help households manage their budget and avail of this much-needed procedure for their furry family members.
Desexing cats or dogs prevents unwanted litter which makes caring for pets a lot more challenging. The procedure has also been proven to change the behaviour of the animal, reducing issues like running away that may lead to accidents, especially among male pets, or developing uterine or ovarian tumours in female pets.
Photo Credit: Supplied
A desexed pet may also become less aggressive towards people and other animals and lessen their tendency to mark spots with their urine, which can be stressful for a lot of pet parents.
Manly Road Vet will ensure that your pet will comfortable throughout the procedure, especially with post-surgery pain management. Phone the hospital’s Customer Support Team via 3396 9733 for questions.
Whilst you’re there with your dog or cat, try out the new lactose-free puppaccinos from the Kaldi Coffee Cart located at the hospital’s verandah.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Follow Manly Road Vet on Instagram for more updates on the latest deals.
A company that started in the study of a house in Manly four decades ago and now employs over 1,700 people has committed to give back by allocating $100,000 in grants and scholarships to local organisations through its Community Assistance Program.
When Mick and Denise Power started BMD on the back of some relatively low value civil engineering tenders in 1979, they could not have imagined that it would become the billion-dollar monolith it has turned into.
Now the organisation is giving back by opening grants and one-off sponsorships for community groups, sporting clubs, schools, social enterprises, not-for-profit organisations and Public Benevolent Institutions through its 2023 Community Assistance Program.
Initially established to help local communities recover post-COVID-19, the assistance program was able to support 36 grassroots and groups across the country and BDM provided cumulative assistance of $160,000 to several initiatives hatched in South East Queensland.
The 2023 program will continue BMD’s commitment to boosting and strengthening local communities.
Funding of $5,000 per beneficiary will be provided in two application periods from 10 January to 31 March 2023 for the first batch and 10 June to 31 August 2023 for the second batch of beneficiaries.
“BMD is renowned for its relationship-based and collaborative approach to business, which means putting our people, partners and importantly, the community, first,” BMD CEO Scott Power said.
“We’re proud to be able to give back to local communities in south-east Queensland through funding events, activities or projects that enhance sports and recreation, arts and culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, health and wellbeing, the environment, education and community.
“It is these key areas that help to build social capacity and community resilience, and we look forward to supporting incredible initiatives that promote these areas in 2023 — contributing to our annual investment of more than $1 million in community partners across Australia.”
Peta Prestidge, fourth from left with the MHV Chamber of Commerce team (Photo credit: Manly Harbour Village/Facebook)
Peta Prestidge was appointed as president of Manly Harbour Village Chamber of Commerce when David Farley retired after 35 years. The Chamber of Commerce oversees Manly Harbour Village and ensures it stays as a world-class leisure precinct, just like how Mr Farley envisioned it more than three decades ago.
“I love Manly and the bayside area, and have immersed myself in the local community, leading to my appointment as President of the precinct’s Chamber of Commerce in late 2021,” Ms Prestidge shared.
Before she took over the role, Ms Prestidge served as the general manager of The Consortium Group since 2016. The company is behind The Arsonist and Tide on the Jetty, two of the most popular restaurants in Manly.
As the current president of Manly Harbour Village Chamber of Commerce, Ms Prestidge hopes new and existing members would get more involved, believing that working together for the bigger picture is the key to success.
Nikki Kay
Photo credit: ManlyBoathouse/Facebook
Nikki Kay and her husband transformed Wilson’s Boathouse into Manly Boathouse, now one of the leading seafood restaurants in the bayside.
The Kays gave the space a brand new look with their relaxed outdoor area where guests can walk in and try their bar snack menu, and a patio featuring a fish and chippery, gelato bar, and licensed bar.
The husband and wife duo successfully owned many retail businesses since 1991, which include bulk butcher shops, seafood markets, and seafood restaurants.
They were the original owners of Reef Seafood + Sushi, which was sold in 2018, before they opened a second venue, ReefGasworks in the Gasworks Precinct in Newstead, with the help of their son Ryan.
Joan Pease
Photo credit: Joan Pease MP/Facebook
When Joan Pease became a representative of the bayside community, Ms Pease helped deliver 24-hour health services back to Wynnum following the establishment of the Wynnum Manly Health Centre.
Ms Pease’s other local achievements include:
Helping young people into work by restoring funding for the successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work program
Upgrading local schools with funding for new facilities at Wynnum West, Darling Point and Brisbane Bayside plus a teacher aide in all prep classes
Cleaning up Wynnum Creek and the removal of derelict, polluting boats
Ms Pease is the patron of the Wynnum Manly Historical Association, the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club, the Bayside Woodturners and Woodcrafters Club and the Bayside Eastern District Orchid Society.
Ciara Metcalfe
Photo credit: Cricket Ireland/Facebook
Ciara Metcalfeis an Irish former cricketer who was a right-arm leg break bowler. She is considered as one of the personalities who made cricket more popular among women on the bayside.
It started when she played and served as coach for the Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club in the lower divisions.
Cricket grew so popular because of Metcalfe’s help, which even led to the merger of Redlands and Wynnum to come up with a first grade team. Since then, the sport keeps reaching new heights in the bayside.
Merle Dippel
Aunty Merle (second from left), with Winnam Chairperson Becky Thomson, Director Jacqui Carter, and Joan Pease MP (Photo credit: Winnam Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation/Facebook)
Merle Dippel was one of the three original founding members of Winnam Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Corporation, along with Cheryl Jacob and Becky Thomson.
From a $100 donation, Winnam has grown to one of the leading organisations providing affordable housing to the local community. Since starting their valuable work, Winnam has built up more than $17 million in assets.
Also known as ‘Aunty Merle,’ Ms Dippel was a founder of the Mariners and is a well-known Quandamooka Community Elder from North Stradbroke Island. She currently resides in Wynnum and was a long-term board member of Winnam.
Olympian Mara Stransky of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Manly has been named Female Sailor of the Year at the Australian Sailing Awards honouring the sports and its community.
Mara proved deserving of the award following her recent achievements at the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championships in Oman, where she finished sixth place, the Allianz World Cup in Holland, where she was fourth, and for her astounding winning finish at the Kiel Week.
The Manly sailor, who ranks as the third-best female sailor in the world, bested Nina Curtis from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and Zoe Thomson from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club for the highest honour.
Meanwhile, Tom Slingsby was named the Male Sailor of the Year whilst Chris Symonds was chosen as the Para Sailor of the Year.
The Australian Sailing Awards returned to an entire face-to-face ceremony since 2019. Below is the full list of winners:
Male Sailor of the Year Tom Slingsby OAM – Gosford Sailing Club (NSW)
Female Sailor of the Year Mara Stransky – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron & Queensland Laser Association (QLD)
Youth Sailor of the Year Evie Saunders – Manly Yacht Club (NSW)
Para Sailor of the Year Chris Symonds – Wynyard Yacht Club, Australian Hansa Class Association Inc & Sailability Tasmania (TAS)
Offshore Sailor of the Year Lisa Blair – Manly Yacht Club & Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (NSW)
Coach of the Year Ben Durham – Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)
Club of the Year Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NSW)
Volunteer of the Year Peter Kinsman – Rye Yacht Club (VIC)
Instructor of the Year Holly Hunt – Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)
Official of the Year Andre Blasse – Black Rock Yacht Club/Australian OK Dinghy Association (VIC)
Sport Promotion Award Nick Bez – Windsurfer Class Association of Australia (VIC)
Sport Professional Award Michael Robinson – Keppel Bay Sailing Club (QLD)
SheSails Award Mooloolaba Women’s Keelboat Regatta – Mooloolaba Yacht Club (QLD)
Sustainability Award Marine Environment Committee – Fremantle Sailing Club (WA)
President’s Award Sean Hogan (VIC)
About the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Manly
Meanwhile, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron is one of Queensland’s oldest and most prestigious sailing and cruising clubs. Since 1885, the organisation has supported sailing by training potential sailors on all levels.
The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron was Australia’s first sailing club to offer women membership in 1975, per past Commodore Bill Kirby.
“I well remember the late P/C John Hattrick meeting with P/C David Bowly and myself early in 1975 and telling us it simply wasn’t acceptable for the Squadron not to welcome Ladies into our midst and for them not to be able to take part in all facets of Club life. David was Vice Commodore at the time and I was the Rear.
“P/C John’s proposals were enthusiastically approved at a Special General Meeting of the Members and as they say, ‘The rest is history.'”
Soon after, the Ladies’ Committee raised money for the Snack Bar and held sailing classes for kids during scholl holidays. They also established the ArtArama, an arts and crafts festival that was popular in Manly for many years.
After 12 weeks of digital training, workers at the Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre have done their first documentation of the patients’ integrated electronic medical records (ieMR), allowing the facility to finally go live on the digital platform.
With the new ieMR, Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre would be able to access the patients’ records electronically, thus bridging any gaps in the delivery of their needed healthcare.
“Sometimes it can be difficult accessing our patients’ medical information as a small community site,” Nurse Unit Manager Eric Ford said. “Having immediate access to electronic patient medical records will now be a great support for when a patient presents at the facility.”
The ieMR has been customised for Wynnum-Manly Primary Care Centre patients and whilst it was not an easy transition, the workers have welcomed the changes.
Project Manager Karen Davies and the staff have been actively involved with the customisation, collaborating with the Project Team and Cerner, the software developers.
“It’s great to see Wynnum-Manly PCC join the clinical community of Digital Hospitals in Metro South Health and across the state,” Ms Davies said.
“Clinicians will have access to instant, real-time patient information from across Metro South, as well as from digital facilities around Queensland with each patient’s electronic record now travelling with them.
“That means no need to obtain charts from Medical Records and better collaboration between clinicians, and more linked-up care for patients.
“Clinicians also have access to early warning alerts in a medical emergency and improved patient safety with patients accurately identified through wristbands with unique barcodes.”
For more than 25 years, Bayside locals have been looking forward to the annual Manly Halloween Parade but the festival has been called off due to the pandemic restrictions in the last two years and it’s still the case for the third year, post-pandemic, as the organisers have chosen not to do the parade for 2022.
Former Manly Harbour Village president, David Farley, who has been the head organiser of the Halloween street party, said that they have decided since February to defer the parade as COVID-19 remains uncertain despite the loosening restrictions.
Photo Credit: Manly Harbour village/Facebook
Instead, Wynnum will be taking over and hosting their inaugural Ampol Wynnum Halloween Parade on 29 October 2022 along Bay Terrace. It is expected to be smaller than the Manly event, which attracted over 20,000 people during the 2019 Halloween party.
The Wynnum festivities, organised by Wynnum Commerce with the help of Council and local businesses, will likely have over 5,000 guests. The celebration will run from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be no fireworks as well but the group said it will still be a fun community event for the locals.
Here’s what the guests can look forward to at the Wynnum event
Market stalls are open from 4:00 p.m.
Yummy food from our local vendors & Food Trucks from 5:00 p.m.
Trick & Treat Trail in Wynnum Central from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Parade starts at 6:00 p.m. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to dress in costumes to win in the Best Dressed Competitions.
Street Entertainment from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Wynnum Commerce group said they have an agreement to host the Halloween party for the next three years.
Meanwhile, Mr Farley said that he doesn’t know if Manly will resume hosting a Halloween festival by 2023 or 2024.
Marlene Antonovich, a mum from Manly West, once experienced first-hand the life-saving care provided by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Recently, the RFDS held an aircraft simulator showcase at Woolworths Manly West, where she currently works, and the grateful mum is pleased and proud to share her experience with everyone,
Marlene had some complications and developed HELLP syndrome in the 34th week of her pregnancy. This life-threatening condition, which refers to Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets, is a variant of preeclampsia. This meant that mum and baby were at risk of losing their lives unless they get medical attention right away.
At that time, the mother was still living in the port city of Bunbury in Western Australia with no access to a neo-natal unit. However, RFDS was able to help with her transfer to a specialised facility in Perth, where she was able to safely deliver her daughter.
Photo Credit: Supplied
On the RFDS flight, Marlene feared for her baby’s life but was comforted by the experienced team on board. “The nurse was really reassuring, she said ‘it’s ok, it’s just the medication,’” Marlene said. “The nurse made eye contact during the flight which was really good – just a look was enough to say that I was going to be okay.”
Photo Credit: SuppliedPhoto Credit: Supplied
Today, Marlene’s daughter is all grown up and has been enjoying her life in Brisbane. She is also greatful that Woolsworth has initiated a fundraiser to support RFDS, as this will give families like Marlene’s better access to healthcare services across the country.
What is the RFDS?
The Royal Flying Doctor Service has been around for more than 90 years to help people in rural and remote areas. Reverend John Flynn established the initiative in 1928 to grow into the world’s largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisation.
RFDS provides 24-hour aeromedical emergency services that can reach anywhere, no matter how remote, within hours. They also offer telehealth consultations, fly-in fly-out GP and Nurse clinics, mobile dental services, patient transfers, and other health services.
The organisation has nearly 2,200 staff and volunteers. While RFDS receives government support, they also rely on private donations that go to purchasing and upgrading medical supplies and equipment, as well as maintenance and replacement of the air ambulance services.
In early June, the RFDS brought their flight simulator to Woolworths Manly West at the corner of Manly And Hargreaves roads as part of the donation drive.
Mercury Theatre Wynnum, which has been playing in the bay since the 1940s, is presenting “Steel Magnolias” featuring Toni Griffin, Darsha Hockings, Anwen Jones, Helen Haberland, and Liz Hull at the Manly-Lota RSL.
Beginning Friday, 3 June 2022, until Saturday, 18 June 2022, “Steel Magnolias” will play for six nights between 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
The show is set in the Chinquapin, a fictional location in Louisiana, and follows Truvy (Griffin), who owns a beauty parlor, and her female friends. The plot centres on the upcoming wedding of Shelby (Jones) who has Type 1 diabetes, and her relationship with her mother, M’Lynn (Hull). The story also revolves around Truvy’s relationships with the men in her life, Annelle’s (Hockings) transformation, and Ousier’s (Haberland) friendship with Claire.
“Steel Magnolias” is directed by Ric Medlin, who has been part of the Mercury Theatre Wynnum since his childhood. He received his Lifetime Membership in 2021.
Mercury Theatre was founded by Win Davson and Arnold Bennett-Edward Knoblock. It is a community-based (amateur) company run by volunteers that produce at least three shows a year.
The theatre also conducts an Improvisation for Acting class with Anne Pensalfini as the instructor.
Learn more about the theatre and its membership here. Follow their Facebook page.
