Apart from Hamilton and Sherwood, Elanora, Stafford, Victoria Point and the Burpengary business centre will also close, whilst branches in Beenleigh and West End will shut down in October. These branches comprise 16 percent of the bank’s network across the country.
Suncorp has been closing offices since April, when strict COVID-19 restrictions were set in place.
Photo Credit: Suncorp/Facebook
The bank revealed that over-the-counter transactions have declined due to the pandemic. Most of their clients have switched to digital services and have been logging into the app or website instead of going to physical branches.
Suncorp’s app apparently has 10.78 million logins and over 517,000 unique users as of June 30. Usage also accelerated to four times the average early this year, just as the pandemic crisis started.
Several Suncorp staff are expected to lose their jobs but other qualified and suitable workers will be re-assigned at nearby branches or at the call centres.
Suncorp chief executive is Steve Johnston said that they expect more changes, especially with workers’ status, as the bank adopts the new model to respond to COVID-19.
Wendy Streets of the Finance Sector Union of Australia Queensland, however, said that Suncorp’s drastic measures to close branches have been going on for two years. Customers have had no branch services prior to the pandemic but the company attributed the closures to “changing customer behaviours.”
2020 has been met with a mixed bag of emotions by almost everyone so perhaps a dose of feel-good movies, like Disney classics, might help things seem brighter. For a whole month beginning 17 Sept 2020, a Disney+ drive-in cinema featuring popular movies — including Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar — is popping up at the Northshore Riverfront in Hamilton.
Presented by OpenAir Cinemas, the movies you grew up on or repeatedly enjoyed with families and friends will be beamed on the big screen and you can watch it safely inside your vehicle. Here’s your chance to relive the magic of Disney despite the limitations due to the pandemic.
The drive-in cinema will run until 18 Oct 2020. This event coincides with the launch of the Disney+ streaming service in Australia by November.
Here are just some of the films you can expect to watch at the pop-up drive-in theater:
10 Things I Hate About You
101 Dalmatians (Animated)
Aladdin (Animated)
Aladdin (Live Action) w/ captions
Beauty and the Beast (Animated)
Beauty and the Beast (Live Action)
Black Panther
Captain Marvel
Cars
Cool Runnings
Edward Scissorhands
Finding Nemo
Frozen II Sing-Along
Frozen Sing-Along
Guardians of the Galaxy
Hocus Pocus
Inside Out
Lady and the Tramp (Animated)
Moana Sing-Along
Monsters Inc
Mrs Doubtfire
Ratatouille
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
The Greatest Showman Sing-Along
The Incredibles
The Jungle Book (Animated)
The Jungle Book (Live Action)
The Lion King (Animated)
The Lion King (Live Action) w/ captions
The Little Mermaid Sing-Along
The Mighty Ducks
The Princess Diaries
Thor Ragnarok
Toy Story
Up
Wall-e
OpenAir Cinemas will set up state-of-the-art audio-visual technology to enhance your viewing experience. Operations at the drive-in theater are fully contactless with a QR code system for ordering and customer service.
Check the dates and times of the viewing and book a ticket online. Take note of the movie theme nights to scale down your choices: Marvel Mondays, Star Wars Wednesdays, Throwback Thursdays, Fan Friday, Sing-a-long Saturdays and Pixar Sundays.
Does eating cheese feel like you’re being rewarded and comforted? Experts say that there’s a science behind the irresistibility of ooey-gooey, melty, salty and tangy cheese, which has been proven to boost the happy hormones. If you’re cheese-obsessed, you might want to drop by Portside Wharf as it’s celebrating its annual Cheese Week this March. Here are three reasons why you’ve got to be there.
1. It’s an 8-Day celebration!
This is not just going to be a one-day pop-up event. Cheese Week is taking place from the 13th to the 20th of March 2020, so you have plenty of time not to miss out on the good deals and exciting activities.
Over a dozen bars and restaurants at the Portside Wharf will be offering discounted deals and special meals with cheese on the menu. For instance, IGA is slashing off 20 percent from its Sprout & Kernel Vegan Cheese range. Byblos Bar has a Cheesy Platter for two for $25. The platter includes yummy pumpkin kebbi, rekakat, goats cheese balls, halloumi and sauces.
Cheese platters, cheese pizzas, cheesy nachos, cheese naan or cheesecake — there are heaps of choices from these eateries:
Photo Credit: Portside Wharf
3. There’s some cheesy events, too!
Samantha and Lisa of @Mr & Mrs Jones are hosting a Wine and Cheese pairing experience. They’ll guide and explain which cheese goes perfectly well with which wine so you’d be a pro in a short time.
This event is on Wednesday, the 18th of March, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Booking is required online.
Photo Credit: Portside Wharf/Facebook
On the same day, Sense of Taste is hosting a Beer Meats Cheese event featuring Bentspoke Brewery beers and Le Fromage Yard cheeses, as well as some cured meats. It happens from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and online booking is a must as well.
Portside Wharf opens at 7:00 a.m. Check with your favourite retailer for its specific trading hours.
The much-awaited completion of Bretts Wharf Plaza is finally done. The new multi-function park area and public event space officially opened at the end of November 2019 with a special celebration attended by locals and VIPs.
As part of the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade, Bretts Wharf Plaza will connect to the Racecourse Road entertainment precinct, Hamilton Park, and the Lores Bonney Riverwalk. The latter is a modern heritage trail that tells the history of the precinct.
Bretts Wharf Plaza, located just a few metres off the new Brett Wharf terminal built last 2015, will also link with the Portside and Northshore Hamilton.
“The opening of Bretts Wharf Plaza and a new park area is an exciting milestone for the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade, adding to the already opened Lores Bonney Riverwalk and paying tribute to our past with a new heritage trail exploring the history of the local area,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said during the opening ceremonies.
The park may now be enjoyed by locals who would like to take advantage of the spacious green area.
Photo Credit: Cr David McLachlan/Facebook
Photo Credit: Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner/Facebook
Bretts Wharf was established in 1928 to ferry locals from Hamilton to Bulimba. During the Pacific War, the facility was exclusively used by the U.S. Army to load and ship equipment. After the war, the wharf was also used by commercial shippers until 1993.
In late 1998, Bretts Wharf ceased ferry operations until it was restored and re-opened in 2007. In 2011, the wharf had minor damages due to the catastrophic Brisbane floods and required extensive repairs.
In 2015, the original wharf was completely demolished and was replaced by a new structure 200 metres east of its original location near Kingsford Smith Drive.
Christmas is in full swing in Hamilton as the Portside Wharf unleashes the joy of the Yuletide season with some fun and festive activities for every member of the family. This year, here are what you can expect to see at The Wharf in the days leading up to Christmas.
Christmas Carolers and Elves
Hark! The herald angels will be singing joyful Christmas carols at the Portside Wharf for two weekends. Stop by to listen to the young carolers whilst the Christmas elves hand out sweet candy canes.
Dendy Cinemas Portside is running Disney’s “Frozen 2” this Christmas season. To supplement this “Frozen” fever, Portside Wharf will host craft activities bearing the movie’s theme from Saturday to Tuesday, the 14th to 17th of Dec 2019.
This FREE Christmas Frozen event will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and kids will learn to make their own snowflake Christmas tree decorations and snow stencil Christmas cards. Stay a while longer and get a chance to meet Elsa of Arendelle.
Photo Credit: Portside Wharf/Facebook
Christmas Feast
Tired of preparing food for Christmas day? Then leave the preparations to the masters so you won’t have to dampen your holiday mood. Relax and celebrate at these Portside Wharf eateries.
Christmas Day Lunch Special Three-Course Set Menu $125 per person
Photo Credit: Portside Wharf/Facebook
Photo Credit: Portside Wharf/Facebook
For a superb Christmas party to remember, these restaurants at the Portside Wharf are open for hosting holiday functions and group events. Inquire about their food packages or take advantage of the group rates and discounted deals:
One of Brisbane’s shopping and lifestyle landmarks, Portside Wharf is a family-friendly precinct with high-end retailers and top restaurants. Whilst enjoying this year’s Christmas activities, you may also visit this hub to complete your Christmas shopping list.
Did you know that Hamilton Hotel, eponymously named after the prominent Hamilton family, became one of the earliest reference points in the area after they established it in 1865 and was instrumental in the naming of the suburb?
In 1865, solicitor Gustav Hamilton had his wooden homestead constructed, on the same site where the current hotel stands, as a meeting place for horse racing identities. Eventually, the Hamilton Hotel became the reference point of the district.
There weren’t a lot of buildings in the area during those days, thus the Hamilton Hotel stood out.
Mr Hamilton’s family was originally from Toowomba, according to a 1906 report. He and his family, however, would often visit the areas in the north bank of the Brisbane River thus he had this building made.
The white building at the back was Hamilton Hotel, circa 1912. Photo Credit: Lost Brisbane/Facebook
Coincidentally, one of the first lessees of the Hamilton Hotel, a Mrs Warren, was also married to another Mr Hamilton. Since most of the occupants of the hotel came from different Hamilton family branches, the family name gradually became the name of the whole district.
As the town progressed, aristocrats and clergy would call Hamilton their home. The suburb became well-known for its wealthy residents.
Gustav would eventually sell Hamilton Hotel after deciding to retire in Toowomba. A man named Sam Hamilton bought the place and capitalised on the hotel’s good name.
The Hamilton Hotel would change owners a few more times. Its previous operators were J.R. Ahern and his wife, and E.J. Stewart of the Stewart Hotels.
In the 1960s, the new owners, Castlemaine Perkins Ltd under a Mr and Mrs A. Cox, rebuilt the hotel into a modern two-storey building with a parking facility to accommodate 225 cars, the largest in any hotel in Queensland at that time.
The newly-renovated hotel had a private bar fronting Racecourse Road, which could accommodate 200 guests, along with a public bar fronting Kingsford Smith Drive, which could have 400 guests.
Hamilton Hotel also had eight cold rooms at the back and an additional three rooms with walls that can be dismantled for other uses. This made it easier for the hotel staff to serve bar guests refreshing drinks and good food.
All the self-contained rooms on the second floor, on the other hand, had their own toilet and bath, Hallstrom refrigerator, television, and telephone. There was also a built-in table in each room so that traveling businessmen can make their quarters their temporary office.
In the 1970s, Hamilton Hotel once again underwent renovations to include the Pioneer Grill Room, the Tally Ho Bar and the River Rooms fine dining area. Here, business seminars, birthday parties, and wedding celebrations were accommodated.
In 2015, Hamilton Hotel celebrated its 150th birthday. Today, the hotel remains popular for locals and tourists. It has kept with the times as a trendy venue offering four bars, a bistro, a restaurant, a child and gaming facility, and a couple of function rooms for elegant parties.
Did you know that Hamilton has consistently been amongst the priciest suburbs in Brisbane for 2018? In fact, it is currently one of the top 10 most expensive suburbs in Queensland.
Brisbane’s property market is looking bright this year. In fact, experts say that it may even be better than the residential market of Melbourne and Sydney.
Despite the challenges in Brisbane’s property market including oversupply and decline in unit prices, the growth of job opportunities in the area helps in boosting property demands.
Hamilton’s Steady Growth
Since the second quarter of 2018, Hamilton’s property market has been promising. The suburb even reached the median house price of $1,442,000, a huge 32.9% increase in a 12-month period.
This notable increase in house prices has made Hamilton the top performer in Brisbane LGA and fifth in Queensland in early 2018. The suburb now also has the distinction of being the most expensive suburb on the list of QLD best performers.
By the third quarter of 2018, Hamilton was still amongst the highest valued Brisbane suburbs as the region achieves an annual median house price increase of 2.3 percent.
Brisbane was able to set a new record high of $675,000, according to the September quarter of the REIQ Queensland Market Monitor report. This is mainly due to several of its suburbs hitting the $1-million annual median sale, including Hamilton.
Furthermore, Hamilton’s current median house price of $1,302,500 makes it the eighth priciest suburb across Queensland.
Interestingly, the latest property market data also revealed Ascot as the most expensive suburb across the state. The northern suburb ends the longtime dominance of the inner-city suburb, Teneriffe.
Following is the complete list of the suburbs that made to the top of the list:
Upgrade construction is underway on Kingsford Smith Drive in Hamilton and three streets will have to close in the process.
Brisbane City Council is spending $650 million for the upgrades which involve road and marine works to reduce traffic congestion, boost safety, and create a new entry statement to the city.
The Kingsford Smith Drive is a major road that links the CBD to the Brisbane Airport, Port of Brisbane, Northshore Hamilton, and the Australia TradeCoast area.
Road Closure Schedule:
As part of the construction, several roads in Hamilton will be closed for a period of time.
18 July
Oxford Street – closed for up to two months
23 July
Riverview Terrace – closed for up to eight months
29 July
Day Street – closed for up to five weeks
The upgrades specifically involve:
Road widening from four to six lanes between Theodore Street at Eagle Farm and Cooksley Street in Hamilton
Improvement works on Cookley Street and Breakfast Creek Road in Albion
Improvements on pedestrian and cycle facilities
Upgrades on public transport included indented bus stops
The most significant upgrade is making an entry statement to the city and the design includes:
tree-lined boulevard
new RiverWalk and segregated cycle path with dedicated rest areas
new urban plaza and parkland at Bretts Wharf
rejuvenated Cameron Rocks Reserve including a new lawn that highlights the heritage-listed war memorial
continuous footpaths on both sides of the road
On-road cycle lands between Theodore Street and Harbour Road
Councillor David McLachlan is asking the local community for their patience and provides assurance that the project will deliver great outcomes.
You can visit the Visitor Centre at 605 Kingsford Smith Drive for more project information and to see the 3D project models and fly-throughs. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
On 14 July, catch Brisbane’s creators at Vieille Branche from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Midwinter Market. Step into their creative space in Albion and marvel at their unique creations.
20 Established designers will showcase their wares. You will get to see a cast of regulars as well as new makers at the event. Below are some of them.
Beautiful handmade jewellery created by artist Jade Solien, her works were brought to life by her need to bring balance and self-care into her life. This creative outlet has brought on plenty of unique creations that were inspired by many cultures that she has encountered and inheriting the same creative qualities from her mum, who is also a jewellery designer. Distinct bold patterns, colour, and the use of natural materials such as a black coral puts a trademark to her creations.
The best way to care for urban bees is to let them have the freedom, and that is the mission of Bee Caring. They are dedicated to share their knowledge through their urban apiary management and they also spread awareness of the importance of bees especially in the growing urban environment.
Brown’s is dedicated in supporting local creatives and selling ethically-made products. They offer a wide range of products from baby stuff to wood ware.
Owned by Grace Cunningham, her candles are made from 100% organic materials. They offer candles as well as fragrance oils.
Other creatives who will showcase their designs are Alice Nightingale, known for their handmade clothes, Shannon Garson Porcelain, handmade leather goods from Blue & Grace, Meta Design Co, Ukiyo Boutique that is popular from the use of plant-derived fabrics for their handmade clothes, Smashed Media on Paper, Corner Block Studio, and make up and skin care from Dunkle Authentic.
Resident tenants of the Vieille Branche will also be there such as LJC Designs who are known for their clothing items, Botanick for their plants and other garden design, Emile and Solange for boutique fromageria, and Far Container for handmade objects.
Looking for things to do for kids on winter school holidays might be challenging for some especially when you have a limited budget. Luckily, the Hamilton Library has whipped up several activities and workshops to keep the children entertained during the school holidays.
Check out the list below and see if your little ones will be interested in any of the following free library event for the winter school holidays.
Family Code Club with Sphero
Saturday, 30 June 2018 (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Thursday, 5 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC-BY/Derek Hatfield/Flickr
A BNEtechkids workshop dedicated to families interested in coding, this workshop will teach you the basic robotic and coding using Sphero robots.
This fun and interactive session will teach families how to program robots to navigate an obstacle course. The workshop is ideal for children aged 5-12 years and their carers.
Bookings required. Call Hamilton Library on 07 3403 1050 to reserve your place.
Maker Space
Multiple dates
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain / PxHere
Let your child’s creative juices flow in this free session for kids aged 2-10 years and their carers. Activities include block building, free art, and craft activities.
Bookings not required. The Maker Space will run from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:
Saturday, 30 June 2018
Wednesday, 4 July 2018
Saturday, 7 July 2018
Wednesday, 11 July 2018
Family Code Club with ScratchJr
Tuesday, 3 July 2018 (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC-BY/Wesley Fryer/Flickr
Another BNEtechkids workshop for families, you can learn the basics of coding with the use of an iPad.
This fun and interactive session will show you how to create a simple animated game about gravity on the moon using ScratchJr for iPad.
Don’t forget to bring your own iPad and Apple ID account details. This workshop is ideal for children aged 5-12 years and their carers.
Bookings required. Call Hamilton Library on 07 3403 1050 to reserve your place.
Board Game Fun
Fridays, 6 and 13 July 2018 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain / PxHere
Drop by the Hamilton Library and have fun while playing board games. Team up with your family and friends or enjoy playing with new game partners.
This activity is open to all ages and bookings not required.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Storytime
Tuesday, 10 July 2018 (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC-BY/bobcat rock/Flickr
Celebrate Eric Carle’s birthday with a special The Very Hungry Caterpillar storytime. This event is ideal for children aged 2-6 years.
Bookings required. Call Hamilton Library on 07 3403 1050 to reserve your place.
Wild Things
Thursday, 12 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: CC-BY/Jill Brown/Flickr
Whether you’ve been sent to bed without your dinner or are a wild thing, this wild rumpus is for you.
Join the Hamilton Library for activities, stories, and games that celebrate Maurice Sendak’s book Where the Wild Things Are.
This event is ideal for children aged 3-7 years. Bookings required. Call Hamilton Library on 07 3403 1050 to reserve your place.
YA Book Chat
Saturday, 14 July 2018 (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Photo credit: Ginny/Wikimedia Commons
For teens who love to read, this monthly event is for you. Join the YA Book Chat every second Saturday of each month to share your favourite books, activities, and good times.
This book club is ideal for high school students. Bookings not required.
