Learning from High in the Sky

Brisbane’s first high-rise childcare centre has opened in the city, where lawyers and children can co-exist alongside each other.

 

The Little Scholars School of Early Learning occupies the second floor of a 34-floor building; it offers preschooler activities from yoga and dance classes to visits from hairdressers and dentists.

 

Urban planning academic, Tony Matthews, says high-rise daycare centres and schools are on the rise due to a shortage of available urban land.

 

End of the Eagle Era

One of Brisbane's most popular markets, for almost a decade, has decided to shut down on the 28th of October this month.

 

The Market, which began in 2010 became a sunday tradition for the people of Ascot—providing the area with fresh fruit, vegetables, live music and exposure for charity and community groups.

 

With the last market being on the 28th of this month, this marks the end of ‘the Eagle Farm Era’.

Earthquake rocks the boat

Pupua New Guinea authorities are trying to work out whether a earthquake which hit New Britain caused a Tsunami in the region.

 

Cities within the region are still questioning whether damage has been caused, however many cities have reported no significant damage or casualties.

 

Seismic (Sizemic) Activity such as this is not uncommon in the region, as it sits above active tectonic plates which are the cause of earthquakes worldwide.

Wind Turbine’s noise may be threat to our health

Wind turbines can cause health issues if someone is exposed to their excessive noise levels, according to new guidelines for Europe that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has published.

 

These guidelines suggest exposure to wind turbines should not exceed 45 decibels during the day. For a comparison, soft music has 50 decibels.

 

WHO Europe chief, Zsuzsanna Jakab, says more than being a nuisance, excessive noise is a health risk that can contribute to cardiovascular diseases for example.

Abortion Activists seek to Abort South Australia’s Abortion laws

The South Australian Abortion Action Coalition is pushing to repeal South Australia’s abortion laws, lobbying for state parliaments to remove abortion from the state’s crime act.

The coalition wrote to politicians last month, after securing support from over 20 professional and community organisations. The group wants abortion to be covered under the state's health laws and to introduce laws mandating a safety zone around abortion clinics.

Nemo under Threat

Queensland’s $261 million water quality program is failing to protect the Great Barrier Reef from Fertiliser runoff.

 

The reason for this risk, to the world's great wonder, is the excessive use of chemicals (particularly nitrogen and phosphorous) on their properties, which has been banned by the QLD government, however no one has ever been prosecuted for doing so.

 

Adani back at it again with the black coal

Adani has been granted permission to increase its North Queensland coal exports by 20 percent, which means approximately 60 million tonnes of the resource could be transferred through its Abbot Point terminal every year.

 

This approval comes one month after the State Government announced it will take the mining company to court for the alleged illegal release of coal-laden water near the Great Barrier Reef.

 

Oxley Creek Parkland Plans Pottering Along

The $100 million project to transform Oxley Creek into a 20km parkland is beginning to take shape on paper, with a bird sanctuary, adventure park and shaded walking paths identified in the master plan.

 

The Brisbane City Council announced the plan in December 2016 and the final master plan will be presented to the council chamber on Tuesday.