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Joey’s Prepares to Open at Kangaroo Point Cliffs Site with 120 Seats

The iconic Kangaroo Point cliffs site will soon be the home of a new restaurant after more than six months of inactivity. Joey’s will move in and welcome diners by October as builders complete the fit-out and finishing touches.

Joey’s will mainly serve modern Australian cuisine but there will also be wood-fired pizza choices on the menu. The venue boasts of 120-seats but the details of its safety procedures amid COVID-19 have yet to unveiled.

This cliff site’s new operator is the popular coffee roaster Bellissimo Coffee, which has four successful stores around Brisbane and Moreton Bay — Fortitude Valley, Bulimba, Coorparoo and Petrie.

The operator’s Coorparoo kitchen will be helping out the Kangaroo Points site once it starts receiving business.

Photo Credit: Bellissimo Coffee/Facebook

Bellissimo director Mark Bignell said that Joey’s opening has had delays due to consent requirements from the State Government. The company was able to secure the lease to the property on the 1st of May 2020, or three months after the lease expired in February.

Since then, however, the Kangaroo Point Cliffs site underwent maintenance works and building upgrades, under the direction of the Council, to prepare the site for the new operators.

Despite the challenges of opening a new restaurant in this pandemic crisis, a Council spokesperson said that people are looking forward to Joey’s opening.

The news comes as the Virzi family said that they might have avoided an undesirable situation after losing hold of the Kangaroo Point cliffs site’s lease in a surprising Council decision early this year. The Virzis ran Bar Spritz on this iconic venue for two years but they were informed that a new operator will be taking over.

Seven companies submitted their intent to operate at the venue but the Council awarded the tender to Bellissimo Coffee, as the company came highly recommended.

Protests Impact One Fish Two Fish Weekend Trading; Owners Told ‘Go After Council’

Kangaroo Point’s One Fish Two Fish has had irregular weekend tradings amid the protest rallies on Main Street. Owners Daniel and Amelia Miletic said that these rallies are affecting their sales when they also had to adjust their operations after 12 weeks of strict COVID-19 lockdown.

The Miletic couple said that whilst they understand the plight of asylum seekers, the activists’ rallies have not resolved anything since it started a few months ago. Instead, activists fighting against the “imprisonment” of asylum seekers in the CBD are blocking roads and causing anguish among residents and businesses.

One Fish Two Fish has had to close shop when there’s an on-going mass action for the safety of their diners and workers. The restaurant has only been in business since February 2019.

“One Fish Two Fish was built to provide a spot for feeding the family during the week and drinking like a fish on the weekend,” the restaurant said in a statement. “We pride ourselves on joyful interactions with fresh food & good booze and hospitality that makes you feel that you’ve entered our Queenslander home.”

“We don’t feel that whilst the protests – which have escalated week on week – are taking place on Main Street that we can provide our customers with an enjoyable experience and our staff with a safe workplace.”

Photo Credit: One Fish Two Fish/Facebook

Mr and Mrs Miletic are seeking compensation for their losses and emailed Greens councillor Jonathan Sri, who has been organising the protests. The restauranteurs asked Sri to communicate with them on the planned mass gatherings so that they could better address customers’ bookings and their trading hours ahead of time.

But the Gabba councillor suggested that they should “go after council or the police” for their grievances, confusing Mrs Miletic since he is part of the council. Mr Sri also posted a video following a rally on 19 July to imply that the police have chosen to keep Main St blocked despite the end of their protest.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Sri, Councillor for The Gabba/Facebook

Meanwhile, Mr Sri and his group were supposed to hold another rally around Story Bridge last 8 Aug 2020 but this was postponed to next weekend due to fears of potential violent action from the police. Later that night, the councillor posted that he was arrested and taken to court the next day.

“The police were seeking orders that I refrain from attending any protests on or around the Story Bridge and that I refrain from encouraging others to attend the protests,” Sri wrote. “The police have my landline number, mobile number and email address, and yet I hadn’t had any contact from them about this particular peaceful assembly until they woke me up at 1:00 a.m. last night.”

“The short notice of the hearing means that I didn’t have time to seek legal representation or even to review the court documents served on me, and it seems like a deliberate attempt to drag me in front of a judge without a lawyer. Given that today’s peaceful assembly had already been postponed, the police had no reason to take me to court this morning other than to tarnish my reputation and waste my time.”

Queen’s Wharf Development On Time and Budget; Visitor Centre Reopens

The $3.6 billion development of Queen’s Wharf is still on time and on budget amidst the pandemic crisis, its developer recently unveiled in a report to investors. The planned world-class leisure, entertainment and tourism site at the Brisbane CBD also reopened its visitor centre to the public on 6 July 2020.

Managed by the Destination Brisbane Consortium (DBC) for the Queensland Government, Queen’s Wharf completed its $1.6 billion financing requirements by the end of June 2020.

“Being able to complete the project financing, particularly in such challenging market conditions, is a fantastic milestone for DBC,’ Nicholas Adkins of Allens, the international commercial law firm, said in a press release.

“We are delighted to have been involved on such a landmark project for the consortium partners and the city of Brisbane and we are very keen to see the consortium’s vision come to life over the next few years as construction is completed.”

Construction of the Queen’s Wharf project started in January 2017 and it’s expected to be completed by 2023. Aside from the resort, hotel and casino facilities, the site will also include residential towers and commercial outlets.

Photo Credit: Queen’s Wharf Brisbane/Facebook

Meanwhile, those keen to check out what will be in store at Queen’s Wharf may drop by the visitor centre on George and Alice Streets. The area has a one-stop interactive section that will take visitors to the development process of the precinct.

Children on a school holiday may also enjoy the Sky Deck’s glass floor area. By 13 July 2020, Pulse Café will start serving meals and drinks to make visits more pleasurable.

See the Centennial LEGO Replica of Brisbane City Hall Now!

A magnificent LEGO replica of the Brisbane City Hall is currently on display at the foyer of the “People’s Place” to mark its 100th year.

The replica, designed by LEGO builder Ben Craig, has over 40,000 LEGO bricks. Mr Craig undertook this monumental project to recreate one of Queensland’s magnificent architectural sites at the request of the Museum of Brisbane.

The professional LEGO designer for The Brick Builder made sure to include all of the aspects and features of the iconic building, such as the copper dome, the clock tower and the viewing space. Also included in the LEGO build are heaps of representations reflecting the stories of some of the most interesting people who have worked at Brisbane City Hall since 1920.

Setting Brisbane City Hall’s Foundation in 1920

Construction of the Brisbane City Hall started in July 1920 in a swampy creekside by the King George Square, after several years of debates among the city officials.

Laying the foundation stone of the Brisbane City Hall
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Work on the building took 10 years to complete at the cost of nearly £1 million. Lord Mayor William Jolly officially opened the City Hall to the public in April 1930.

The building was designed by Bruce Dellit, Peter Kaad, Emil Sodersten and Noel Wilson of the Hall And Prentice architectural firm from New South Wales. At 20 floors, it was once the tallest building in Brisbane.

A treasured heritage-listed site, Brisbane City Hall is where people meet, discuss, converge, celebrate and learn. Among the famous people who have been to Brisbane City Hall were Queen Elizabeth II and The Rolling Stones.

Who Is Ben Craig?

Mr Craig broke the Guinness World Record for completing the largest, inhabitable LEGO Caravan using 288,000 bricks.

Photo Credit: The Brick Builder/Facebook

Mr Craig was featured as the Artist-in-Residence for the Brisbane Airport from 2017 to 2018. The artist conducts regular LEGO workshops for kids, students and adults, and does commission work.

Miranda Hine, the curator of the Museum of Brisbane, said that this is a chance for the public to explore some of the rooms and spaces that are often not open to the public.

The LEGO replica of the Brisbane City Hall will be on display until 30 July 2020.

Better Late Than Never! A Supermarket In Kangaroo Point After 177 Years

At 177 years old, Kangaroo Point may be among Queensland’s oldest suburbs but would you believe it has never had a proper supermarket? Well, it looks like things may soon change, if the Fabcot’s development application for a Kangaroo Point supermarket gets approved.

It’s looking like 2020 and 2021 will be banner years for this inner city suburb, should this development application for the construction of the Kangaroo Point’s first supermarket push through.

Photo Credit : PD Online / Cotter Parker

Located at 25 Ferry Street, the mixed-use project also includes a full retail podium with food and specialty stores, a mezzanine with offices and storage spaces for the supermarket, and residential apartments.

Citing promising potential in the area in their application to Council, Fabcot said that the supermarket will be the main driver behind the development/ The limited line supermarket will have a planned GFA of 1,742 sqm at the ground floor, offering goods in a retail environment that is positioned to be bigger than metro-style specialty shops, but stops just shy of full line size.

“A strong trading catchment has been identified within the local area, that is currently not serviced by a local supermarket. The establishment of a supermarket in this location will deliver additional choice and convenience for residents,” the developer said.

Interestingly, the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan also contemplates the establishment of a supermarket in the same location, l an anchor to the Town Centre.

What to Expect

Once built, residents can expect to see a residential tower with 62 apartments rising above a retail podium. Recreational and communal areas, an open lawn, a pool with lounge deck, an indoor gymnasium, and BBQ areas with seating pods are among the lifestyle amenities included in the design. Apartment units include a full, glazed wall facade in the main bedroom and wrap-around balconies in the living areas.

Concerns?

The project was submitted ahead of February 28, a date that’s particularly significant because that is when the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan takes effect. If submitted under the Plan, the site coverage limit would have been capped at only 40 percent.

The project has a site coverage of 83 percent, something that was made possible by its submission prior to the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan.

Likewise, residents and local stakeholders, led by Cr Sri, have pointed out that the proposed development did not meet the minimum requirement to plant trees on 10 percent of the site.

For details on the development application, check out the submissions on Brisbane City Council’s planning & development online at A005384910.

Have A Fantastic Seafood Feast This Easter With Kangaroo Point’s One Fish Two Fish

Traditionally, restaurants along Kangaroo Point would join together in celebrating the annual Easter weekend. Given the current coronavirus concerns, despite briefly closing, One Fish Two Fish will reopen their doors to customers for one day only, this Good Friday. Providing fresh quality seafood and wine, customers can also stock up by ordering online on their website, for pick up and delivery.

Daniel Miletic, head chef and owner, expressed his hope to share their annual tradition of seafood and wine with as many people over the Easter break, turning their Good Fridays into a ‘Great Friday’. By having pick-up and delivery options, having a Great Friday at One Fish Two Fish can be easily enjoyed by many from the comfort and safety of one’s home.

For their seafood options, Sydney rock oysters are available by the dozen or half-dozen at $4 each, along with peeled Queensland tiger prawns served with sriracha and lime aioli and lemon at $34 per half-kilo. A pairing of house-made tartare sauce can be added for the price of $2.

For wine to match with their fresh catch, One Fish Two Fish also offers bottles of Buoy Oh Bouy prosecco (VIC), Babo pinot grigio (ITA), and Bouchard Aîné & Fils rosé (FRA) for $35 with any order. A bottle of Lanson Père et Fils NV champagne is also available for $90.

Great Friday seafood and wine orders will only be accepted until 9 pm on Tuesday, April 7, via the One Fish Two Fish website. Pick-ups are preferred and available between 2 pm and 7 pm on Thursday, April 9. The delivery fee is at $15, or free for orders over $120.

Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan Now in Effect

The adopted amendments to the Brisbane City Plan 2014 that incorporates Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan has come into effect beginning 28 February.

The Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan, which covers the inner-city peninsula of Kangaroo Point, bounded by the Brisbane River, Mowbray Park, Shafston Avenue and the southern boundary of St Vincent’s Private Hospital, updates the 20-year old neighbourhood plan to meet the needs of the local community and guide the future development in the plan area.

Highlights of the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan include:

maintaining strong building height controls to preserve views to and from the Story Bridge
rezoning land under the Story Bridge from high-density residential to community purposes, promoting the creative use of space underneath the bridge
facilitating mixed-use development in focused areas along Main Street to promote new businesses and services
protecting two additional properties through the City Plan Heritage Overlay
protecting more trees through the City Plan Significant Landscape Tree Overlay.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

The neighbourhood planning for Kangaroo Point peninsula commenced in October 2016 with the first stage involving preparation of, and community consultation on, the draft renewal strategy.

The second stage, guided by the feedback received on the draft renewal strategy and those received through the Community Planning Team, involved the preparation and community consultation on the amendment package.

Community engagement on the amendment package ran from 5 October 2018 to 19 November 2018. The amendment was then updated after considering the feedback received on the amendment package.

Some of the neighbourhood plan outcomes include:

The neighbourhood plan boundary: the Brisbane River, Mowbray Park, Shafston Avenue and the southern boundary of St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane.
Precincts – five precincts in the neighbourhood plan area:
- Main Street precinct (NPP-001)
- Thornton Street precinct (NPP-002)
  - Bright Street A sub-precinct (NPP-002a)
  - Bright Street B sub-precinct (NPP-002b)
  - St Vincent sub-precinct (NPP-002c)
- Dockside precinct (NPP-003)
  - Dockside core sub-precinct (NPP-003a)
- Shafston precinct (NPP-004)
- Mowbray Park precinct (NPP-005).
Development intent
- Mixed-use zoning applied over part of the Main Street precinct
- Rezoning of land under the Story Bridge and Bradfield Highway from the High-density residential zone to the Community facilities zone
- Community facilities zoning applied to the St Vincent sub-precinct
- Council depot included in the Special purpose (Utility services) zone
Planning Scheme Overlay changes
Changes to the Transport, access, parking and servicing code

After the second review by the Queensland Government, the Brisbane City Council formally adopted the amendments to the Brisbane City Plan 2014 to include the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan at a meeting held on 19 November 2019.

Developer Lodges Plans For 10-storey Apartment Building In Kangaroo Point

Photo Credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

A residential tower with supermarket, office spaces, and retail tenancies will be built in Kangaroo Point should a development application lodged with Brisbane City Council be approved.

The Cottee Parker designed building will contain 62 dwellings: 34 two-bedroom apartments and 28 three-bedroom apartments. The residential building will have a total gross floor area of 9,619 sqm and maximum height of 10 storeys.

Photo Credit: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

In addition to apartment units, it will house communal amenities and recreation space like a gym, two barbecue areas, seating pod, open lawn area, and pool and decking area. The subject site is located in a high density residential zone at 23-31 Ferry Street and 16-30 Prospect Street, Kangaroo Point.

Residents living nearby lodged their appeal regarding the proposed tower. Concerns included that it will create increased congestion of surrounding on-street parking and will be incompatible with the nearby low level apartments of Dockside and Deakin St.

With regard to its height, Urbis stated on behalf of the applicant that it has been designed to accord with the height contemplated on this site under the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan. The applicant said there is a need for a supermarket in this location, in an otherwise underserviced catchment.

As the report added: “The establishment of a supermarket in this location will deliver additional choice and convenience for residents. The Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan also contemplates the establishment of a supermarket in this location, as an anchor to the Town Centre.”

“Development ensures building size and bulk are consistent with the high density of the locality and retain an appropriate residential scale and relationship with other buildings on the city skyline,” the application noted.

The applicant is Fabcot Pty Ltd, Woolworths’ own in-house Corporate Property division. For more information about the proposed development, see DA-A005384910.

Popular Sunshine Coast Eatery Is Coming To Brisbane For One Day

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to try the food of one of Sunshine Coast’s popular eateries. Sum Yung Guys, famous for its modern South Asian fare, is popping up in Kangaroo Point for one day only. Chef Matt Sinclair will be working with Chef Daniel Miletic for an unforgettable feast of delicious seafood as part of the Red Fish Blue Fish collaboration series.

Red Fish Blue Fish was hatched by Miletic of One Fish Two Fish, Kangaroo Point’s seafood restaurant off Main Street. This special event brings well-known chefs from all over Brisbane to create a one-off banquet together with Miletic.

Previous Red Fish Blue Fish collaborations featured chefs Ben Williamson of the soon-to-open 22 Agnes restaurant, Philip Johnson of E’cco Bistro, and Georgia Barnes, a Masterchef alum.

This collaboration happening on Saturday, the 22nd of February 2020, at One Fish Two Fish, will have two sitting schedules from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The chefs will prepare the following menu for guests who have pre-reserved their seats.

Sum Yung Guys was established by four friends after years of travelling around Asia. The restaurant, located almost two hours away from Kangaroo Point, serves food meant to be shared with friends and family. The menu is massively influenced by Southeast Asia.

One Fish Two Fish is also all about family or group dining. This seafood place, which operates daily from lunch to dinner, is for chilling and relaxing as a fully-licensed bar. Phone (07) 3391 7680 for bookings and enquiries.

BrisAsia Festival Wraps Up Summer with an Amazing Dance Party

Say goodbye to summer with an amazing dance party featuring the colours and music of Asian pop culture. As part of the month-long BrisAsia Festival this February, Utopia Entertainment Brisbane, in collaboration with the Brisbane City Council, is turning Reddacliff Place as the premier venue for this year’s Summer Party.

Taking place on Saturday, the 22nd of February 2020, the BrisAsia Festival Summer Party will clock in from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Experience non-stop entertainment and witness impressive dance battles featuring various K-Pop, J-Pop and C-Pop and dance crews.

Street Groove, the Hip Hop and Urban Dance Society from the University of Queensland, is also preparing a special treat for the Summer Party guests. They will be performing anime-inspired entertainment featuring Naruto and Demonslayer.

*Photo Credit: Utopia Entertainment Brisbane/Facebook*

Gastronomic delights highlighting Asian fares to satisfy your cravings will also be prepared by heaps of food stalls. There will be a crafts market, a cosplay showcase, and lots of games where guests could win fabulous prizes.

The Summer Party is open to all ages. This event is free for all but you’ll need to register for the tickets.