Sandgate Archives - Page 2 of 3

Community Campaign Sets Out Long-term Vision for Sandgate CBD

A new campaign outlining a long-term vision for Sandgate’s town centre has been unveiled, as planning discussions for the bayside suburb’s future begin to take shape.

The Sandgate Bayside Chamber of Commerce has launched Activate! Sandgate!, a community-led initiative aimed at revitalising the CBD while preserving the character that defines the area. The campaign proposes a combination of public space upgrades and potential development opportunities, with a focus on balancing growth alongside heritage considerations.

The initiative is intended to help position Sandgate for future population growth while maintaining its established identity, with an emphasis on ensuring local priorities are reflected in long-term planning.

Visualisation concept for conversation of what could be possible for the Einbunpin Lagoon area
Photo Credit: Activate Sandgate

Focus on public spaces, density and connectivity

Key elements of the vision include upgrades to Einbunpin Lagoon and surrounding parklands, which have been identified as an underutilised asset with potential to become a stronger destination within the suburb.

The proposal also points to increased residential and mixed-use density within and around the village precinct and near the rail station, while maintaining protections for established low-density neighbourhoods.

Improving pedestrian connectivity is another central component, with plans for a continuous walking loop linking the village centre to the foreshore. The concept includes diverting through-traffic to create a safer and more accessible environment for pedestrians.

More broadly, the campaign highlights opportunities to support local businesses, attract investment, and expand housing and employment options within the area.

The campaign comes as Brisbane City Council prepares to consult on Sandgate’s future as part of its Suburban Renewal Precinct program, which focuses on shaping more connected and liveable suburban centres. Formal consultation is expected to begin in mid-2026.

CBD area map and key ingredients for consideration
Photo Credit: Activate Sandgate

Early push for community input

Encouraging early feedback from residents, businesses and stakeholders is a central component of the campaign, with the Chamber aiming to ensure local views are clearly represented ahead of the Council’s consultation process.

The proposal has already prompted discussion within the community. While some see potential in upgraded public spaces and increased economic activity, others have raised concerns about the impact on Sandgate’s environment and village-style character.

Further opportunities for input are expected in the coming months, as planning discussions continue around how best to balance growth with the suburb’s long-standing identity.

Featured Image Credit: Sandgate Bayside Chamber of Commerce/Facebook

Published 10-April-2026

Brighton Foreshore Parklands Upgrade to Begin This Month

Construction on the next stage of the Brighton Foreshore Parklands project is set to begin in April, bringing new accessible paths, picnic areas, a beach access ramp and a new amenities block to two of the foreshore’s most visited recreation spots.

Works at the 12th and 19th Avenue recreation areas along Flinders Parade will run through to December 2026, weather and site conditions permitting. The project is funded through the Priority Community Infrastructure Program and has been shaped by more than three years of community consultation.

What the Upgrade Delivers

The 12th and 19th Avenue works cover a substantial scope. New accessible paths will improve movement through and access to the foreshore, while a beach access ramp gives residents a dedicated route down to the water’s edge. Shaded picnic areas and BBQs replace older or absent facilities, and new seating, bike racks and drinking fountains round out the practical improvements.

Foreshore parklands upgrade — Photo Credit: BCC

At 19th Avenue specifically, a new amenities block including an accessible toilet will be constructed, addressing a gap that has long been felt along this stretch of the foreshore. Tree planting, landscaping and interpretive information signs will also form part of both sites, reinforcing the natural and historical character of the parklands rather than working against it.

Earlier works completed in January 2026 delivered three new picnic settings and trial landscape treatments designed to inform how erosion is managed along the foreshore going forward.

A Foreshore with Deep Community Roots

The Brighton foreshore sits within the broader Bramble Bay Foreshores, a continuous strip of publicly accessible parkland stretching more than seven kilometres from Cabbage Tree Creek through Shorncliffe, Sandgate and Brighton to the Houghton Highway. The foreshores carry significant heritage value, with features including the porphyry sea walls, Sandgate Pier and Baxter’s Jetty tracing the area’s evolution from a premier nineteenth century seaside resort to the bayside community it is today.

Brighton itself developed as part of that coastal corridor, taking its name from the Brighton Hotel on Beaconsfield Terrace, believed to have been built in the early colonial era. The suburb sits at the northern end of Brisbane, bounded by the Pine River and Bramble Bay, with Flinders Parade, formerly known as Brighton Esplanade, forming the spine of the foreshore precinct. Walking, cycling and gathering along that esplanade has been central to how the community uses the area for generations.

The concept plan guiding the current upgrade project was developed across multiple rounds of community engagement, beginning in February 2023 when residents were invited to share ideas for improvements. A draft concept plan followed in late 2023, with the final plan released in December 2024. The process was designed to ensure the upgrade reflected what residents actually wanted: improved amenities without sacrificing the relaxed, natural character that makes the foreshore what it is.

A Better Everyday Experience Along the Foreshore

For Brighton and Sandgate residents, the foreshore is not a destination so much as an extension of daily life. Families, dog walkers, cyclists and swimmers use Flinders Parade and the surrounding parklands throughout the week, and the ageing infrastructure in parts of the foreshore has been a friction point for some time.

The accessibility improvements in particular extend the foreshore’s usefulness to residents who currently find sections difficult to navigate, whether that is due to mobility constraints, the absence of a direct beach access point, or simply a lack of shade and seating on warm days. The new amenities block at 19th Avenue addresses one of the most consistently raised issues in community feedback about this stretch of the parklands.

Getting Involved and Staying Informed

Construction at the 12th and 19th Avenue recreation areas starts this month and runs until December 2026. Residents wanting to follow the project’s progress or ask questions about construction timing and access can contact the project team on 07 3178 5413, Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Email enquiries can be directed to parks@brisbane.qld.gov.au. The final concept plan and project documents are available here.

Published 02-April-2026

Featured Image Credit: BCC

Sandgate Foreshores Park Among Brisbane’s Busiest Food Truck Destinations

Sandgate Foreshores Park has emerged as one of Brisbane’s most popular food truck destinations, recording 142 bookings since the city’s revamped Food Trucks and Coffee Carts in Parks program launched in July 2025, bringing a steady stream of vendors and fresh dining options to the foreshore.

The program has expanded the number of approved trading sites across Brisbane from 13 to 98 in just eight months, with nearly 2,900 vendor bookings and more than 17,000 hours of trade logged city-wide. Sandgate Foreshores Park ranks among the top five most-booked locations in the entire city, sitting alongside Wynnum Wading Pool, Elanora Park in Wynnum, Les Atkinson Park in Sunnybank and Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park as the program’s busiest sites.

Sixty-four vendors have signed up to the program since its July launch, operating across parks and drive-up sites on roads managed by the city authority. The Brisbane Food Trucks website, which includes an interactive map and food-type search function, allows residents to see which trucks are trading on any given day.

How the Program Works

The program operates on a three-tier fee structure. Vendors pay an annual licence fee of $450, $1,650 or $2,200 depending on the tier they choose, with higher tiers unlocking access to better-positioned and more in-demand trading sites. All vendors also pay a $160 annual application fee. A new online portal allows traders to book sites up to six weeks in advance, and multiple vendors can trade at the same high-demand location on the same day.

Food trucks — Photo Credit: Toasty Grinds/Facebook

The system replaced an earlier Parks Activation program that operated with far fewer approved sites. Under the previous arrangement, vendors could secure longer-term permits at fixed locations, giving regular customers a consistent and predictable place to find their favourite truck. The new model prioritises flexibility and broader access across the city but has drawn mixed responses from the vendor community.

Vendors Divided on the New System

While some operators have welcomed the expanded network, others have raised concerns about the practical impact of the changes on their businesses. A coffee cart operator who trades at Minnippi Parklands in Carina found the new system incompatible with a repeat-customer model, noting that the booking structure limited him to trading once a week for three hours at a time, down from six days a week under the previous arrangement. After raising the issue directly, he was permitted to continue under the earlier programme.

Another vendor who joined on the entry-level $450 tier found that the sites available at that price point were too quiet to generate viable trade, reporting just one sale during an entire three-hour session at one location. He later received a pro-rata refund on his licence. A recurring concern among vendors has been the lack of booking security at popular spots. Because any eligible vendor can book an available site, regulars who build a customer base at a particular location have no guarantee they can return to it.

Vendors have also flagged a gap in the website’s functionality. The current platform shows only which trucks are trading on a given day rather than a full directory of all participating vendors, as the previous system did. The city authority has indicated it is working to add a complete vendor listing to the site.

What This Means for Sandgate Residents

For Sandgate residents, the food truck boom at Foreshores Park represents an increase in dining options to everyday life by the water. The foreshore has long been a gathering place for families, dog walkers, morning joggers and weekend picnickers, and the regular presence of food trucks adds a layer of spontaneous hospitality that the suburb has not always had on its doorstep. Rather than packing a picnic or driving to a cafe, residents can now find freshly made food and coffee waiting for them at the park on a regular basis.

The volume of bookings, 142 since July, also signals that vendors see Sandgate as commercially worthwhile, which bodes well for the consistency and variety of what turns up at the foreshore over time. As the program matures and the city authority works through the teething issues raised by vendors, Sandgate stands to benefit further, particularly if the booking security concerns are addressed and more operators feel confident committing to the location regularly.

Residents can check which food trucks are currently trading at Sandgate Foreshores Park and other locations across Brisbane at bnefoodtrucks.com.au or by searching “Brisbane Food Trucks and Coffee Carts” at brisbane.qld.gov.au.

Published 15-March-2026.

Featured Image Credit: Google Maps

WNBA Superstar Angel Reese Invests as Brisbane Bullets Seek WNBL Licence, Boondall Arena on the Card

The Brisbane Bullets have secured WNBA superstar Angel Reese as an investor in their bid to bring a women’s WNBL franchise to Brisbane, with the announcement landing on the same day the club confirmed former Sydney Kings head coach Will Weaver as president of basketball operations and head coach.

Reese, 23, joins Bullets owners Jason Levien and Ben Haan in the ownership group pursuing the WNBL’s 10th franchise licence. If the bid succeeds, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall — the Bullets’ alternate home venue — would host selected WNBL fixtures, with Nissan Arena in Nathan serving as the primary venue.

The announcement caps a significant week for the club, which named Weaver head coach on the same day. Weaver led the Sydney Kings to the 2019–20 regular season minor premiership before the NBL suspended finals amid COVID-19 concerns. He subsequently worked as an assistant with the Houston Rockets, served as head coach of Paris Basketball and held further NBA roles before the Bullets secured his signature.

Who Is Angel Reese and Why Does It Matter for Brisbane

Reese averaged 14.7 points, a league-leading 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Chicago Sky in 2025, earning her second WNBA All-Star selection.Her profile extends well beyond the court.

In 2024, Reese joined the ownership group of United Soccer League club DC Power FC and later joined the ownership group behind women’s sports brand TOGETHXR. In 2023, she founded the Angel C. Reese Foundation, dedicated to empowering girls and women through sport, education and financial literacy.

*Photo Credit: Angel C. Reese Foundation*

Her connection to Australia deepened during a recent visit with Reebok to launch new colourways of her signature Angel Reese 1 basketball shoe. Reebok also confirmed its role as the official footwear partner of the WNBL for the WNBL27 season beginning in late 2026.

What the Brisbane Bullets Are Bidding For

The WNBL plans to expand from eight to ten teams, with Tasmania already confirmed as the league’s ninth club ahead of WNBL27. The Bullets are seeking the tenth licence.

The Brisbane Bullets are one of the NBL’s foundation clubs, having competed since 1979 and won three national championships in 1985, 1987 and 2007. The club returned to the NBL in 2016 after financial difficulties forced it to relinquish its licence in 2008. Despite the club’s storied history, the Bullets have struggled since their return, finishing last in the most recent season with a 6–27 record after a series of injuries to key players.

A successful WNBL bid adds a women’s team to the Bullets’ programme and brings a top flight women’s basketball club back to South East Queensland for the first time since the Logan Thunder.

Why This Matters for Sandgate, Boondall and Brisbane’s Northside

Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall sits at the centre of Brisbane’s northern bayside community and draws audiences from Sandgate, Deagon, Brighton, Bracken Ridge and across the Moreton Bay corridor. When the Bullets bring their alternate fixtures to Boondall, northside residents already make the trip. A WNBL franchise with games at the same venue would extend that calendar and bring professional women’s basketball to the community’s doorstep.

Bullets CEO Malcolm Watts described Reese’s involvement as a major asset for the bid. Watts said Reese had proven there was no ceiling for female athletes and that basketball was Queensland’s fastest-growing sport. The club sees her international profile as a direct tool for growing participation among young Queenslanders, particularly girls picking up a basketball for the first time.

For Sandgate and Boondall residents, a women’s team at Brisbane Entertainment Centre means professional basketball in their own backyard — not a drive to Nathan or the CBD.

More information on the Brisbane Bullets is available at brisbanebullets.com.au.

Published 12-March-2026.

Featured Image Credit: Angel Reese/Instagram

Fuel Surge Triggers Rush at South East Queensland Petrol Stations

Cheap petrol stations across South East Queensland recorded a sharp surge in customer numbers on Monday as escalating conflict in the Middle East raised fears of a sustained rise in global oil prices, with Pearl Energy Deagon among the hardest hit sites after a queue of traffic formed outside the station where unleaded petrol was selling for $1.63 per litre.

Pearl Energy Deagon manager Manthan Patel confirmed the station served approximately 980 customers on Monday morning alone, compared to its usual daily average of 600 to 700. Sunday night brought 390 customers through the bowsers, nearly triple the normal evening count of around 130. Patel said customers were filling up as much as they could and were talking openly about the conflict in the Middle East as the reason for their urgency.

The spike at Deagon formed part of a broader pattern across Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich, where fuel stations reported significantly elevated customer volumes across the same period.

What Is Driving the Global Price Pressure

Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted oil and gas production and shipping across the region in ways that directly affect global fuel supply. Strikes and retaliatory attacks have prompted precautionary shutdowns at several major energy facilities.

Qatar has halted production at a liquefied natural gas plant following drone attacks, removing approximately 20 per cent of global LNG supply from the market. Saudi Arabia shut down its largest domestic oil refinery at Ras Tanura, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, after intercepting drones targeting the facility. Iraqi Kurdistan, which exported 200,000 barrels per day via pipeline to Turkey’s Ceyhan port in February, has seen multiple energy companies halt output as a precaution.

Most significantly, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a near halt. The strait carries approximately one fifth of global oil supply each day, around 20 million barrels. Insurance companies have cancelled war risk coverage for vessels in the Gulf, at least four tankers have been damaged, two seafarers have been killed and 150 ships are stranded in the region. Oil prices surged as much as 13 per cent in a single trading session to above US$82 a barrel, the highest since January 2025. Benchmark European wholesale gas prices have soared by almost 50 per cent.

How South East Queensland Stations Have Been Affected

Beyond Pearl Energy Deagon, multiple South East Queensland fuel stations reported a significant surge in demand on Monday. At Liberty Oil Grange on Brisbane’s northside, where unleaded petrol was priced at $1.87 per litre, senior customer representative Thabitha Ayyala said the station processed 360 customers in just five hours, a count that normally takes seven hours to reach, and had served 900 customers the previous Sunday. Lines of traffic also formed at Costco North Lakes and Liberty Oil at Lawnton on Brisbane’s northside.

At OOM Energy Kingston in Logan, where unleaded petrol was $1.69 per litre, manager Tev Ve said around 500 to 600 customers had come through. At Metco Silkstone in Ipswich, where unleaded petrol sat at $1.67 per litre, employee Syed Zahid reported more than 800 customers through the station with 260 arriving in the final hour alone.

What RACQ Says About Prices at the Bowser

RACQ principal economy and affordability specialist Dr Ian Jeffreys said the global oil price movement had already begun pushing prices higher but that Queensland motorists should not expect a sudden jump at the bowser in the immediate term. Due to the structure of South East Queensland’s fuel price cycle, any impact from current global movements is likely to be hidden until the next low point in the cycle, at which point changes will become clearer. Jeffreys said there was no need to panic buy and that RACQ was monitoring local fuel prices closely to ensure retailers did not take advantage of the situation through unjustified price increases.

Australia currently holds approximately 36 days of petrol reserves, 34 days of diesel and 32 days of jet fuel, including fuel held domestically and on ships within Australia’s exclusive economic zone.

Motorists wanting to find the lowest local fuel prices can use the RACQ Fuel and Deals app or Petrol Spy to monitor and compare prices across stations in real time.

Why This Matters for Sandgate and Deagon Residents

Pearl Energy Deagon is one of the most affordable petrol stations on Brisbane’s northside and serves a broad catchment of residents from Sandgate, Deagon, Brighton, Bracken Ridge and surrounding suburbs. The station’s $1.63 per litre unleaded price on Monday represented a significant discount compared to stations further south, explaining both the volume of local customers and the draw from neighbouring suburbs.

For households in Sandgate and Deagon, where many residents commute by car to employment centres across Brisbane’s north, sustained increases in fuel prices represent a direct cost of living pressure. The advice from RACQ to use price monitoring apps rather than panic buy is particularly relevant for northside residents, who have access to several competitively priced stations and are well positioned to time their fuel purchases at the low point of the local pricing cycle.

Published 3-March-2026.

Sandgate Aquatic Centre Draws 65,000 Swimmers in Peak Summer Season

Sandgate Aquatic Centre has welcomed more than 65,000 visitors in December and January, making it Brisbane’s most popular pool destination this summer under the $2 entry program.

The waterfront facility outpaced 21 other pools across the city, with swimmers flocking to the bayside location to escape the heat at an affordable price. Newmarket Olympic Swimming Pool came close behind with 64,000 visitors, while Musgrave Park Swimming Centre attracted 42,000 people during the same period.

Record Turnout Across Brisbane Pools

More than 513,000 visitors have used Brisbane’s public pools over the past two months, taking advantage of the reduced entry fee that applies to adults, children, concession holders and family passes. The $2 pricing continues through the end of February, giving Sandgate locals and visitors from across the region a few more weeks to enjoy the aquatic centre.

Sandgate Aquatic Centre — Photo Credit: Sushila Duwal / *Google Maps*

The initiative, which first launched in the 2023-24 budget, covers all 22 pools including nearby facilities at Chermside and Brighton. It’s designed to ease cost pressures on families while encouraging more people to stay active during the warmer months.

Safety Remains Priority as Numbers Surge

With thousands more swimmers using facilities like Sandgate Aquatic Centre this season, pool operators are emphasising water safety through the Royal Life Saving Society’s Keep Watch program. Parents and carers are reminded to maintain constant supervision around water, particularly during peak periods when pools are busiest.

The $2 Summer Dips program runs until February 28, 2026. Entry is available during regular operating hours at Sandgate Aquatic Centre and all participating Brisbane pools.

Published 8-February-2026.

Police Hit The Streets Reminding Residents About Basics of Home and Vehicle Security

Police from the Gateway Crime Prevention Unit brought their message directly to the community last Sunday, walking the streets of Sandgate and knocking on doors — or rather, dropping information in letterboxes — to remind residents about the basics of keeping their homes and vehicles secure.

The walkabout on 2 February saw officers engage face-to-face with locals, sharing practical tips that require no expensive gadgets or major renovations. The focus was squarely on everyday habits: locking your car, keeping valuables out of sight, and making sure that communal gates and garage doors actually close behind you.

Senior Constable Diana Kratochvil, who shared the outreach initiative through Queensland Police’s Brisbane North district page, emphasised that property theft is largely opportunistic. That framing matters, because it means small, consistent actions can genuinely reduce risk. You don’t need to turn your home into a fortress — you just need to make it a slightly harder target than the next one.

The advice covers both houses and apartments. For those in unit complexes, there’s a particular nudge to pause and check that garage doors and shared entry points have fully closed before walking away. It sounds obvious, but in the rush of daily life, it’s easy to assume someone else will handle it.

Police are also encouraging residents to work through a Home Security Checklist, available through Queensland Police. The checklist is designed to prompt a more thorough look at potential weak spots — doors, windows, screens, and storage areas for things like e-bikes and electric scooters, which have become increasingly common targets in residential car parks.

Sandgate is, by most measures, a relatively safe suburb. According to 2024 data compiled by RedSuburbs, which draws on Queensland Police statistics, Sandgate recorded 129 theft cases that year — the suburb’s most frequently reported offence — along with 22 burglary and break-and-enter incidents. Overall crime in the suburb decreased by 6.65 per cent between 2023 and 2024. That downward trend is encouraging, but police clearly want to keep momentum going.

Across the broader Brisbane area, property offences remain the dominant category of crime. Research compiled from Queensland Police Service data indicates that most residential break-ins follow predictable patterns, with forced entry through doors and windows the most common method, typically occurring during daylight hours when occupants are away. Offenders tend to favour homes that appear unsecured or lack visible deterrents. It’s a useful reminder that the risks aren’t abstract — and that simple deterrents genuinely work.

For Sandgate residents wanting to act on the police advice, here’s a summary of the key tips shared during the letterbox drop:

Lock up — Doors, windows, and screens should be secured even when you’re home and relaxing.
Hide valuables — Car keys, phones, and wallets should be stored away from windows and out of plain sight.
Check the gate — In apartments or complexes, make sure communal entries and garage doors close fully when you come and go.
Secure your gear — E-bikes and scooters should be locked up or stored out of sight in car parks.

If you notice something suspicious, you can report it to Policelink via the online suspicious activity form at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting, available around the clock. To report anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Published 6-February-2026

Sandgate’s ‘Rosewood’ to Change Hands After 127 Years in One Family

A new chapter is about to be added to a rare piece of Sandgate history, with a heritage home that has remained in the same family for more than 127 years now preparing to change hands.

Built in 1895 and originally known as ‘Rosewood’, the two-storey residence at 11 Lunn Street has been held by the McKeering family since 1897. It’s long enough to span five generations, and to quietly watch Sandgate evolve around it.

Over the decades, the home has worn plenty of hats. Family accounts describe it as a lively gathering place in the 1930s, then later reconfigured as flats, before returning to its role as a single family home. In more recent years, it has been carefully reshaped again, not as a reinvention, but as a continuation of the life already lived inside its walls.

Current owners Greg and Rachel McKeering have called the property home for more than two decades. During that time, the house has been renovated and reworked to suit a growing family. It was a long, practical process led by Mr McKeering, a semi-retired carpenter and builder. One telling detail: the kitchen was moved multiple times over the years as needs changed, a reminder that even the oldest homes remain works in progress.

Yet the home’s earlier character hasn’t been erased. Original elements have been preserved where possible, including rosewood flooring that remains intact beneath newer finishes — a hidden layer of the house’s first life, waiting for whoever comes next to decide what to reveal.

Today, ‘Rosewood’ is a large and flexible home, arranged across two levels with six bedrooms, multiple living areas, and a layout designed to accommodate different generations under one roof. A separate downstairs apartment, with its own kitchen and bathroom, adds to that versatility. It’s offering space for extended family, older teenagers, or guests who need a little independence.

Outside, the backyard tells its own more recent story. The family installed a pool that has since become the centre of countless get-togethers. It’s a modern counterpart to a century-old home that has always been about people coming together. With a pool and heated spa and areas set up for outdoor living, it’s easy to imagine the noise of Christmas afternoons and weekend visits echoing the kind of gatherings Sandgate homes are built for.

Some of the most personal memories are also the simplest: children raised there, milestones marked there, and even one extraordinary family moment — a grandchild delivered in an upstairs bathroom — becoming part of the home’s private history.

Now, with the family preparing for a tree change to acreage, they’re leaving behind more than a house. They’re handing over a place that has carried everyday life for more than a century: altered and adapted, but continuously loved, and anchored to the same patch of Sandgate soil since the late 1800s.

For locals, it’s a rare chance to reflect on how much history can sit quietly behind a familiar façade, and how, sometimes, the biggest change isn’t a renovation or an extension, but simply the moment a well-kept family home becomes someone else’s story.

Published 31-Jan-2026

Shorncliffe Station Works Continue In 2026, With Sandgate As Interim Terminus

Major works are progressing on the Shorncliffe station renewal and accessibility upgrade, with line services temporarily terminating at Sandgate while the Shorncliffe station remains closed.

January 2026 Construction Update

Works at Shorncliffe station advanced following its closure in late November 2025, with multiple construction activities underway as of January 2026. The heritage station building has been temporarily relocated to the station carpark to allow structural carpentry works to proceed.

Restoration activities have also begun on the heritage awning, alongside the removal of the existing concrete footpath, ramp and stair access to the platform. Concrete has been poured for a new footpath, and excavation works are underway around the station building to prepare for the installation of modern station services.

Additional completed works include demolition of the former public toilet block and removal of the concrete slab roof from the World War II-era air raid shelter.

heritage restoration — *Photo Credit: Queensland Rail*

Upcoming Works

According to the January 2026 update, the next stages of construction include rebuilding the amenities wing of the heritage station building and commencing paint restoration works. New roofing and guttering are planned for heritage buildings and awnings.

Further works are scheduled for waterproofing and painting the air raid shelter, along with construction of a retaining wall linked to a new core zone waiting shelter. Construction activities are generally planned between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, unless otherwise advised.

Sandgate station upgrade — *Photo Credit: Queensland Rail*

Transport Arrangements During Closure

While the station remains closed, Shorncliffe line trains terminate at Sandgate station. Shuttle bus route R346 continues to operate between Sandgate and Shorncliffe to maintain passenger access during the renewal works.

A dedicated school shuttle service for St Patrick’s College students is operating from Wednesday 28 January. The service includes three trips from Sandgate statio n before school and six return services from St Patrick’s College after school, operating as a direct route between the station and the school.

Background And Heritage Context

Shorncliffe station was purpose-built in 1897 as a seaside rail terminus for north Brisbane residents and was expanded in the mid-1910s as the area developed. The site contains Brisbane’s only surviving railway station air raid shelter from World War II, which is being retained as part of the project.

The station building was designed by Queensland Railways architect Henrik Hansen, who was responsible for several timber station designs across Queensland during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

What Happens Next

The Shorncliffe station renewal and accessibility upgrade forms part of Queensland Rail’s broader program to modernise the South East Queensland rail network. The station is expected to reopen in mid-2026, following completion of restoration and accessibility works.

Published 26-Jan-2026

Photo Credit: Queensland Rail

Sandgate Backs Large-Scale Container Recycling Effort

People across Sandgate and Brisbane’s northern suburbs have grown used to seeing Paul Quarrell quietly collecting discarded drink containers bound for the Burpengary Express Recycling Containers for Change centre.

Since starting in 2020, Paul has returned more than 1.3 million containers, turning everyday recycling into direct support for children’s programs across Queensland.

“It’s not that I feel like I’ve got to help — I want to help,” Paul says. “No one asks to go through these struggles. This is my way of giving back to society.”

From Car Crash To Container Collecting

Paul Quarrell, a Moreton Bay resident on the disability support pension, began collecting eligible drink containers after a car crash left him unable to work. He directed the refunds into charity fundraising and expanded the effort over time.

A familiar face in the Moreton Bay region, Paul spends hours each day walking suburbs including Sandgate and surrounding northern Brisbane communities, checking bins, footpaths and public spaces for eligible containers.

In 2025 alone, he collected more than 750,000 containers, with most of the refunds donated to children’s charity programs. Paul keeps only a small amount each month to cover fuel costs.

“People have got to stop looking at just the 10 cents,” he says. “They need to start looking at the big picture. It’s a cumulative thing.”

That cumulative impact is clear in the numbers: wheelie bins regularly line up on Paul’s driveway, collected weekly by Burpengary operator Express Recycling before the containers are processed.

How Containers For Change Works

Containers for Change provides a 10-cent refund for most eligible aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard drink containers between 150 mL and 3 L. Participants can keep refunds or donate them to registered community groups and charities.

Sandgate container recycling — *Photo Credit: Courier Exchange*

Containers returned at refund points are sorted by material type and transported to processing facilities, where they are recycled into new products. Participants can keep their refunds or donate them to registered charities and community groups.

Paul’s approach shows how the system works at a grassroots level — collecting containers others no longer want, returning them at the Burpengary centre, and directing the refunds toward community causes.

“To see those smiles on the kids’ faces when their grants are accepted because of funds raised from container recycling — you just can’t beat it,” he says.

Sandgate’s Role In A Growing Effort

Sandgate is among the communities Paul has publicly thanked for their support, contributing containers that help drive his fundraising total higher.

“I think ‘yee-haw’ when I see one container,” Paul says. “Because it’s one container closer to a million.”

Containers for Change — *Photo Credit: Courier Exchange*

That million-container milestone is now his next target, with Paul aiming to collect another one million containers within a year, generating significant additional funding for children’s support programs.

Since 2020, reports place Paul Quarrell’s overall collection at more than 1.3 million containers, with at least $130,000 donated to Variety – the Children’s Charity of Queensland. Another report provided to this project has published higher totals, indicating the figures may differ depending on when they were recorded.

In 2025, he collected more than 750,000 containers. He typically sets aside $50 per month from refunds for fuel, donating the remainder.

He is reported to return about 36 wheelie bins of containers per week, which are collected for processing by local operator Express Recycling. He has also credited Queensland Rail with allowing recycling activity at train stations.

Still Walking, Still Collecting

Paul’s work continues week after week, rain or shine, with the Burpengary Express Recycling centre remaining a key drop-off point for the thousands of containers he gathers from Sandgate and nearby suburbs.

His stated goal for 2026 is to collect one million containers within a year, with an aim of contributing a further $100,000 in donations to the charity.

“Go out there and do it,” Paul says. “You’ll see how much it can benefit — whether it’s for charity, your car registration, or your family. You’re doing something good.”

For Sandgate residents, it’s a reminder that the containers placed out each week don’t just disappear — in this case, they’re helping one local man turn recycling into real change.

Published 26-Jan-2026

Photo Credit: Container Exchange. Some quotes are from this article from Containers for Change.