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Brendale Boxer Jye Dixon Carries Years Of Work Towards Glasgow Debut

Brendale boxer Jye Dixon’s Commonwealth Games selection marks the next step in a career built through years of training, travel and steady progress in the ring.

Born in Caboolture and raised in Brendale, Dixon has spent his boxing life at All Star Boxing Academy in Lawnton. What began with early bouts at 30kg has developed into a national and international amateur career, with the Queensland fighter now named in Australia’s boxing team for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Dixon is the only Queenslander in the eight-athlete Australian boxing squad, which is made up entirely of Commonwealth Games debutants. For him, the Glasgow call-up follows a long stretch of national titles, overseas tournaments and disciplined preparation.

From Brendale To The Boxing Ring

Dixon has been part of All Star Boxing Academy since the age of 12, growing through the same gym that has shaped his amateur career. Over time, he has built a record of 56 wins from 72 amateur fights, along with eight Queensland titles and seven Australian titles.

He is also the third All Star fighter, after Liam Pope and Liam Wilson, to win an Elite Australian title.

His current preparation reflects the level he has reached. Dixon trains 12 to 16 hours across five to six days each week as he works towards the Games and the international competitions leading into them.

International Experience Shapes Dixon’s Rise

Boxing has taken Dixon to 13 countries, giving him experience against opponents across major international tournaments.

He recently competed at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, where he won two fights before a close loss to Asian Championship gold medallist Rui Yamaguchi. His overseas results also include silver at the 2025 Socikas Tournament in Kaunas, Lithuania, bronze at the 2024 USA Boxing International Tournament, and a belt win at the 2023 RIP City Boxing/Fall Classic Tournament in the United States.

Dixon has also represented Australia at major world-level events. He placed fifth at the Youth World Championships in Spain and later reached the quarterfinals at the elite World Championships. His honours also include a number 16 world ranking from the Elite World Title event in Liverpool, England in 2025.

In 2026, Dixon was awarded a Tier 2 Scholarship through the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program, recognising another step in his amateur career.

Glasgow Becomes The Next Milestone

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from 23 July to 2 August, with boxing scheduled at the Scottish Event Campus from 24 July to 1 August.

Before then, Dixon is set for another demanding period of travel and competition. He will leave on 3 June for a World Boxing tournament in China, followed by a two-week training camp in Europe before heading to Glasgow.

The China tournament forms part of the pathway towards World Boxing finals and world championship selection, but Dixon’s immediate focus is the Commonwealth Games, where his aim is to pursue gold for Australia.

Turning professional remains his long-term goal, but Dixon is continuing to build his amateur career first. For now, the focus stays on Glasgow, where a boxer shaped by Brendale, Lawnton and years of international experience will step into the Commonwealth Games ring for the first time.

Published 12-May-2026

Murrumba Downs Households Save Millions of Litres of Water Through High-Tech Meter Upgrades

Murrumba Downs residents are leading a massive local effort to stop hidden underground water leaks before they cause expensive surprises on utility bills, thanks to a major digital upgrade to the regional water network.

Modern Technology Replaces Ageing Infrastructure

The local water utility, Unitywater, has expanded its digital infrastructure programme to target areas that are more likely to experience underground pipe issues. The project replaces older mechanical water meters with smart digital devices that automatically track water consumption.

Unlike the traditional system, where workers read meters manually every three months, the new technology tracks water use constantly and sends secure daily updates to the utility providers. This continuous flow of information means that unusual spikes in water usage are noticed immediately rather than weeks down the track when a household bill arrives.

Targeted Suburb Rollouts and Installation Details

The upgrade schedule focuses on specific infrastructure sections known as network blocks rather than moving street by street. Because the deployment is based on the layout of underground water mains, some residents might notice their neighbours receiving a new meter while their own property remains unchanged for the time being. The installations are rolling out through Kallangur and Murrumba Downs this month, following an initial phase that successfully updated nearly 1,500 properties across Kallangur, Mango Hill, and Murrumba Downs last month.

Property owners do not need to be at home during the installation process, which generally takes anywhere from five minutes to an hour to complete. While some properties may require a brief water shutdown during the switch, the utility company contacts residents ahead of time if a temporary service interruption is necessary. Households scheduled for the upgrade receive an introductory letter followed by a secondary notice five to ten days before the installation team arrives in their area.

Proven Savings and Optional Upgrades

An initial trial of the digital technology across 10,000 properties demonstrated significant environmental and financial benefits for the community. The pilot project successfully prevented the waste of more than 800 million litres of water and saved local consumers a combined total of over $5 million by catching hidden pipe issues early for more than 3,000 households.

There are no out-of-pocket costs for residents who receive the new digital meters as part of the standard community rollout schedule. However, property owners who live outside the current deployment zones but want to access the daily tracking features early can apply online to opt-in to the programme ahead of schedule, which may involve an additional service fee.

Published Date 17-May-2026

Brendale VIEW Club Backs Winter Appeal For Student Support

Photo Credit: The Smith Family

As winter sets in, the Brendale Evening VIEW Club is directing its local community efforts towards children and young people who need extra help to stay engaged at school.

The club is supporting The Smith Family’s 2026 Winter Appeal, which aims to raise almost $8 million by the end of June for education programs assisting students experiencing disadvantage. The appeal has identified 19,583 children in need of support this winter to help them keep up with their learning.

For Brendale Evening VIEW members, the campaign connects local fundraising and community involvement with a wider education challenge affecting young Australians. The group is encouraging residents to support the appeal, with donations helping provide access to learning programs, educational tools, mentoring and out-of-school assistance.

Brendale VIEW Club Connects Local Support With Education

VIEW stands for Voice, Interests and Education of Women. The organisation operates as a women’s volunteer and support network, with VIEW Clubs of Australia backing The Smith Family for more than 65 years.

The Brendale Evening VIEW Club’s involvement continues that link at a local level. Its members are using the winter appeal to encourage practical support for children and young people whose education may be affected by poverty, limited resources or disrupted learning opportunities.

The Smith Family’s education programs include literacy, numeracy, technology support, mentoring and Learning for Life. Its learning support and mentoring programs operate in 90 Australian communities, helping students access assistance beyond the classroom.

Brendale VIEW Club — Photo Credit: The Smith Family

Appeal Highlights Pressure On Students

The Winter Appeal centres on the educational barriers faced by children and young people living with disadvantage. The Smith Family has stated that 1.2 million Australian children and young people are living in poverty, with disadvantaged students facing a 30 per cent lower Year 12 completion rate.

The appeal also points to the learning gap some students experience by secondary school, with children affected by disadvantage able to fall more than two years behind in reading and maths by Year 9.

Through its programs last year, The Smith Family supported 186,499 disadvantaged children and young people. A further 71,818 Australian students were supported through Learning for Life sponsorships.

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Local Gatherings Continue Around The Appeal

Brendale Evening VIEW Club is also inviting women of all ages and backgrounds to join its local activities and become involved in its community work.

Its Coffee & Chat gathering is held on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 am at The Kitchen Cove, Geebung RSL, 323 Newman Road, Geebung. Gwen is listed as the contact on 0419 768 031.

The club has also scheduled a morning tea on Friday, June 5, at Aspley Hornets Football Club, with bookings required one week before the event through Suzanne on 0417 022 996.

Its monthly dinner meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 16, with arrivals from 6:30 pm for a 7:00 pm start at Aspley Hornets Football Club, 50 Graham Road, Carseldine. Karen Curtis is scheduled as the guest speaker, with bookings also available through Suzanne.

As the Winter Appeal continues, Brendale Evening VIEW Club’s message remains focused on practical local support: helping children and young people access the extra learning assistance they need during a difficult time of year.

Published 15-May-2026

Eatons Hill Centenarian William Harris Reflects on a Life of Service and Fresh Starts

William Harris of Eatons Hill turned 100 this year and has just been inducted into the Carinity 100 Club, a recognition programme for centenarians that began in 2014. He served in the Royal Marines during World War II, spent 60 years as an engineer and has called Brisbane home for half a century.

William was born in Croydon, England in 1926, left school at 13 and enlisted in the Royal Marines as a teenager. He served for almost three years, including in Asia in the closing stages of the war, and carries the kind of quiet, matter-of-fact memory of that period that speaks to someone who lived it rather than studied it.

“The war in Europe was finished, and millions of troops were going home,” he said. “We got as far as India when they decided to send some of us, a signal company, to Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka.”

A life that kept moving

After the war, William returned to Croydon and built a 60-year career as an engineer. He married his wife Stephanie and the couple moved to New Zealand in the 1950s, spending two decades across Christchurch and Auckland before making the decision to come to Australia. The reason, as William tells it, was straightforward.

“I used to employ an Australian and he used to say how marvellous Brisbane was, so we packed up and came here,” he said.

They arrived about 50 years ago, settled first in a caravan park at Aspley, then a flat in Nundah, before William bought a house. He has been a Queenslander ever since.

William and Stephanie were married for 66 years. He is now surrounded by two daughters, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Walking one of his granddaughters down the aisle at her wedding is, he says, one of the highlights of his life.

He only took up golf at 60 — and played until he was 90

Sport has been a constant thread across William’s life, through cycling, lawn bowls and a golf career that began unusually late and lasted unusually long.

“I never held a golf club until I was 60, and that was only in the sands that were near the beach,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed my retired life.”

He played golf until the age of 90, a 30-year run that began on a beach and ended nine decades deep into a life well used.

These days, William keeps himself sharp with his smartphone and iPad, embracing technology that many people half his age find challenging. He also maintains strong opinions about food: potatoes, white beans and tomatoes are welcome at his table. Carrots, lettuce and green vegetables are not.

A club with some remarkable company

The Carinity 100 Club was established in 2014, with Harry Loader as its first inductee. In March 2026, Brisbane resident June Whiting became the 100th member of the club, making William among its most recently welcomed members.

Carinity Home Care‘s Vanessa Lisle presented William with his induction recognition.

William appreciates the support he receives through Carinity Home Care as a Carinity Clean service user, which provides in-home cleaning and domestic assistance to help older Australians stay independent in their own homes.

Carinity has been delivering community services as an outreach of Queensland Baptists since 1949, supporting older Australians in their homes and in residential aged care communities across Queensland, alongside work with families, young people and people with disability.

For more information about Carinity’s services, click here or call 1300 112 640.

Published 8-May-2026

Quiet Celebrations for Arana Hills Man after Million Dollar Windfall

Photo Credit: Pexels

An Arana Hills man has secured a life-changing windfall after being named the only winner across the entire country.

The Moreton Bay resident discovered his luck following the Weekday Windfall draw 4696, which took place on a recent Wednesday night. After purchasing a System 7 entry through The Lott’s official website, he checked his numbers before heading to bed. The local winner mentioned that the discovery led to his most restful night of sleep ever.

He explained that the timing of the win is particularly helpful because he is currently very close to finishing his working years and entering retirement.

While the man immediately informed his wife of the million-dollar surprise, the couple has chosen to handle the news with a bit of privacy. He noted that although they have children, they have decided to keep the windfall a secret between the two of them for the time being. This gives them space to process the change and figure out their next steps as a family. The winner expressed great excitement and gratitude when officials confirmed his million-dollar bounty the following morning.

The Arana Hills local does not plan on spending the money on a whim. He shared his intention to book an appointment with a financial professional to ensure the win sets up a comfortable and secure future. This specific win was one of over 340 division one prizes handed out so far this financial year. For the local community, it serves as a reminder that major wins can happen right in their own neighbourhood.

Published Date 06-May-2026

New Fire Trails Near Albany Creek to Support Safer Burns and Protect Bushland

City of Moreton Bay

Fire trail works have commenced at 309 Eatons Crossing Road in Eatons Hill and 519 Bunya Road in Bunya, two of five sites across Moreton Bay where access tracks are being established to support controlled ecological burns and protect native species from the threat of uncontrolled wildfire.

The works, which run through to late June, are taking place on land acquired through the Land Buyback for Environmental Purposes Program, a voluntary scheme that has secured more than 100 hectares of key environmental land across the City of Moreton Bay since its introduction in 2020.

For Albany Creek residents, both the Eatons Hill and Bunya locations sit within the Hills District bushland corridor that forms the green backdrop of the suburb’s western and southern edges.

At 519 Bunya Road, the works also include targeted vegetation management to reduce a section of weed infestation and understory bushfire fuel load alongside the fire trail establishment. The same additional vegetation work is occurring at the fifth site, 114 Collins Road in Everton Hills. The remaining two sites in the current program are at 2 Flowers Road, Caboolture and 18 Jagera Court, Closeburn.

Tracks built to follow what was already there

The new fire trails have been specifically designed to minimise ecological impact. The majority follow pre-existing trails or farm tracks that already cross these properties, reducing the need for new vegetation clearing.

Native canopy trees will remain in place throughout, and the design of each trail has been guided by the need to avoid or minimise impact on sensitive ecological features and protected species.

Qualified and licensed fauna spotter-catchers are present on site during all works to monitor and protect native wildlife. It is the same precautionary approach used during the ecological burns themselves, where fauna spotters watch for koalas and other animals in and around the burn area throughout the operation.

Fire as a tool for biodiversity

The purpose of establishing fire trails is not simply about access for fire trucks. In the ecology of South East Queensland’s bushland, controlled fire is an active management tool. Banksias rely on heat to open their seed cones.

Grass trees, abundant in the Hills District bushland, regenerate strongly after burns and produce the flower spikes that provide critical nectar for birds and native bees. Ground-layer species that are gradually suppressed by fuel build-up recover after a burn that removes competing material and allows light back to the soil.

Without controlled burns, fuel loads accumulate to the point where any ignition, whether from lightning, ember cast from a distant fire or another source, produces an uncontrolled fire of much greater intensity. That kind of fire can destroy the nesting hollows, streamside vegetation and ground habitat that koalas, platypus and ground-nesting birds depend on.

The Moreton Bay region has recorded platypus across 37 creeks and waterways, and some of those run through the bushland connected to the Eatons Hill and Bunya sites.

The Land Buyback Program was updated in July 2025 to place greater emphasis on conservation-significant wildlife habitats and restoring native vegetation on previously cleared areas. The program supports a target to maintain 42 per cent native vegetation cover across the City of Moreton Bay, with a view to increasing that figure over time.

Stay informed during burns

Works are expected to run through to late June 2026. Residents near any of the five sites may notice machinery activity in the coming weeks as trail construction progresses. When controlled burns are carried out on these sites in the future, MoretonAlert notifications will go to registered residents in the surrounding area ahead of ignition.

To sign up for MoretonAlert and receive planned burn notifications for your area, click this link. More information about the Land Buyback for Environmental Purposes Program can be viewed here.

Published 30-April-2026

Moreton Bay Expands Koala Road Safety Program After Successful 12-Month Trial

The City of Moreton Bay has installed 49 permanent wildlife escape hatches across active koala corridors in Joyner, Petrie, Lawnton, Cashmere, Bray Park and Griffin, as part of a coordinated effort to reduce wildlife road deaths.

Read: Koalas and Community: Albany Creek Scouts Lend a Hand at Élan, Warner

The installations are spread across several roads in these northern suburbs. Seven hatches were placed at Youngs Crossing in Joyner, four along Samsonvale Road at Joyner, and two along Samsonvale Road at Bray Park.

In Cashmere, five were installed on Kremzow Road, four on Lilley Road, and three on Old Northern Road. Gympie Road received nine hatches at Petrie and two at Lawnton. Griffin was covered with two hatches each on Henry Road and Dohles Rocks Road.

One of the fauna escape hatches (Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay)

The devices, known as Fauna Escape Hatches, were developed by local business Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) in partnership with Council. Fitted into roadside fencing, they are one-way egress points that allow koalas and other native animals to exit road corridors into nearby bushland, while preventing re-entry.

The rollout follows a successful Australia-first trial of 16 hatches across seven Council-managed roads. Over the 12-month trial period, no koala fatalities were recorded at wildlife crossings where the devices had been installed. Camera monitoring showed that koalas, echidnas and bandicoots were using the hatches to exit road corridors into bushland, according to the City of Moreton Bay.

Mayor Peter Flannery said Council was proud to be early adopters of the Australian-first device. “We are committed to protecting our wildlife including the iconic koala, and EVE’s fauna hatches are helping us do just that,” he said. “The trial showed us that these hatches provide effective exits for native animals when navigating roads, preventing them and road users from being injured or killed.”

EVE Environmental Manager for Technology, Natasha Banville, said the program had grown out of the original trial through monitoring and design refinement. “What started as a trial to understand how koalas navigate roads has evolved into the Fauna Escape Hatch program through ongoing monitoring, design refinement and collaboration with Council,” she said. The hatches have since been verified by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and are becoming a standard feature in road infrastructure projects across Queensland.

Read: AI Drone Mapping Revolutionises Conservation Efforts for Koalas in Albany Creek

Funding was secured through Queensland’s SEQ Koala Threat Management Initiatives (KTMI) program. Council is also trialling larger hatches for macropods on Bribie Island and continuing to install seasonal wildlife warning signs at collision hotspots during peak breeding and dispersal periods.

Further installations are planned for Kallangur and Caboolture. The City has also granted a 10-year community lease for the Moreton Bay Wildlife Hospital, which will operate as the region’s first dedicated wildlife hospital on Council-allocated land.

Published 27-April-2026

The Brendale Brewers Taking a Sushi Beer and 19 Medals to Tokyo

Hip Hop Brewers/Facebook

Hip Hops Brewers is heading to Japan, joining a Moreton Bay trade delegation bound for SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, one of Asia’s largest global innovation conferences, armed with award-winning beer, a gold medal lager already known in Japan, and serious ambitions for what a small regional brewery can achieve on the world stage.

The timing is significant. The brewery won 19 medals at the recent Royal Queensland Beer Awards, its best result yet, including three gold, 11 silver and four bronze.

That haul arrives just as owner and director Shaun Reeves boards a flight to Tokyo Big Sight, where the three-day event runs from 27–29 April 2026 and draws city leaders from 49 countries, 750 startup exhibitors and more than 10,000 pre-arranged business meetings between organisations looking for international partners and collaborators.

For a brewery that opened inside The Sheds precinct in 2023 and took years to get off the ground through freight delays, construction holdups and licensing complexity, the invitation to join the Moreton Bay overseas trade mission is a meaningful chapter.

“If you look at our little brewery you might say we’re a fair way away from having this sort of capacity to be a major export player,” Reeves said. “But if we had niche collaborations, niche partnerships we could look at possibilities and take advantage.”

The Beer That Already Has a Fan in Japan

Hip Hops Brewers is not walking into Tokyo cold. The brewery already has a profile there, built around one of its most inventive recent creations.

Late last year, when a delegation from Sanyo-Onoda visited Moreton Bay to mark the region’s 33-year friendship city relationship with the Japanese city, Reeves was asked to create a commemorative beer for the occasion.

The result was Tomodachi Lager, which translates to “friendship beer,” a Japanese-style rice lager built around two locally sourced ingredients: sea lettuce grown by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast Moreton Bay campus and yuzu citrus from a farm in Gympie.

“I had an idea for a sushi beer,” Reeves said. “(We) used fresh Moreton Bay seaweed sea lettuce, produced by UniSC, balanced it with yuzu from a farm in Gympie and came up with a beer we were happy with.”

The beer went on to win gold in the Hybrid Beer section at this year’s Royal Queensland Beer Awards. Last week, the Mayor of Sanyo-Onoda sent Reeves a letter of congratulations. “Which made my day!” Reeves said.

What Tokyo Holds for a Regional Brewery

Moreton Bay is one of the confirmed city partners at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, running its own reverse pitch session at the event, essentially inviting Japanese startups and organisations to identify collaboration opportunities with Moreton Bay businesses.

It is a format designed for deal-making, not just networking, and it places the delegation, and Hip Hops Brewers alongside it, in front of exactly the kind of Japanese organisations the brewery could partner with.

Reeves is going in with two parallel lines of inquiry. Through connections the City of Moreton Bay holds with Sanyo-Onoda and other Japanese partners, he wants to explore whether niche collaboration, perhaps a contract brewing arrangement, a co-branded product or a distribution foothold, could create a genuine export pathway for a brewery of Hip Hops’ scale.

The second thread is about what to bring back. Reeves has flagged one particular ambition.

“Is there a way we can get Queensland’s first sake production going?” Reeves said.

The delegation is paying its own way. Reeves is clear-eyed about what the trip is and is not.

“This is certainly not a junket. It’s a great opportunity to go because it can open doors a business operator would not be able to open,” he said.

He has also been working with Trade and Investment Queensland ahead of the trip to explore specific opportunities, going to Tokyo with groundwork already laid rather than starting from scratch at the conference.

Beers Built from Local Stories

Back in Brendale, the Royal Queensland medal haul reflects a brewing programme that is deeply embedded in the geography and history of the region.

Reeves’ approach to naming his beers, built around alliteration, local history and a genuine love of a good backstory, has produced a range that reads like a map of the Moreton Bay and northern Brisbane area: Lakeside Lager, Samford Sessions, Redcliffe Red, Petrie Pilsner, Samsonvale Stout and Griffin Golden Ale among them.

One recent award winner carries a story worth telling. Brentdale Buddies, which won silver in the Amber Dark Ale category, was a collaboration with Buddy Brewing from Burpengary. Buddy Brewing proposed an Irish red ale, and Reeves went looking for the Irish heritage in South Pine Road’s history.

“It was from the Davis family that (developer) Bill Bowden bought land and named his horse stud Brendale,” Reeves said. “That was after the Davis family’s original property back in Ireland called Brentdale. So there’s no spelling mistake… Bill just shortened it to Brendale.”

Visit the Taproom

Hip Hops Brewers operates from The Sheds at 264 South Pine Road, Brendale, a converted truck workshop with 21 taps, an in-house kitchen, a beer garden, live music and a dog-friendly outdoor area. The brewery is family-friendly and open for walk-ins, with weekend bookings recommended to avoid disappointment. Surcharges apply on public holidays.

For bookings and enquiries, phone (07) 3448 9339 or message via the Hip Hops Brewers Facebook page. Follow the brewery on Instagram at @hiphopsbrewers for updates on the Tokyo trip and new seasonal releases.

Published 25-April-2026

Smoke Drifts Across Moreton Bay as Planned Burn-Offs Begin

Featured Image Credit: City of Moreton Bay/YouTube

Residents across Moreton Bay are waking to smoke drifting over suburbs as planned burn-offs begin across bushland areas, with fire crews lighting controlled fires to reduce the threat of bushfires before peak season. From Bribie Island to Upper Caboolture, these managed burns are already affecting nearby communities, with smoke expected to hang in the air for days even after flames are extinguished.

The burns began with activity recorded around April 15 and continuing through April 16, according to local authorities. Crews carried out operations in areas including Bribie Island, particularly near Mermaid Lagoon, as well as Upper Caboolture, while new sites such as Albany Creek were scheduled to follow as conditions allowed.

Smoke spreads beyond burn zones into nearby suburbs

While the fires are controlled, the effects are not limited to the burn sites themselves. Smoke from operations near Banksia Beach has been reported drifting into nearby areas such as Toorbul and Sandstone Point, affecting visibility and air quality. Authorities have advised residents, especially those with respiratory conditions, to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed when smoke is present.

Even after a burn is completed, crews continue to patrol and monitor the area for several days to ensure the fire remains contained. This means some suburbs may continue to experience smoke or restricted access beyond the initial burn period.

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/YouTube

Moreton Bay hazard reduction burns: affected suburbs and status

Suburb / Area	Burn Status	Community Impact
Bribie Island (Banksia Beach)	Completed / Recent	Smoke lingering, monitoring ongoing
Upper Caboolture	Completed / Recent	Possible residual smoke, patrols in place
Albany Creek	Scheduled / Likely underway	Possible smoke if conditions met
Toorbul	Indirect impact	Smoke drift reported from nearby burns
Sandstone Point	Indirect impact	Smoke drift affecting area
Bellara	Planned	Future burn, timing dependent on weather
Burpengary	Planned	Future burn, no fixed schedule
Caboolture	Planned	Future burn, no fixed schedule
Deception Bay	Planned	Future burn, no fixed schedule
Griffin	Planned	Future burn, no fixed schedule
Mount Glorious	Planned	Future burn in bushland areas
Ningi	Planned	Future burn, timing to be confirmed
Whiteside	Planned	Future burn, no fixed schedule
Woodford	Planned	Future burn, rural bushland areas

No fixed schedule as weather dictates next burns

Although more than a dozen additional burn sites have been identified across Moreton Bay, including Burpengary, Deception Bay, Griffin and Woodford, there is no set timetable for when each location will be treated. Authorities rely on specific weather and environmental conditions before lighting any fire, meaning plans can shift quickly.

Burn season typically runs from March to August, but officials note that operations can take place at any time of the year if conditions are safe. This flexible approach is designed to ensure each burn can be carried out with minimal risk to surrounding communities.

Balancing fire prevention with environmental care

Officials say the burns play a key role in reducing fuel loads such as dry leaves and fallen branches, which can feed dangerous bushfires during hotter months. At the same time, the process is managed to protect local wildlife and vegetation.

Before each burn, teams assess the site to identify sensitive habitats and species. Measures such as clearing around trees and monitoring wildlife during the burn are put in place. The use of aerial incendiary drones has also been introduced to help crews ignite fires more precisely, particularly in hard-to-reach terrain.

Authorities say these planned burns also support the natural cycle of some native plants, which rely on fire or smoke to trigger growth and seed release, helping maintain the region’s biodiversity.

Published 20-April-2026

New Traffic Conditions Begin on Bruce Highway as Upgrade Works Progress

Motorists are being asked to stay alert, with new traffic conditions now in place along the Bruce Highway as part of the Dohles Rocks Road to Anzac Avenue upgrade (Stage 1).

Read: Linkfield Road Overpass Duplication Moves Closer as EOI Open for $176-M Upgrade

The changes, which began 12 April, are tied to ongoing pavement works and mark another step forward in a project aimed at managing increasing traffic demands on this section of the highway.

For drivers, the most noticeable difference is in lane conditions. On the northbound side, the fast lane is now separated from the middle and left lanes between Dohles Rocks Road and just beyond Anzac Avenue. This means motorists intending to exit at Anzac Avenue must remain in the middle or left lanes, as access from the fast lane is currently unavailable. Similar arrangements are expected southbound, with works rolling out shortly after on that side of the highway.

Bruce Highway — Project map (Photo credit: TMR)

Transport and Main Roads has advised that these temporary changes will remain in place through to late May, weather and construction conditions permitting. Reduced speed limits and overnight lane closures are also part of the works, particularly during night shifts when crews are active on site.

While the changes may take some getting used to, they form part of a broader upgrade aimed at managing increasing traffic demands on this section of the highway.

Stage 1 flythrough

Stage 1 of the project focuses on extending ramps and improving access at key points along the corridor. This includes a new northbound entry ramp from Dohles Rocks Road that will continue as an auxiliary lane through to the Anzac Avenue exit, as well as a new southbound exit ramp connecting back to Dohles Rocks Road. New ramp metering signals will also be introduced to better manage vehicles entering the highway.

Upgrades to intersections along Dohles Rocks Road are part of the plan, alongside changes to local access. Notably, direct access to Goodrich Road East will be removed, with drivers instead directed via Silvereye Drive. New and upgraded noise barriers are also included as part of the works.

Read: Strathpine Level Crossing Named Queensland’s Worst for Morning Congestion

Looking ahead, future stages of the project propose larger-scale improvements, including collector-distributor roads, upgrades to the Anzac Avenue interchange, and a shared pedestrian and cycling path. However, these later stages are still subject to further approvals and funding availability.

For now, motorists are urged to follow signage and traffic instructions as the new layout settles in.

Published 20-April-2026