Australian music fans eager for a fresh cultural wave at Eatons Hill will have to wait just a bit longer, because founders Israel Adesanya and Mitch Lowe have slammed the brakes on their upcoming October schedule to chase an international superstar for AFROSOUL.
Why rush when absolute perfection is on the line? That was the core message from camp organisers after a yet-to-be-announced headliner insisted on pushing the calendar out. Instead of ramming a square peg into a round hole, the team chose to halt the rollout entirely rather than compromise on quality.
Faithful ticket holders can rest easy knowing every single pass remains fully valid for the rescheduled early 2027 window, while automated refund forms stand ready for anyone whose personal calendar cannot bend to the new timeline.
Meanwhile, the grassroots rhythm of the community beats on without missing a single step. The much-anticipated Soul Wave dance competition is pushing forward right on schedule, immune to the festival shifts happening around it.
To show appreciation for the local crews sweating it out in rehearsal studios, producers doubled the stakes with a fresh $17,500 cash pool up for grabs at each regional showdown.
What began in Auckland with Burna Boy setting a high standard in 2025 is now morphing into a trans-Tasman phenomenon.
Fireboy DML, Omah Lay, Timbaland, and Stefflon Don remain locked into the touring roster, waiting for their newest mega-colleague to step out from behind the curtain. When those gates finally open at Eatons Hill, the wait will transform into a masterclass on how patience pays off in live entertainment.
An Eatons Hill veterinary clinic has become the unexpected frontline of a local financial crisis, halting all new pet intakes after being overwhelmed by a massive wave of animals abandoned by struggling owners.
Over the past few days, Eatons Hill Veterinary Surgery has experienced a massive shift, receiving far more requests to surrender pets than applications to adopt them. Veterinarian Allan O’Grady noted that local pounds are completely swamped, leaving his clinic as one of the few places still trying to accept unwanted animals. He explained that the daily volume of people trying to give up their pets is staggering, making it nearly impossible for his team to keep up with the demand.
To protect the animals already in their care, the clinic management made the difficult choice to temporarily pause any new rescue cases. O’Grady explained that adoption interest has dropped significantly. He expressed concern that taking in more animals would place the current shelter pets at a serious disadvantage.
The situation at the clinic reflects a broader trend across the country. A recent Finder survey of 673 people revealed that 22 per cent of Australian pet owners admit to regretting their decision to get an animal. For 9 per cent of these owners, the regret is directly tied to financial strain. The everyday costs of pet food, veterinary care, grooming, and basic medicines have simply become too much for many household budgets.
Representatives from RSPCA Queensland shared a similar view, noting that the rising cost of living is having a direct impact on animal welfare. An organisation spokesperson mentioned that they regularly hear from locals who cannot manage the ongoing expenses of animal care. They added that giving up a family pet is an incredibly tough choice, often driven by the severe financial pressure many families are currently facing.
The reality inside the clinic paints a grim picture of the community’s struggles. O’Grady, who has worked in the veterinary industry for more than 50 years, shared that all of their cages are completely full. The clinic is currently housing around 30 kittens alongside several dogs. The backgrounds of these animals are tragic, with some found dumped in industrial bins and others left behind by owners experiencing domestic violence or living out of their cars.
Adding to the heartbreak, the clinic has seen several previously adopted cats and kittens returned to the surgery. O’Grady described this trend as deeply discouraging, noting that the rescue efforts currently feel like they are moving backwards.
The temporary pause on new intakes is expected to last for a week or two. The primary goal is to find homes for the animals currently taking up space in the clinic’s cages. The surgery runs its rehoming programme at a financial loss, charging a $300 adoption fee. O’Grady stated that the fee is necessary to ensure new owners value the responsibility, adding that the staff are very selective about where the animals are placed.
With the cages full, the clinic is heavily relying on community members to step up. O’Grady hopes that local residents will get involved and help give these abandoned pets a second chance, easing the burden on a vital community service.
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.
Photo Credit: Supplied
“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.
Photo Credit: Supplied
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.
Photo Credit: Supplied
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.
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.
Tyga and Quavo are set to headline the Rolling Loud Pre-Roll Event in Eatons Hill, delivering a one-night outdoor show that introduces Rolling Loud Australia 2026 ahead of its Sydney and Melbourne festival dates.
The Rolling Loud Pre-Roll Event will be held on Saturday, 28 February 2026 at Eatons Hill Hotel Outdoors in Brisbane, positioning Eatons Hill as the first Australian stop for the internationally recognised hip-hop festival brand in 2026.
Scheduled as a single-date event, the Eatons Hill show is intended to give local audiences an early preview of Rolling Loud’s large-scale production style before the main festival program continues interstate in early March.
Tyga is an American rapper whose career spans more than two decades, with roots in West Coast hip-hop. He rose to international prominence in the early 2010s following the success of his album Careless World: Rise of the Last King, which produced chart-performing singles and established his mainstream profile.
Over the years, Tyga has maintained a strong presence in global hip-hop through a mix of solo releases and collaborations. His catalogue includes commercially successful tracks such as Rack City, Taste and Swish, with later releases marking a sustained return to mainstream recognition. His Eatons Hill performance is expected to draw on this established body of work.
Quavo is best known as a founding member of the hip-hop group Migos, which played a significant role in shaping modern trap music throughout the 2010s. As a solo artist, Quavo has appeared on multiple charting singles and released two studio albums, including Quavo Huncho and Rocket Power.
Following the disbandment of Migos, Quavo has continued to perform internationally, with live sets typically focused on collaborative hits and solo material. His inclusion in the Eatons Hill event reflects his ongoing presence in the global hip-hop circuit.
After Eatons Hill, Rolling Loud Australia 2026 will continue at Centennial Park in Sydney on Saturday, 7 March, followed by Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Sunday, 8 March, marking the festival’s return to Australia since 2019.
A kitten rescued after being found trapped in industrial glue has recovered and found a permanent home following weeks of treatment and rehabilitation at a veterinary practice in Eatons Hill.
The kitten, later named Titan, was discovered clinging to the edge of a vat of industrial glue at Clontarf, just north of Brisbane. Only weeks old at the time, he was rushed to Eatons Hill Veterinary Surgery in a fragile condition, with glue heavily embedded in his fur and visible damage to his skin.
Veterinary staff immediately began treatment, sedating and carefully shaving him to remove the adhesive. As the glue was cleared, raw and irritated skin was revealed underneath, requiring fluids, antibiotics and close monitoring during the early stages of recovery.
In the days that followed, updates from the practice confirmed that Titan’s condition was gradually improving. His skin began to heal, though peeling and discomfort were expected as the remaining glue residue worked its way out. Full recovery was expected to take several weeks, including time for his fur to regrow.
As his health stabilised, the kitten’s progress drew strong public interest, with many people following his recovery and offering messages of support.
On 18 November, the practice opened applications for Titan’s adoption. Due to the level of interest, the process was managed through a formal application system to ensure a suitable long-term placement.
By 23 November, the clinic confirmed that Titan had been matched with a family and would soon leave the surgery to begin life in a permanent home.
In early December, the practice shared that Titan had settled in with the Hamilton family and was adjusting well. Updates indicated he was becoming more confident and active, with his personality emerging as his recovery continued.
Veterinary staff noted that while his physical healing was ongoing, his progress at home reflected a positive outcome following his early trauma.
While Titan’s story captured wide attention, the Eatons Hill practice continues to care for hundreds of rescue animals each year. His recovery highlights the outcomes that can follow sustained veterinary care, careful rehabilitation and responsible adoption.
Residents and their pets in Eatons Hill will enjoy safer and more modern outdoor spaces as significant upgrades revitalise the local dog off-leash facilities.
A major project at Apex Park has targeted the existing off-leash area to improve the experience for local dog owners. Located next to South Pine Road, the treed park now features a completely refreshed layout designed for better usability. The work included the installation of new entrance gates for both pedestrians and maintenance vehicles to ensure secure access.
Inside the park, visitors will find upgraded concrete pathways and a new shelter with seating, providing a shaded spot for owners to rest while their dogs play. The facility also includes a dual dog water bubbler to keep pets hydrated. Fresh landscaping and realigned fencing were part of the plan to enhance safety standards at the site. Reports indicate that these scheduled improvements at Apex Park are now finished.
While work wraps up in Eatons Hill, improvements continue nearby in Albany Creek. Construction crews have been active at Bleakley Park, where the council is creating an entirely new dog off-leash section. This project aims to expand the current network with new concrete pathways that link different areas of the park together.
The plans for Bleakley Park include the addition of a shelter and extra seating for comfort. A new water bubbler and improved signage will also be installed to help guide visitors. To keep the area clean, an additional bin is being placed within the grounds. These simultaneous projects highlight a push to support pet-friendly recreation across the region.
The impact of the November 2025 Southern Coast Severe Storms was felt across the Moreton Bay Region, including in suburbs such as Eatons Hill, where residents began the long process of recovery.
Queensland activated the Personal Hardship Assistance Grants for eligible residents affected by the storms, which brought damaging winds, intense rainfall, and localised flooding across several local government areas. These grants were designed to support people facing immediate financial difficulties and to help households meet essential needs after the disaster.
Support was offered through a range of grants under joint state and federal disaster funding arrangements. Among these was the Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant, which provided help for urgent essentials such as food, medicine, clothing, and temporary accommodation. This assistance was made available to residents who experienced personal hardship as a result of the storms and who met the eligibility criteria.
Photo credit: Facebook/QLD Government
Additional support included the Essential Household Contents Grant, which assisted households whose essential belongings were destroyed or damaged. Residents were also able to access a Structural Assistance Grant for repairs to their primary residence where the property was uninsured or unable to be insured. A Safety and Reconnection Grant was also available to help restore critical services like electricity, gas, and water to homes that sustained damage.
The funding was jointly delivered through the Commonwealth–State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, supporting communities across the Southern Coast region as clean-up efforts progressed. Eligible areas included parts of the Moreton Bay Region, the Scenic Rim, Logan, Gold Coast, and Redland City.
Residents applying for assistance needed to meet specific eligibility requirements, including demonstrating direct impacts from the storm event. Queensland encouraged affected households to review the criteria and application process through their website to ensure claims were processed efficiently.
Community Recovery Hubs were also opened in affected regions, offering face-to-face support and guidance for residents navigating the process. Online applications remained available for those unable to attend in person.
As recovery efforts continued, support services reminded locals that disaster recovery often took time and that financial assistance formed only one part of a broader effort to help communities regain stability after severe weather. With many households across the Moreton Bay Region still assessing damages, these grants aimed to bridge the immediate gap and support residents as they rebuilt.
Local families and emergency services are set to bring a unique blend of festive cheer and vital safety messages to the streets of Eatons Hill for the community’s beloved annual Santa parade.
The popular community event, now in its ninth consecutive year, is scheduled to bring its jingle bell-fuelled joy to town on Friday, 28th November. Residents are invited to gather along the route, which kicks off at 4:30 pm.
The parade will travel through Bunya Park Drive and Saraband Drive, delivering a merry finale at Eatons Hill State School. A large turnout of local families is expected to enjoy the interactive spectacle.
While the event is a celebration, it also carries an important message for the holiday period. This year, the parade is highlighting home, personal, fire, road, and water safety. Eatons Hill Santa Coordinator David Williams, who has been involved in community events for 28 years, feels strongly about giving back.
He explained that the parade is about creating memorable moments and uniting people, noting that it sees neighbours and friends gathering all along the route. By including emergency services, the event serves as a timely reminder for families to be prepared.
As the holiday season approaches, families are reminded to check their fire alarms and ensure they have a fire escape plan. Organisers also pointed to the valuable Safehome program for home security. On the road, drivers are reminded of the importance of slowing down and moving to the left for emergency vehicles with flashing lights and sirens.
Mr Williams noted that free safety resources are available on all emergency service websites. He advises residents to keep an eye on the Eatons Hill Santa Facebook page for any updates on the day.
The 2025 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards gathered businesses and community representatives at Eatons Hill for an evening recognising achievements across multiple industry categories.
The 2025 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards were held at Eatons Hill Hotel on 30 October 2025, bringing together 61 finalists from across the region. The event highlighted achievements in innovation, customer service, manufacturing, sustainability, tourism and emerging business sectors.
The program was coordinated by Tourism and Events Moreton Bay in partnership with City of Moreton Bay.
Award Categories and Winners
A total of 16 categories were presented, with results based on assessments from a judging panel of 25 industry representatives. The Business of the Year honour went to Health Focus Manufacturers, recognised for its performance across multiple areas.
Photo Credit: Moreton Bay Business Awards
Category Winners
Not-For-Profit Excellence: The Nest Community
Corporate Social Responsibility Excellence: Wilko Painting
Exporting Excellence: Solar Bollard Lighting
Employee of the Year: Olivia Tulloch – Gather & Feast Café
Advanced Manufacturing Excellence: Health Focus Manufacturers
Entrepreneur of the Year: Tory Ogden – Kompliance
Tourism Business Excellence: Brisbane Whale Watching
Hall of Fame – Tourism Business Excellence: Brisbane Whale Watching (2023, 2024 and 2025)
Innovation Excellence: RTM Cloud
Businesswoman of the Year: Candice Kiss – Gather & Feast Café, Annie Lane Café, Ruby Tuesday Café
Food and Agribusiness Excellence: Hip Hops Brewers
Environment and Sustainability Excellence: The Nest Community
Customer Service Excellence: Annie Lane Café
New Business Excellence: Hop To It Collective
Photo Credit: Moreton Bay Business Awards
Eatons Hill as the Host Venue
Eatons Hill served as the host location for the awards evening, marking another major regional event held at Eatons Hill Hotel. Businesses and representatives made online acknowledgements following the event, including posts from individual winners expressing appreciation for the program.
Regional Significance
The awards highlighted contributions across a broad range of sectors, reflecting ongoing activity in business development, community service, tourism, and innovation. The achievements recognised during the event demonstrated the range of work undertaken by businesses across the region.
Recipients are expected to continue expanding their work following the recognition in 2025. The awards program is anticipated to remain a platform for acknowledging regional business achievements in future years.
