Joyner Archives - Albany Creek News

Joyner Man Fined After Police Find Him Lying Beside Fridge in Open Boot

Photo Credit: Queensland Police/ Facebook

Feet sticking out of a moving car’s open boot. That is what caught the attention of Queensland Police in Joyner, north of Brisbane, leading them to a 46-year-old man lying next to a fridge wedged into the back of a vehicle. He was fined more than $1,600 for the ride.

Body-worn footage released by police captured the moment an officer asked the man to step out, pointing out that his feet were visible from outside the car. The man copped a $322 fine for travelling in a part of the vehicle not meant for passengers, plus $1,295 and four demerit points for skipping his seatbelt. Behind the wheel was a 40-year-old Joyner woman, fined $690 and docked three demerit points for running a red arrow. Before she drove off, officers walked her through how to properly secure a load.

Why does a fridge in a boot matter so much to police? Because unsecured cargo does not stay put. It shifts, it falls, and on a busy road it can turn into a hazard for everyone nearby, not just the people in the car carrying it. That is the message behind the fine, and it is one Queensland Police have been repeating at checkpoints across the region.

Just two days of patrols in the South Brisbane District tell part of that story. Officers carried out 3,680 random breath tests, catching 23 drivers over the limit. Ninety-seven fines. Fifty-three arrests. Sixty-eight charges. The numbers add up fast when police widen their net.

Tougher rules are also on the way. Legislation passed last week introduces steeper penalties for drug driving, and from December, anyone caught with drugs in their saliva will face fines up to $4,835 and lose their licence for at least two months.

Meanwhile, out on Moreton Island, school holidays have brought a different kind of patrol. Ferries are unloading families ready for a break on the popular Moreton Bay getaway, and officers are waiting at the dock to run breath tests and check that vehicle access permits are current.

The activity forms part of the ongoing Operation Spring Break, aimed at cutting down on dangerous driving across the state. Inspector Mat Kelly struck a balanced tone on the effort, calling the island a favourite escape for holidaymakers while reminding visitors that road rules do not stop at the sand. Everyone’s safety on the island, he said, depends on people taking that seriously.

Published Date 27-September-2026

Joyner Koala Survey Results Could Shape Next Protection Measures

Results from a koala survey carried out in Joyner earlier this year are expected later in 2026, with the findings set to help guide future habitat and road-safety measures across Moreton Bay.

The survey comes during a year in which Joyner has already seen 11 fauna escape hatches installed along Youngs Crossing and Samsonvale Road. Wildlife signage for the suburb has also been included in the City of Moreton Bay’s 2026–27 Budget.

For Joyner, the work puts particular attention on areas where busy roads intersect with established wildlife corridors.

Koalas Tracked From the Air and Ground

Joyner was one of seven areas surveyed by the City of Moreton Bay and the University of the Sunshine Coast during May and June.

Thermal cameras mounted on drones were flown over selected areas at night to locate koalas. Ground teams, including detection dogs, were also used as part of the survey work.

Murrumba Downs, Kallangur, Strathpine, Petrie, Lawnton and Whiteside were among the other areas surveyed.

Council said the results, expected later this year, would help inform future koala conservation projects. These could range from habitat assessments, weed control and planting to disease management and road infrastructure such as fauna hatches, underpasses and exclusion fencing.

For Joyner, the findings will follow several years of wildlife protection work around two important local corridors — Samsonvale Road and Youngs Crossing Road.

Eleven Escape Hatches Added in Joyner

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

Seven fauna escape hatches were installed at Youngs Crossing earlier this year, with another four placed along Samsonvale Road.

That gave Joyner 11 of the 49 hatches installed across Moreton Bay in the wider rollout.

The devices sit within roadside fencing and provide a one-way exit for koalas and other native animals that find themselves on the road side of the barrier. Once an animal passes through a hatch into surrounding habitat, it cannot use the same opening to return to the roadway.

Their installation followed a 12-month trial involving 16 hatches across seven Council-managed roads. Council reported no koala fatalities at wildlife crossings fitted with the devices during the trial, while cameras recorded koalas, echidnas and bandicoots using them.

The hatches are not Joyner’s only wildlife road infrastructure. Council records show a fauna rope bridge on Forgan Road, while Samsonvale Road has two cage-style rope bridges, a fauna underpass, exclusion fencing, nest boxes and wildlife signage.

At Youngs Crossing Road, exclusion fencing is also used to guide animals moving through the One Mile Creek habitat corridor under the bridge.

New Wildlife Signs Flagged for Joyner

The City’s 2026–27 Budget includes wildlife signage in Joyner, as well as Albany Creek, Cashmere, Clear Mountain and Warner.

It does not specify how many signs will be installed in Joyner or exactly where they will go.

At the same time, the Youngs Crossing Road upgrade is continuing through the area. Council’s September project update says about 85 per cent of the precast concrete beams forming the foundation of the new bridge deck have now been installed.

The project covers more than a kilometre between Protheroe Road and Dayboro Road, with a temporary 40km/h speed limit applying along Youngs Crossing Road during construction.

The next development will be the release of the 2026 survey findings, which Council has said will help inform future koala conservation projects across Moreton Bay.

Published 5-September-2026

First Girders Put Youngs Crossing Bridge Into View in Joyner

The first concrete girder has been installed for the Youngs Crossing bridge in Joyner, bringing the new flood-resilient route into view for the thousands of motorists who use the corridor each day.

It is the first of 83 precast girders that will form the base of the bridge deck above the North Pine River and Sideling Creek.

More than 20,000 vehicles travel along Youngs Crossing Road each day. The existing crossing is affected by flooding, which can lead to road closures, surrounding congestion, delays and diversions.

The new crossing is intended to provide a more reliable route for residents, businesses and emergency services during severe weather.

Concrete girder resting on new bridge supports — Photo Credit: Supplied

Youngs Crossing Bridge Emerges Above the River

The girders measure up to 27 metres long and are made away from the construction site before being transported to Joyner on oversized trucks.

Deliveries will take place intermittently over five weeks, depending on weather and construction conditions. Each girder will travel at night under pilot and police escort before being lifted into position by crane during the day.

The delivery route follows Dayboro Road through Old Petrie Town. Transport has been scheduled during off-peak periods to reduce traffic impacts, with nearby residents to receive information closer to planned movements.

As more girders are installed, the deck of the approximately 200-metre bridge will continue to take form across the waterways.

Crane lifting girder above the construction site — Photo Credit: Supplied

New Route Planned West of Existing Crossing

The four-lane bridge is being built west of the current Youngs Crossing Road crossing as part of an upgrade extending more than one kilometre between Protheroe Road and Dayboro Road.

Three new signalised intersections are included, along with improved pedestrian and active transport connections.

Construction is approaching the halfway point, with the project scheduled for completion in late 2027. The remaining timeline is indicative and may change.

Oversized truck carrying a precast concrete girder — Photo Credit: Supplied

Motorists may encounter delays while work continues. A temporary 40-kilometre-per-hour speed limit is in place along Youngs Crossing Road, while electronic signs are being used to provide updates through the construction corridor.

Public access to Youngs Crossing Park and the waterhole remains unavailable while the new road and bridge are built.

Seymour Whyte is the principal contractor working with the City of Moreton Bay on the upgrade. The Australian Government has committed $51.6 million, while the City is contributing the remaining delivery cost. The Queensland Government has provided another $15 million for intersection upgrades at Dayboro Road.

The remaining girders will be transported and installed during the five-week delivery program, subject to weather and construction conditions.

Published 30-July-2026. Updated 12-August-2026.

Petrie and Joyner Receive Major Budget Allocations in 2025–26

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

Petrie and Joyner have been identified for major infrastructure investment under Moreton Bay’s 2025–26 Budget, with projects targeting economic development, flood resilience, and transport efficiency.

Petrie: The Mill Development and Olympic Venue Preparation

The Mill at Moreton Bay remains a cornerstone of the region’s long-term planning, with $100.3 million allocated over five years to continue its staged development. Situated in Petrie and connected by two train lines, the precinct combines a university campus, public recreation space, and land designated for mixed-use investment.

Budget and Operational Plan 2025-26 — *Photo Credit: The Mill at Moreton Bay*

Designed as South East Queensland’s newest landmark destination, The Mill offers extensive opportunity for development in education, employment, and lifestyle. At its core is a vision to support the future growth of the city through inclusive, transformative public and commercial spaces.

Current activity includes road and bridge upgrades to enhance access and readiness for future development. The precinct also features the Moreton Bay water park and adventure playground—an accessible, free-entry facility with aquatic play elements, climbing structures, and interactive lighting displays.

Site preparation has also begun for the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, which is planned to serve as a venue during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. The broader precinct is being positioned as a long-term generator of local jobs, investment, and knowledge-based industry partnerships.

Joyner: Youngs Crossing Corridor Project Underway

The Youngs Crossing Road upgrade in Joyner is progressing as one of the city’s most significant infrastructure undertakings, with a total budget of $120 million over two years. The project is co-funded by the Australian Government ($51.6 million) and Queensland Government ($15 million), with the remaining investment from Moreton Bay City Council.

This upgrade spans over one kilometre from Protheroe Road to Dayboro Road and includes construction of a new 200-metre bridge over the North Pine River, road realignments, and intersection enhancements. Key aims include improving flood immunity, traffic flow, and emergency access.

Petrie and Joyner — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay*

Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd was appointed as principal contractor, with on-ground works confirmed to commence in June 2025. Pre-construction activity has involved relocating services such as sewer, telecommunications, and electricity infrastructure, with power conduit installations ongoing since early 2025.

Youngs Crossing Road — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay*

Additional features include koala exclusion fencing, fauna refuge infrastructure, new signalised intersections, and upgrades to access points including Pine Rivers Pony Club and Youngs Crossing Park. Pedestrian and cyclist connectivity will be preserved with a new shared path linking to Merv Ewart Reserve.

Youngs Crossing Road upgrade — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay*

By locating the new bridge to the west of the existing roadway, the majority of works will occur offline to minimise disruptions. Landscaping and environmental design features have also been incorporated to reduce ecological impact, including preserving large fig trees and improving aquatic passage through Sideling Creek.

Strategic Planning and Financial Framework

These major projects are part of Moreton Bay City Council’s $1 billion 2025–26 Budget, the largest in its history. The council allocated nearly $400 million towards capital works to meet population growth and infrastructure demands.

The developments in Petrie and Joyner form part of multi-year programs, with financial backing from state and federal partners in key transport corridors. The projects are designed to address long-term connectivity, flood risk, and employment generation across the region.

Published 18-June-2025