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It’s the million dollar question. And thankfully, the answer is quite easy… as soon as you can! For those of us who have traveled quite a bit, or were raised either in North America or Europe, it is normal for the price of flights, hotels and tours to come down or go on special, the closer you get to the date you want to travel. There is this idea that they have to ‘fill the plane’ and will offer cheap last-minute seats to do this. And to some degree this is true (I did get a flight from Stockholm to Vienna for 11 Euro once) but NOT IN AUSTRALIA. I’d like to repeat that over and over again…. Particularly airlines will NOT discount seats to fill the plane. Hotels and resorts plan months and even years ahead to know when their low seasons are and will offer discounts to fill rooms for those defined periods well in advance. And for the seasons that are in high demand (think school holidays, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Easter, etc) they will not discount at all. If anything, the prices will be higher or there will be blackout dates on sale pricing for those peak times. Cruises open up for booking up to two years in advance, with peak times booking out very fast. Back to when IS the best time to book and how you can save some dollars: Flights Flights are available to be booked between 9 and 10 months in advance. The cheapest month to fly is November and the most expensive is December. That is a pretty general guide, as there are ‘Early Bird’ fares that come out about September. These fares kick in for travel to the northern hemisphere during their peak summer season (June – Sept). But airlines only release a limited number of seats on the discounted fare per flight, so back to the advice of AS SOON AS YOU CAN! The other factor that affects international airfares and cost is the weather. Head to Asia during monsoon season and you will get a bargain… and wet. And the cheapest day of the week to fly? I aim for a Wednesday as there seems to be more available seats. Domestic flights are also released 9-10 months in advance. But the day and time of day has a great effect. Want to fly to Sydney on Friday evening and back home on a Sunday evening for $69 each way? Good luck! It can happen, if you are very lucky and watching flight release dates. Those few sale seats go fast. Think of the volume of FIFO (fly in, fly out) workers whose flights are covered by the mining companies, they fill the high demand flight times in a blink. Cruises There is a great trick to getting to have your cake and eat it too with cruise bookings. Book WAY in advance to make sure you get the cabin you want, up to 2 years if possible, knowing that if a sale comes up, you can either cancel and rebook without losing your deposit, or even better… have your Travel Agent look after transferring the booking (we can do things you can’t). Up until 6 months before the cruise you can cancel for a full refund, even after that, sometimes a sale will pop up that warrants losing a bit of your original deposit to save overall. This certainly applies when getting the Premium Drinks Package for free when sales are on. Tours This can be a tricky one. Many tours need a certain number of people to confirm and pay a deposit before that will guarantee it will go ahead. But if everyone holds off and plays the wait and see game, everyone loses. There are always early payment discounts to take advantage of, so book the tour early and have a backup option just in case. Hotels and Car Hire Are there last minute specials, sure… if you are happy to risk the possibility of being further out of town, or in an area you don’t know, wait it out. But I would always suggest you secure what you want, where you want it and then relax knowing you have a bed. What you may not be aware of is the Used Car Salesman convention that will be in town will snap up ALL the rooms at the decent hotels. Or the once only showing of some sports/artistic/cultural event during the same time you want to be there that will fill the rooms. You may save a few bucks, or you may pay far more. It’s a gamble that pays off rarely. Same applies for car hire, few specials are ever seen for car hire so just lock it in as soon as you know your plans before all the cars are booked out. To recap, the best time to book is always, as soon as you can. To get the best deals, be as flexible as possible with dates and if that is not an option, then plan as far ahead as possible. Then sit back and make a list of what cocktails you will be ordering…. Words: Cei Creighton 0410 465 205

Words: Cei Creighton 0410 465 205

Be Bop A Licious is a step back in time, a lovely little café with a friendly atmosphere great customer service, delicious food and great 1950’s and 60’s music playing from the juke box. As a 1950’s themed retro American style café, Be bop was established around 5 years ago as an ice-cream café, serving gourmet ice creams, pancakes, waffles, coffee and milkshakes. During that time, the business was sold and a new menu was made introducing burgers, hotdogs and fries. In July of this year 2017 Be Bop A Licious was sold again to Mother-Daughter duo Allyson & Courtney Pawson. We gave the café a much-needed make over with a new lick of paint and some new wall art. We have even put our own twist into a new menu. The menu is a reflection of us as we both love food, love cooking food, love sharing that food and our ideas with our customers. We bake all our own cakes and slices. All the beef and chicken burger patties are made right here in store. We also make in-store our own Bourbon BBQ sauce and Bourbon Bacon Jam which features on our most popular burgers. We also have slow cooked bourbon pulled pork for our sliders. We will also have a new menu coming out with all your old favorites including some new burgers, loaded fries and a premium milkshake range in the next few weeks so keep an eye out for that. We believe in the little community of Petrie in which we are in. We shop locally and only use the freshest of ingredients and produce that is available to us. We also support the local community with a 10% discount for the Police, Ambulance, Firemen and women as well as defense personal (conditions do apply). Come on in and check us out, try our food or share an old school milkshake with cream on top you won’t be disappointed. We have all your old school American food made fresh. Great for everyone young and old. We’re also even pet-friendly so bring your fury friends. We look forward to seeing you all!

Photography by: Soda Pop Pin-Ups

Tattooed Zombie is your one-stop shop for all things alternative, quirky and unique! 
Specialising in a range of women’s clothing in sizes 6-26 – stocking a variety of rockabilly, pinup and vintage inspired fashion and accessories for the modern day gal. Stocking many popular local and international brands including Hell Bunny, Lindy Bop, Sourpuss, Voodoo Vixen, Banned Apparel, Directions, Mermaid Salon, Sock it To Me, Miz Smitten Kitten and more. You’ll also find a range of items handmade locally – exclusive to our store and found nowhere else! Initially established as an online store back in 2006, store owner Dom took the plunge and opened the first Tattooed Zombie bricks and mortar store in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since – finding a huge following with ladies who love the vintage/alternative look – and want to wear something different and one of a kind. Dom scours the globe sourcing her stock – choosing a variety of cuts, styles and patterns that flatter all shapes and sizes – and prides herself on her extensive knowledge of both the fit and feel of her products. Her customers travel from all over Australia and describe the personalized shopping experience unlike any they’ve experienced before. No pushy sales people – shopping here feels like hanging out with an old friend!

Photography by: Soda Pop Pin-Ups

Petrie university campus is set to receive a land boost thanks to the Queensland Government’s Advancing our Cities and Regions Strategy. Environment Minister Steven Miles said the state-wide strategy supported the development of iconic knowledge-based precincts like The Mill at Moreton Bay to drive vital economic growth and jobs creation around major public transport nodes. “The former Petrie paper mill site and surrounding suburbs have been declared a priority development area by the Queensland Government which is expected to deliver up to 10,000 university student placements, 6,000 ongoing jobs and $950 million in economic benefit through the creation of a major new University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) campus,” Mr Miles said. “We know that knowledge-based projects like this can deliver huge economic benefits for local communities by driving jobs growth in higher education, research, science and commercial sectors, that’s why the Queensland Government is pleased to be supporting this project with the provision of surplus state land adjacent to the former paper mill site.” Mr Miles said more than 110 hectares of environmental areas will be established to deliver a net environmental gain on site. “A significant number of native trees will be planted including offset plantings under a vegetation and koala management plan.” Moreton Bay Regional Council is working closely with koala monitoring experts, the environment department and local koala and environment groups to deliver a comprehensive environment plan for the site. Real time monitoring of koalas is underway on the former mill site, helping track and undertake vital health checks on the local koala population. State Member for Kallangur, Shane King MP welcomed the announcement of land which will see the new university campus well-connected to the Petrie train station and town centre. “I have been working closely with the council to secure this land for the university site and I am pleased to help support the delivery of a major new University of the Sunshine Coast campus at Petrie that will deliver more local job opportunities for local tradies and suppliers, additional educational opportunities for our young people and those wishing to upskill and ongoing jobs for our local residents,” Shane King said. Mayor Allan Sutherland said the Queensland Government was partnering with Moreton Bay Regional Council and the University of the Sunshine Coast to breathe new life into Petrie and its surrounding suburbs. “Surplus state land has been allocated by the Queensland Government to The Mill at Moreton Bay project to help deliver a highly-connected and walkable university campus in heart of our region,” said Mayor Sutherland. “Thanks to today’s announcement, the campus will now be within walking distance of the Petrie train station making USC’s Moreton Bay campus among the best connected university campuses in Australia, and capable of delivering high quality urban design outcomes for our region.” USC Vice-Chancellor, Professor Greg Hill said the USC Moreton Bay campus represented an exciting opportunity to significantly boost educational outcomes in the Moreton Bay Region and build capacity in one of Queensland’s fastest-growing regions. “Students at the Moreton Bay campus will have access to a full range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs including law, business, creative industries, science and engineering,” Professor Hill said. “This new land parcel has meant we can connect the university’s foundation buildings to the Petrie train station to create a vibrant and bustling campus experience for students and the local community. “USC’s Moreton Bay campus is expected to open in 2020 and be home to up to 10,000 university students within its first 10 years.” The final Development Scheme for The Mill at Moreton Bay was approved by the Queensland Government in August 2017 following two rounds of public consultation. Over 90 percent of respondents supported the Development Scheme for a major new USC campus on the site and revitalisation of Petrie town centre. Many respondents during the public consultation period said in addition to the new university campus they would like to see the priority development area deliver parkland, retail opportunities and community events. For more information about the project visit: www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/themill

With some stiff competition from the Brisbane City SES Unit and Redland SES Unit, our Moreton Bay SES Unit came out on top taking out the Brisbane Region SES Week Award for the Region Unit/Group of the Year. The award recognises the overall levels of efficiency in rescue, emergency disaster response and/or community engagement, including the overall effectiveness of the Unit/Group, member recruitment, retention and development initiatives, learning and development programs, RTO compliance, stock control, public education and awareness of Disaster Management, interaction with other community and volunteer organisations and training exercises. During the ceremony, members were also recognized for years of service. The National Medal is a national award recognizing service within or across either the State Emergency Service, Ambulance Service, Police Service or Military Service. The medal is awarded after 15 years of service with a clasp awarded for every 5 years after that. The recipients for this medal were: Gary Cole from Petrie Group Trevor Klink from Petrie Group James Cramb from Deception Bay Group Julian Oldham from Arana Hills The Meritorious Service Medals and Clasps are awarded for service to the Queensland State Emergency Service and is awarded after 10 years service. A clasp is also awarded for every 5 years of service after the ten-year mark has been reached. The recipients for this medal were: Monica Sims Petrie Group (Medal) 10 years service Peter Sims Petrie Group (Medal) 10 years service Gary Green Bribie Island (Medal and 2nd Clasp) 20 years service Nicola Simonds from Caboolture was awarded an SES Week Award for her service to the Caboolture SES Group. Ryan McVeigh from Redcliffe was awarded an SES Week Award for his service to the Redcliffe SES Group.

Kallangur State School will have a new car park thanks to Palaszczuk Government funding of $200,000. Representing the Education Minister at the school today, Environment Minister Steven Miles said more than 100 new car parking spaces for parents and carers of children would be delivered. “The school told us they desperately needed a new carpark to make it easier on parents and staff. “Hundreds of students travel to and from the school every morning and afternoon. This project will make it safer for them and their teachers during those busy periods.” Member for Kallangur Shane King said the new carpark was not only important for the safety of students, parents, carers and teachers but would also ease traffic. “It will ease traffic congestion and parents will be able park at the school and take their cars off local roads.” “One of the first things I was able to do when elected was to get this oval off the “For Sale” list that it was put on by the previous government. I am especially pleased that keeping this oval in public hands has allowed us to make this carpark possible.” Principal Andrew Swales said the school community warmly welcomed the announcement. “A lack of off-road car parking for families, high volume traffic has been an ongoing issue for the school,” Mr Swales said. “A new car park will give parents the opportunity to park close to the school in a dedicated area while they collect and accompany their children in an even safer setting.” For more information on Kallangur State School visit: www.kallangurss.eq.edu.au

Moreton Bay’s 2016-17 annual report reveals council’s strong economic position

A statistical snapshot of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s performance has reflected the region’s strong economic position and reinforced council’s focus on continued growth and job creation in 2016-17.

Speaking at council’s coordination meeting on November 8, Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Allan Sutherland said region-building and job-creating projects such as the region’s largest public infrastructure project – the $998million Redcliffe Peninsula Line and The Mill at Moreton Bay “were a catalyst in future-proofing the region’s economy”.

“We’ve had a phenomenal year and it’s only going to get better from here with the introduction of council’s new Economic Development Action Plan setting out a strong plan to create ongoing economic opportunities for our future generations,” Mayor Sutherland said.

“Moreton Bay is one of Australia’s fastest growing urban areas and we have the strongest economy in the state so we are in prime position to capitalise on local jobs, and renewed economic stimulus for local businesses and suppliers.

“Just over 12 months ago we officially opened the Redcliffe Peninsula Rail Line, which not only helped connect more than 35 per cent of the region’s residents to South East Queensland’s rail network for the first but saw an incredible upturn in economic benefit and job creation.

“During that time, council approved 39 new residential developments in the suburbs adjacent to the rail line, including new townhouse developments and apartment buildings in suburbs such as Kallangur, Murrumba Downs and Mango Hill.

“We have also see a number of major retailers opening their doors in our region and major manufacturing brands have relocated their businesses to Moreton Bay such as TJM at Brendale in 2016-17.

“In 2016-17 we welcomed the completion of North Lakes ’much-anticipated IKEA store and $170 million Westfield expansion in November, which supported more than 4700 construction and 900 new retail jobs for the region.

Mayor Sutherland said the opening of the rail line complemented the Queensland Government’s declaration of the new Priority Development Area (PDA) at The Mill at Moreton Bay.

“This project will set to support 100 construction jobs per year through the university construction alone, and 6,000 ongoing jobs and $950 million in economic activity by 2036.

In 2016-17, Moreton Bay Regional Council delivered its seventh consecutive budget in surplus, which Mayor Sutherland said opened plenty of opportunities for council to “invest in region-building projects and provide great outcomes for ratepayers”.

“In 2016-17, council processed 3857 development applications and endorsed 4088 lots of which 3367 were residential. This delivered the highest number of residential lots approved in the state – more than double any other Local Government and makes up a third of all lots approved in South East Queensland.

“Council also invested more than $124 million in road upgrades in 2016-17 to help improve road safety and ensure our roads are maintained well into the future to cater for our community’s needs.

“With a strong commitment to supporting active and healthy lifestyles council invested more than $32million towards local parks, sport and recreation. We installed the region’s first jumping pillow as part of a $2.5million upgrade of Scarborough Beach Park.

“In waste management, council invested more than $44million, which included upgrades to waste facilities and waste collection in 2016-17 in a bid to reduce and recycle waste.

“We’ve worked hard as a council this past financial year to deliver great outcomes for our ratepayers and customers and our enduring efforts won’t stop here,” he said.

Snapshot:

• 2.83 million visits to council’s website – an increase of 3.4%
• More than 950,000, 543,300 emails and 13 790 voice messages distributed via MoretonAlert
• 240,405 calls to Council’s call centre (660 per day), with 98% resolved at first point of contact
• Processed 151,600 items of correspondence and emails
• Responded to an average of 1,900 requests a month from council’s online app and website
• Council’s caravan parks provided more than 51,600 nights of accommodation – an increase of 10.2%
• 3789 development applications received – an increase of 35.1%
• 2,220 pieces of graffiti removed – a decrease of 7.5 per cent
• 519 bridges and 3,365 kilometres of sealed road maintained and a further 240 kilometres of unsealed road maintained
• Conducted 20 planned burns across 193 hectares of bushland in preparation for fire season
• Hosted 79 exhibitions, attracting more than 126,000 visitors to council’s art galleries and museums
• 1.43 million library visits and more three million items loaned.

“The 2017/18 financial year is shaping up as another exciting year for the Moreton Bay Region with a strong capital works plan to deliver new infrastructure and ongoing services for the region,” Mayor Sutherland said.

To view Moreton Bay Regional Council’s full 2016-17 Annual Report, visit https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/annual-report/

Design for a road rehabilitation and safety improvements project at the Dohles Rocks Road interchange with the Bruce Highway has been completed and is currently out for tender. The improvements will include replacement and widening of the road pavement to provide a continuous eastbound through lane and 2 right turn lanes (onto the Highway southbound) as well as full signalization of both on and off-ramp intersections. A new shared pathway connection will also be constructed as part of this project between Silver Eye Drive, Griffin and the existing pathway adjacent to the Murrumba Downs Shopping Centre. Works are anticipated to commence later this year.

Everyone is aware that scams can occur via computer, mail, in person and phone, but do you know where to report it? Scamwatch reports that in August 2017 Australians lost over $12 million with nearly 15000 reports. Scamwatch deals with scams such as unexpected money/winnings, fake charities, romance, buying and selling, extortion, jobs and identity theft. If you are a victim of any of these scams please report it on https://www.scamwatch.gov.au Common types of cybercrime include hacking, online scams and fraud, identity theft, attacks on computer systems and illegal or prohibited online content. If you are a victim of any of these please report it on the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN). https://www.acorn.gov.au If you suspect you may be a target of a scammer these websites also have a list of recent scams but the best advice is that if it feels wrong or too good to believe – then it probably is.

Moreton Bay Regional Council’s mosquito management program is continuing to monitor and treat mosquitoes as required to help keep their numbers as low as possible. The effectiveness of council’s treatment program is dependent on environmental factors including favourable tides, wind conditions and rain, and is often coordinated with treatments occurring in neighbouring local government areas. Mosquitoes are mostly active in South East Queensland during the warmer months from September to April. How residents can reduce mosquitoes: Residents can help reduce mosquito numbers by: Emptying any containers around the home that may contain rainwater such plant saucers, tyres, buckets, and clearing blocked gutters Changing the water in bird baths and pet bowls regularly Keeping your swimming pool chlorinated Creating a frog-friendly garden, stocking ornamental ponds and water features with fish Mosquito treatments are available from most hardware outlets for residents wishing to treat pooled water on their own land Residents should also consider applying insect repellent if outdoors at dawn or dusk Rainwater tanks can provide ideal conditions for mosquitoes and midges to breed. A gap the size of a matchstick head is enough to let mosquitoes and thousands of their larvae into your rainwater tank. Where possible, gaps should be covered with mosquito-proof screen or netting.