Dear Neighbour, 

Over recent months, I have continued to hear from residents across the Ward about the impacts of development and construction.

From road closures without the required permits, to unauthorised changes to streets and footpaths and works outside approved hours, residents are too often left to deal with the consequences.

These may seem like individual issues, but together they point to a bigger problem: communities are being asked to absorb the impacts of development without adequate safeguards or accountability for private developers.

Developers have responsibilities to the communities in which they build. A development approval is not a carte blanche to do whatever, whenever. There cannot be one set of rules for residents and another for developers.

Council needs to properly and proactively monitor construction, enforce the rules and act when residents are being let down.

But this conversation is about more than individual developments.

On 23 August, I attended the Save Our Legacy rally, which highlighted many of the issues we are seeing locally: the loss of valuable greenspace, the handing over of public land to private development, and decisions being made without enough consideration of the long-term public interest.

We are seeing this debate play out in the heart of Brisbane with the proposed sell-off and redevelopment of King George Square.

Public land belongs to all of us.

When decisions are made about it, we should be asking: what does the community gain, who benefits, and what are we giving up?

The same questions apply to housing.

I recently met with Micah Projects again to discuss how our office can continue supporting people experiencing rough sleeping in our community.

Housing stress, homelessness, a development model that puts private profit above all else, and the loss of public space are not separate issues. They are consequences of the choices we make about how Brisbane grows.

We can grow Brisbane while making sure growth works for the people who live here.

That means building affordable and social housing, introducing inclusionary zoning, taking action on land banking and vacant properties, and genuinely addressing the impact of short-term rentals on housing supply.

It also means protecting public land and greenspace rather than treating every site as an opportunity for sell-off.

I believe everyone should be able to have a home, and that our parks, public spaces and neighbourhoods belong to the community, not to private developers or governments looking for another asset to sell. 

Our neighbourhoods are not blank canvases for unlimited profit. Brisbane belongs to the people who live here.

As your Councillor, I will continue working with residents to push for development that is properly regulated, properly monitored and delivers a genuine benefit to the community.

The question is not whether Brisbane will grow, rather it is, what kind of city we choose to build, and who is it built for?

Standing with you, 

Trina

Read on to learn more about: 

• Tree Removals Across the Ward

• Update: Dornoch Terrace / Hardgrave Road / Ganges Street Intersection

• Celebrating our Multicultural Communities

• Gabba Ward Grants workshop in November

• Bikeway Updates: Melbourne Street and Shafston Avenue

• GWO Community Movie Night

• Dog Parks Update: Riverside Drive & Orleigh Park

• School Holiday Activities 

Tree Removals Across the Ward

Many residents have contacted my office recently about trees being removed across the Gabba Ward, and I understand how distressing it is to see mature trees come down in our streets and parks.

My office is notified of public land tree removals, and I maintain regular contact with Council’s arborist teams. I advocate for every tree proposed for removal, but the final decision rests with qualified arborists assessing tree health, management requirements and safety risks.

Where trees do need to be removed, I advocate for native replacements suited to our climate. Council policy requires every removed tree to be replaced at the same or nearby site.

I am also pushing for the largest viable tree stock possible, because replacing a mature tree with a tiny sapling can mean decades of lost canopy, shade and amenity. Larger advanced trees can help reduce that gap and restore canopy sooner.

The Council sometimes gives my office as little as a day's notice for removal, so not every tree can be included in the newsletter beforehand.

If you're concerned about a tree in your street, please email my office, and as always, thank you for your advocacy.

• 150A Boggo Rd, Dutton Park: 1x Harpullia pendula (Native Tulipwood) has been urgently removed due to significant failure at the main union leaving the canopy compromised. A replacement Agatha robusta (Kauri Pine) will be planted at this location. 
• Orleigh Park (near Morry St), West End: 1x Celtis sinensis (Chinese Elm) has been urgently removed due to advanced decay throughout the entire tree structure and significant deadwood above a high-use walkway and playground. A replacement tree (species yet to be determined) will be planted at this location.   
• 164 Wellington Rd, Kangaroo Point: 2x Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gums) have been urgently removed due to significant decline. Two replacement Corymbia tessellaris (Moreton Bay Ash) or alternative suitable species will be planted at this location.
• 177 Dornoch Tce, Highgate Hill: 1x unknown species tree will be removed by the end of September due to the tree being dead. A replacement Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) will be planted at this location. 
• 2 Fraser Tce, Highgate Hill: 1x Acacia concurrens (Black Wattle) will be removed by the end of September due to the tree being dead. A replacement Elaeocarpus reticulatis (Blueberry Ash) will be planted at this location. 
• 11 Gibbon St, Woolloongabba: 1x Tabebuia rosea (Pink Trumpet Tree) will be removed by the end of October due to interference with a traffic lane and parking bays. As this location is unsuitable for replanting, a replacement Agathis robusta (Kauri Pine) will be planted in Woolloongabba Rotary Park.  
• 190 Melbourne St, South Brisbane: 1x Waterhousea floribunda (Weeping Lilly Pilly) will be removed by the end of October due to significant decline. A replacement tree (species yet to be determined) will be planted at this location.

Update: Dornoch Terrace / Hardgrave Road / Ganges Street Intersection

I want to update residents on my advocacy for safety improvements at the Dornoch Terrace, Hardgrave Road and Ganges Street intersection following the incident on 29 July. Since my last newsletter, dozens of concerned residents have contacted my office, so I want to keep the community informed.

I have been advocating for improvements to this intersection since becoming Councillor, including making it a priority in my Council budget submissions in 2023–24, 2024–25 and 2025–26. I also looked for other funding options and, in February, wrote to the Chair of Council’s Infrastructure Committee seeking Black Spot Funding for this intersection. I have also sought support from the Federal Member for Griffith.

At Council’s General Meeting on 18 August, I raised the issue directly with the Lord Mayor, who asked me to formally outline what I wanted Council to do. I wrote the following day calling for a targeted upgrade of this intersection, including current traffic counts, a road safety assessment, upgrade options, a cost estimate, a funding pathway and a clear timeframe for delivery.

On 1 September, I went further and moved an emergency motion calling for funding for the intersection in this year’s budget. Every LNP Councillor voted against it.

I am now waiting for the Lord Mayor’s response. This intersection has waited long enough. I will keep pushing until it is properly funded and fixed.

Celebrating our Multicultural Communities

One of the things I love most about the Gabba Ward is the incredible diversity of people who call our suburbs home. Over the past month, I have had the opportunity to celebrate that diversity at events including Grand Pakistan Day, the Ukrainian Festival and the Serbian Festival.

These celebrations are an important part of community life. They bring people together to share their culture, history, food, music and traditions, while giving the wider community the opportunity to learn and celebrate alongside them.

As someone who is an immigrant myself, I know how important it is to feel that your culture, your history and your contribution have a place in the community you call home. I also know that immigration makes our communities stronger, bringing new ideas, cultures, businesses, traditions and connections to Brisbane.

That multicultural fabric is one of Brisbane's greatest strengths, and it is a tapestry I am incredibly proud to be part of. Especially as Brisbane continues to grow, we need to make sure we are building a city that welcomes people in, gives them a genuine opportunity to put down roots, and protects the communities and places that make Brisbane feel like home.

photo at Brisbane Serbian festival on Sunday 30 August at Dutton Park State School

photo at Grand Pakistan Day on Saturday 15 August at King George Square

photo at Brisbane Ukrainian Festival Brisbane 2026 on Saturday 22 August at the Ukrainian Club Brisbane

Gabba Ward Grants Workshop

Does your community group need a little help to get a project off the ground? Each year, the Gabba Ward Office has an allocation of $44,000 through the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund to fund projects of community benefit. The grant is open to community groups and not-for-profit organisations that are based in the Gabba Ward (or delivering projects for Gabba Ward residents) with most grant amounts ranging from $250 to $1000. We’re holding a workshop for community group members interested in finding out more about the grants process, how to apply, and how to write a successful application. 

For more information about Gabba Ward grants eligibility, visit my grants webpage here. Please reach out to my team at [email protected] if you have any questions, and hope to see you there! 

When: Thursday 26 November 2026 from 6pm – 7.30pm

Where: Gabba Ward Community Meeting Room

Bikeway Updates: Melbourne Street and Shafston Avenue

There's a lot happening on active transport infrastructure across Brisbane at the moment, and I wanted to give you an update on two projects that directly impact the Gabba Ward.

Melbourne Street Bikeway: The Next Stage

Council has announced the next stage of the Melbourne Street Bikeway, extending Brisbane's growing CityLink Cycleway network. This stage will add a 300 metre separated bikeway from Cordelia Street through to Boundary Street in West End, bringing the total bikeway length to 800 metres from Victoria Bridge to Boundary Street.

The project is currently at the design stage, with a design release anticipated later this year or early next year. It is also backed by $9.2 million in State Government funding.

Melbourne Street is one of the busiest walking, riding and public transport corridors in our inner south, and as South Brisbane and West End continue to grow, safe and separated infrastructure here matters. This extension is part of a broader vision and when complete, the CityLink Cycleway will span 4km between South Brisbane and Kangaroo Point, linking five suburbs and crossing two river bridges.

This builds on the South Brisbane Active Travel Study from 2022, where community feedback consistently called for improved safety, fewer conflict points between different modes, and separated bike lanes along Melbourne Street. I will share more detail as the design progresses.

Shafston Avenue Bikeway: Post Community Meeting Update 

I also want to follow up on the community meeting we held on Wednesday 5 August at the Queensland Multicultural Centre, where a large number of residents came along to discuss the proposed Shafston Avenue Bikeway.

The meeting was well attended, and I appreciated everyone who took the time to raise their questions and concerns directly. A few things worth sharing:

The proposed bikeway will connect the Deakin Street landing of the Kangaroo Point Bridge to Mowbray Park, and forms part of Council's response after the original, more expensive Kangaroo Point Riverwalk project was shelved in 2023. For the majority of the route, the bikeway and pedestrian footpath will be separated, with only two shared zones near the Cairns Street intersection and at the end of the route near Park Road Avenue.

Following feedback from the meeting, my office opened a community survey allowing residents to share their feedback. The survey remains open and will close at the beginning of October. 

Once it closes, my office will compile all the feedback we've received and pass it directly to Council's City Projects team to continue to push for consultation and consideration of resident input as the design progresses.

On the Riverwalk itself, on Tuesday 1 September during Question Time in Council chambers, I put it to the Lord Mayor directly: the Dockside to Mowbray Riverwalk remains in Council's Local Government Infrastructure Plan, despite his administration cancelling the project in 2023/24. This long promised infrastructure, over 20 years in the making, would provide an important connection and complement the Shafston Avenue Bikeway and the proposed Mowbray Park upgrades. I asked him plainly: will your administration deliver the Dockside to Mowbray Riverwalk, and when?  

Watch a video of my question here. 

The Lord Mayor's response was that the sale of the Riverwalk will deliver it. If you want to see the Riverwalk delivered, I  encourage you to contact the Lord Mayor's office directly with this request.

I will continue advocating for a design that genuinely reflects what this community needs, and I will keep you updated as further information comes to hand.

Dog Parks Update: Riverside Drive & Orleigh Park

Riverside Drive Dog Off-Leash Area

Construction has been pushed back again, with works now projected to run from next week through to late October. This delay has come about because the contractor date has been pushed out from another dog park project elsewhere. I will keep pushing to make sure this timeline holds and will continue to provide updates as necessary on its progress.

Orleigh Park Dog Off-Leash Area

The remediation works are now complete and fencing will be removed in early October. My office has initiated scoping and estimates for extending and improving the facility further, and I'm hopeful I will have more to share on that soon.

I will continue to keep the community updated as both projects progress. If you have any questions in the meantime, get in touch with my office at [email protected].

Halloween at Bunyapa Park: Free Community Movie Night

Grab your costume and a picnic rug; my office is hosting a free Halloween Movie Night for the whole Gabba Ward community!

Join us at Bunyapa Park, West End, for a family-friendly spooky night under the stars. We will be watching Coco, with prizes for best dressed, and free popcorn and lollies. Some outdoor mats and pillows will be provided, but feel free to bring your own blanket and settle in.

When: Saturday 31 October 2026, roll out your rug from 5:30pm for a 6pm movie start (finishing around 8pm)
Where: Bunyapa Park, 39 Vulture Street, West End

All are welcome. Bring the family, your favourite costume, and get ready for a fun night together as a community.

School Holidays Activities

School holidays are approaching, and there are so many free and low-cost activities on offer in and around the Gabba Ward to help keep the kids busy and having fun. There’s something for everyone! 

Get outdoors and active at our local parks with abseiling,  adventure games,  archery,  “fast fun and funky”,  kickboxing,  martial arts,  rock climbing, and survivor challenge sessions. Bookings are essential, so get in quick. 

Get curious and creative at our local libraries! An “Intelino” session at our very own West End Library will explore robotics, coding, science, communication and art for young kids and their families. Nearby libraries will host a variety of other activities including rainbow families storytime,  special bug investigations,  make and create workshops,  STEAM sessions,  manga & anime club,  knitting classes,  cartooning workshops,  robot adventures,  writing workshops and creative recycling workshops. Again, bookings are essential, so don’t miss out. 

And of course, don’t forget to check out the incredible kids holiday programs at the Museum of Brisbane in City Hall and the State Library of Queensland in South Brisbane. 

Happy holidays! 

Community Notices

New Community Pantry at The Gabba Ward Office!

I'm excited to share that we've set up a community pantry inside the Gabba Ward office, for anyone in our community who needs a little extra support, or who would like to give back.

You can drop off or collect nonperishable items e.g. canned goods with pull-tab lids, peanut and nut butters, cereals, pasta and shelf-stable sauces, granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit and veg, and hygiene products. Please don't leave glass containers, heavy cans without pull tabs, fresh or perishable food, chocolate, or anything with delicate coatings. 

The pantry is accessible Monday to Friday, 9am - 4:30pm, during our office's regular hours.

Whether you're going through a tough time or simply want to support a neighbour, this pantry is here for our community. 

Kurilpa Derby 2026 – Save The Date & Get Involved
Kurilpa Derby returns on Sunday 13 September 2026! It’s West End's annual volunteer-run street festival, celebrating local community, creativity & "life on wheels" since 2007. There will be a colourful, family-friendly parade on wheels, followed by an afternoon of races, local performances, creative competitions, and more! Sign up to help run our free BBQ or follow West End Community Association on facebook for more info as we draw closer to the day.

Froggy Park Time Capsule: Opening Event Coming in November

Many residents have reached out to my office about the time capsule buried in Froggy Park (Orleigh Park) back in 2001 by West End State School Kindy, marked to be opened in 2026. My office is working with former teachers of West End State School to support a proper opening event, planned for late November.

We want to make sure this happens safely and with the community properly involved, rather than the capsule being dug up informally.

Details will be finalised soon and shared in the next newsletter. If you'd like to be involved, or you were part of the original 2001 group who placed items inside, please email my office at [email protected] for more information. 

Computers 4 Learning -  Drop Your Old Devices

Got an old laptop or computer gathering dust? Drop it in and we'll pass it on to Computers 4 Learning, an organisation which refurbishes donated devices and gives them to people who are disadvantaged. Every device given a second life helps tackle digital inequality and e-waste.

Baby Give Back – Clothing Donations Needed
Baby Give Back is critically low on preloved clothing in sizes 3 – 5 (Boys and Girls). Since January, they have issued over 6,000 clothing boxes, more than the total distributed in 2024. Donations of clothes can be dropped at the Gabba Ward Office to help families in need.

PlatyMonth is here! – Community Resources and Activities
Council is excited to celebrate Platypus Month (PlatyMonth) for one of Brisbane’s most iconic native animals. With platypuses calling our local waterways home, PlatyMonth is a great reminder of the simple actions we can all take to help protect their habitat and keep our waterways healthy. Learn more about Council’s platypus conservation work and how you can play your part. Plus, find a range of family-friendly platypus activities and colouring competitions on offer at Brisbane’s beautiful environmental centres. 

Share the Dignity – Council Cares Initiative
The Gabba Ward Office has partnered with Share the Dignity as part of their Council Cares initiative. The program aims to increase awareness and understanding of menstruation and help break down barriers. Check out the resources and tools available on the menstruation education hub today: Share the Dignity Education Hub

Brisbane State High School Basketball Program – Monster Raffle
Our Monster Raffle is currently running, with a prize pool valued at more than $4,000! All proceeds go directly back into supporting the BSHS Basketball program.The program provides opportunities for hundreds of students to participate in representative and school basketball, and our fundraising helps support the program with essential equipment, training and player development, uniforms, transport and competition opportunities for both our girls’ and boys’ teams. Raffle tickets are just $5 and can be purchased here. Every ticket makes a difference! 

Free Webinar Series: Flood Resilience for Brisbane Apartments
Resilient Kurilpa is excited to be back sharing practical knowledge from our community in Kurilpa! We know that planning and preparing for disasters takes effort, resources and time— especially for apartment communities and volunteer body corporate committees. This series will support you to work with your apartment community to prepare for future floods, cyclones, and storms. Please register to join us live or be sent the recording.

Webinar 1: Understanding Apartment Flood Risk & Preparedness
Thursday 10 September – 6pm-7:30pm – registration & further information

Webinar 2: What Brisbane Apartment Renters Need to Know About Floods
Thursday 15 October – 6pm-8pm – registration & further information

Webinar 3: Lessons for Success: Stories From Apartment Flood Planning
Wednesday 4 November – 6pm-8pm – registration & further information