Director Rupert Wyatt has excelled in producing a phenomenal prequel of the original 1968 Planet of the Apes. Wyatt’s depiction inevitably proved a remarkable technological progression of the classic ’60s sci-fi representation. Avatar‘s Oscar-winning visual effects masterminds, Weta Digital, combined with renowned producers and screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver to created not only a […]

Queenslanders will join the rest of Australia in celebrating the 110th anniversary of the Australian flag on Saturday. According to Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce the flag has a special place for all. “It is much loved, touched, worn and flown by Australians here and across the world. It graces our most solemn occasions and significant […]

Huge traffic problems have been predicted with the state government’s plan to move public servants to the former QUT Carseldine campus. Bracken Ridge councillor Amanda Cooper said nothing was being done to address the traffic impacts of up to 1000 new workers in the area and residents had wanted the campus to stay. “I know […]

Smoking bans to come into force in Queen Street Mall from September 1 will merely shift smokers and their litter to areas nearby, according to the the Queensland Hotels Association. QHA occupational health and safety manager Ross Tims said this week licensed premises would also suffer the full brunt of the laws because tourists and […]

Queensland children could still be concerned about the floods seven months after the deluge that affected Brisbane, according to a leading child development expert. Queensland University of Technology early childhood Professor Susan Danby (pictured) said the January floods had increased the risk of anxiety in children. “The floods raised real issues of uncertainty and unpredictability […]

Jenni Kelly was one of six award-winning artists who took part in the “Travellers’ Tales” exhibition funded by the Moreton Bay Regional Council. The event was held this month at the Pine Rivers Art Gallery in Strathpine. The theme “Travellers’ Tales” embraced memoirs of the artists’ intrepid travels derived from photographs translated into art pieces […]

Clouds built and the breeze freshened but that wasn’t going to stop the thousands who came out for the annual Ekka races at Eagle Farm racecourse on Wednesday. The fake tan had been applied, suits ironed and hair curled. Most of the spectators, mainly aged in their 20s, had been preened to perfection – and […]

The number of Brisbane cyclists with itchy heads may increase dramatically in the next three months, the Brisbane City Council trialling a shared helmet system for Citycycle. From next Monday a third of the bike fleet will have a helmet provided free of charge, one of the council’s seven improvements to increase the struggling scheme’s […]

Thousands of people joined protests in capital cities over the weekend to urge the Australian Parliament to ban live export in Australia. The rallies follow a lift on a temporary ban put in place after footage of the mistreatment of cattle in Indonesian abattoirs was aired on ABC’s Four Corners program. Animals Australia advocate and […]

A variety of smells, sights and people greet you as you enter the gates of the RNA Showgrounds for 2011’s “Ekka” – the Brisbane Exhibition. The show itself has been running since 1876 and has changed a lot since. The first show bag was a bag of coal and it was given to everyone who […]

A war of words has broken out between Brisbane city councillors over an historic church at Wynnum slated for demolition to make way for a six-storey office block. At this week’s council meeting Cr Amanda Cooper blamed Cr Peter Cumming for supporting demolition instead of removal of the former Baptist church. Ms Cooper, who chairs […]

Humble grandparents from a remote property in Logan Village have finally been given the recognition they deserve after dedicating their lives to fostering children. Last week Wayne and Eileen Hughes were awarded the 2011 Foster and Kinship Excellence Award for Queensland’s south-east region at a special ceremony in Queensland’s Parliament House. Every year carers are […]

More than 400 hectares will be burnt off over 30 sites around Brisbane in coming months in an effort to prevent disaster in the bushfire season. Brisbane City Council says it has already done 16 burns of more than 200 hectares. The council plans to burn up to 417 hectares this year. The council’s hazard […]

Ash Grunwald’s music is a mix of grungy folk dashed with a side of electric blues. His latest tour, “The Road Dog Diaries”, was named simply for the road tripping lifestyle he’s adopted. “It comes from the title of my blog and it is basically what I am – a road dog. Always moving and […]

Based on an iconic book and epic three-hour movie, the musical adaptation of Dr Zhivago has a lot to live up to. After all, song and dance would not be the first choice for many to convey the loneliness, individualism and ideology explored in Boris Pasternak’s novel. Yet director Des McAnuff and composer Lucy Simon […]