Caboolture Archives - Page 11 of 11

Emergency Cases Experience Long Ramping Times at Caboolture Hospital

A new report from the Australian Medical Association shows that Caboolture Hospital ranks fifth among public hospitals in Queensland with the worst waiting time for emergency cases, specifically for patients in stretchers from ambulances.

AMA’s 2022 public health report card revealed that the longest waiting time for a patient brought in by an ambulance at Caboolture Hospital was 465 minutes or almost eight hours in August 2021. However, the numbers improved in January 2022 when the median waiting time dropped to 264 minutes or 4.4 hours.

The Performance Data from Queensland Health, on the other hand, indicated that between October to December 2021, Caboolture Hospital had a 20-minute median waiting time for treating Category 3 patients or potentially life-threatening cases, where patients should be seen by a treating doctor or nurse within 30 minutes of arriving.

Yet, transfers off-stretcher within 30 minutes, as well as patients seen within the clinically recommended time frames recommended by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, comprised just 65 per cent of the emergency cases.

1,500 More Beds Needed

AMA Queensland Prof Chris Perry said that Queensland public hospitals have been “performing well overall” in spite of the stretched resources. However, he acknowledged the long waiting times in the emergency departments and said that Queensland needs 1,500 more beds to improve ramping times.

“Our hospitals must run at less than 90 per cent occupancy so there is surge capacity, and Hospital and Health Services must conduct a detailed analysis of patient flow within the hospital and report against that analysis,” Prof Perry said.

“This can work if it is underpinned by strong effective leadership, innovation, and appropriate investment by the State and Federal Governments.”

Caboolture Hospital is currently undergoing major redevelopment that will see the delivery of:

a new five storey Clinical Services Building
a new Multi-Storey Carpark
an expansion and refurbishment program that will enhance and modernise spaces within a number of areas of the existing hospital
the relocation of Building Engineering and Maintenance Services into a new facility

The improvements are expected to address the projected population growth of 51 per cent by 2031. The redevelopment is expected to finish in 2023.

Queensland Health $21-Million Budget Cut for 2022

Meanwhile, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said that all states, including Queensland, asked for more funding from the Federal Government to improve the services of the public health system. However, the recent Budget Papers indicated a $21-million cut for Queensland public hospitals.

“Queensland hospitals losing federal funding will mean Queenslanders will have to wait longer for the health treatment they deserve,” Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.

Caboolture, Nearby Areas: Where to Go and What to Bring When Evacuating

Here are some options on where to go, along with some tips on preparing an Evacuation Kit, for families in Caboolture and nearby areas that are evacuating and seeking shelter away from flooded homes.

Friends or Family

Brisbane City Council suggests that families consider seeking shelter first at friends’ or relatives’ homes if this is an option and they are in a safe location. If this is not an option, there are several places that people can go when evacuating.

Caboolture Memorial Hall

As of Sunday, 27 Feb 2022, Moreton Bay Regional Council confirmed that the Caboolture Memorial Hall on King Street, the main evacuation centre, is still open but is under significant stress due to the volume of evacuees.

Despite this, the facility will not turn away those who arrive at the Caboolture Memorial Hall.

Watson Park Convention Center in Dakabin

Those who arrive on King Street will eventually be moved to Dakabin.

“We will transfer residents to our Watson Park Convention Centre in Dakabin when it is safe to do so,” the Council stated. “No one will be turned away or left stranded.”

If families evacuating are nearer this location they can forego going to the Caboolture Memorial Hall and proceed to Dakabin.

Other Evacuation Centres

Council has also opened the Dayboro Showgrounds for evacuees who prefer to stay in their caravans, vans, or vehicles. The showground is a kilometre away from the Dayboro Community Hall, another evacuation site.

Other alternative sites include:

EVACUATION CENTRE	ADDRESS
Woodford Memorial Community Hall	103 Archer Street, Woodford
Beachmere Hub	Main Street, Beachmere
Bribie Island Rec Hall	156A First Avenue, Bongaree

Check for Open Evacuation Centres.

Caboolture & Other Moreton Bay Libraries

All Council libraries in the region will open as temporary shelters during normal business hours. Check for Moreton Bay Libraries’ location.

Bring an Evacuation Kit

Evacuees are advised to bring the following items to the temporary shelter:

Mobile phone and charger
Spare clothing
Toiletries
Important documents (e.g. insurance papers, passports, birth certificates, backup of computer files)
Necessary medication and prescriptions
Needs for infants such as formula or nappies
Bedding, pillow, and blankets

Check Weather-Impacted Caboolture Roads

Before heading out, however, the most prudent thing to do is to check for weather-impacted roads to plan alternative routes. Per Council’s advise, residents are discouraged from walking or driving through floodwaters to avoid any risks or accidents. The roads may be filled with potholes as well, due to the high rainfall. Check for road closures.

Caboolture Property Market Continues Fast-Paced Growth

Property values continue to rise in Caboolture, a thriving urban suburb in the Moreton Bay Region approximately 50 kilometres north of Brisbane City. With a number of developments going on, including new, fairly affordable housing options, industry insiders look upon Caboolture as an emerging hotspot, a great option for first-home buyers.

Highlights

The Caboolture property market accelerated with a 23.55 per cent growth for the period between October 2020 to September 2021.
Despite the increase, affordability remains a big attraction for buyers in Caboolture where the median house price is $435,000.
The median unit house price, on the other hand, is at $227,000 after a 21.39 per cent growth from last year.

Caboolture House Price Growth

Data from Property Market Updates showed that Caboolture exhibited a 23.55 per cent median house price growth for the period covering October 2020 to September 2021. The median house price now sits at $435,500, up from $352,5000 in the previous year.

Despite the increase, the value is still below the general median house price for the rest of the capital at $757,000, according to Core Logic. There were 704 houses sold during this period with a fast turnover of 36 days on market. Three and four-bedroom homes were most popular with buyers.

Once a quiet town for retirees and farmers, Caboolture is slowly attracting established couples with children. The suburb’s population has doubled in the last 10 years, with village centres now turning into major shopping hubs with new businesses that provide the residents with all the conveniences they need.

The current market conditions, however, indicate that Caboolture’s housing market is still undersupplied given the demand. Thus, planned future developments that will supply diversified choices for housing to meet different types of household composition and income, should have buyers and investors keeping their eyes peeled in Caboolture.

Caboolture Unit Price Growth

Caboolture’s unit market has also climbed by 21.39 per cent, driving up the median unit price from $187,000 from the previous year to $227,000 from October 2020 to September 2021. There were 175 units sold for this period with an average listing of 47 days on market.

Caboolture Median Unit Price Growth — Photo Credit: Property Market Updates

Some pockets in Caboolture are filled with the working class who prefer to live in apartments. However, a few minutes near the CBD are newer but standard units.

About Caboolture

Located an hour away from Brisbane, Caboolture is considered the gateway to Sunshine Coast. The lifestyle in this suburb offers diversity as Caboolture is surrounded by quaint country villages, gorgeous mountain scenery, and white sandy beaches.

To the north is Upper Caboolture which has larger blocks of older homes and mini acreage. With developments moving in, newer mansions are also being built in this area.

The south section has a higher population than Upper Caboolture with plenty of house renovations underway. Most residents in this section are renters, where 80 per cent live in detached houses than apartments or small dwellings..

To the east and west sections of Morayfield Road, on the other hand, are riverside homes that are attractive for investors and owner-occupiers. Here, shops abound next to a vast green space, the Platypus Creek Environmental Reserve.

The Caboolture CBD, with its more urbanised development, is bigger than the south section. The commercial hub is Caboolture Square Shopping Centre and the area still has plenty of housing blocks overlooking the river.

The area near the Caboolture Public and Private Hospital has older properties that have been subdivided into apartments and townhouses, including aged care facilities. Several developments are also ongoing near St. Columban’s College.

Commute to Caboolture has improved with the second city train line from Gympie to Nambour. There are also bus lines serving commuters. Schools in the area include Caboolture State School near the CBD, Saint Paul’s Lutheran Private College, Tullawong State School and State High School, Minimbah State School, Morayfield State High School, Caboolture East Primary School, and Australian Christian College – Moreton.

“Caboolture is growing in amazing ways. There is an outstanding amount of developments underway, So whether you are a first home buyer, renting or a young family starting out the options are endless.”
Tiffany Maricic

“Since I moved to Caboolture – I’ve found it quite convenient in terms of getting to all major shops (Morayfield Shops are very close to Caboolture Shops) – In overall satisfaction with the place, been happy about it. It can have drama here and there but overall, stay out of it and you’ll be fine… everyone around are friendly and wouldn’t mind recommending this place to others.
Prodagus

“As kids we moved around a lot through Australia, New Zealand & England. When we moved to Caboolture I knew this was where I wanted to stay. We had room for my brother to finally get the dirt bike he always wanted, there were plenty of close basketball courts and parks to satisfy my needs and we were basically under half an hour from the beach on one weekend to bushwalking up mt NgunNgun the next weekend. I got a job in Caboolture when I finished school and unlike many other parts of the country housing affordability has never really been an issue.”
DWC

Caboolture Exhibits Stable Growth, Remains Affordable

The Caboolture property market is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the areas to watch in the Moreton Bay region. Located 50 kilometres north of Brisbane CBD, it is exhibiting steady growth but remains attractively affordable to first-time homeowners and savvy investors who are taking notice of what is rapidly becoming a thriving, new urban growth centre.

With a population that has grown and doubled every decade since the seventies, Caboolture is now experiencing an influx of new families that has led to a boom in housing developments in the area.

Businesses have also been quick to contribute to the area’s urbanisation as shopping centres, homemaker centres, and other commercial establishments start occupying prime locations in the area and its surroundings, notably in nearby suburbs such as Burpengary, Bellmere, and Morayfield.

Property Market — Houses

From July 2020 to June 2021, the housing market in Caboolture exhibited a 6.30 percent increase in a busy market which showed 665 houses sold within this period.

Data from Property Market Updates showed that house listings spent an average of 51 days on the market for the first quarter. The second quarter showed faster turnover, with houses selling within almost half the time at just 23 days on market.

In the last 12 months, first-home buyers have taken advantage of Caboolture’s affordability, coupled with low-interest rates as sales reflected a median house price of $374,000. Interstate and international investors impacted by the long lockdowns in this pandemic look past traditional markets in Sydney and Melbourne to cash in on dynamic property markets in Queensland.

Photo Credit: Property Market Updates

This comes as the Queensland Government and Moreton Bay Region Council, in collaboration with developers, continue to deliver new housing developments and infrastructure, which are slowly changing this northside locale. Once the quiet suburb preferred by retirees and farmers, Caboolture is now home to many young families.

Property Market — Units

The apartment market in Caboolture has exhibited a modest but stable, upward trend as well. From July 2020 to June 2021, the market grew by 2.53 percent compared to the previous year. Unit listings stayed an average of 56 days on market with 191 properties sold.

Photo Credit: Property Market Updates

Attractive to Investors as a Rental Market

In markets like Caboolture, known as a suburb with affordable rent, investors are leveraging record-low interest rates and their ability to buy, with a view towards cashing in on the strong rental market.

Around 15% of the total houses for rent in the Moreton Bay Region is located in Caboolture. The area has 4,800 houses registered as rental properties with the Qld Residential Tenancies Authority. Rental demand is greatest for houses, followed by units, townhouses, and acreage.

Population-Driven Growth

Industry observers note that interstate migration is currently growing at its fastest rate in 18 years, pushing demand for housing up as the population grows.

According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Brisbane had the highest growth rate among all of Australia’s capital cities, growing by 1.9 per cent during 2019-2020. Also, Queensland’s population is expected to grow significantly as more people come in from other states, with some sectors predicting a gain of almost 85,000 new residents in the state by mid-2025. As such, demand for property in Caboolture, still an “affordable” suburb by 2021 standards, will likely also continue to rise as people look to the outlying suburbs for housing options.

Distracted Driving: Secret Cameras to Catch, Penalise Erring Drivers to Stay

Bruce Highway in Caboolture, one of the 10 worst crash hotspots in Queensland, has been the site of numerous crashes due to distracted driving. Cameras catching drivers using their mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts, previously deployed on trial, will now roll out permanently beginning 26 July, with hefty fines to be imposed beginning November 2021.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey confirmed that the cameras, trialled from July to December 2020, will remain in place as the State Government establishes its $1.69 billion road safety plan.

“Our message has always been direct and very simple: just put your phone away,” the minister said.

Highlights

Camera detection of drivers on their phones or not using seatbelts will become permanent beginning 26 July 2021.
The collection of fines will start on 1 Nov 2021.
Drivers caught using their phone will incur four demerit points and a $1,033 fine.
Drivers caught using their phone will incur three demerit points and a $413 fine.

“Using a mobile phone while driving has the same impact as getting behind the wheel with a blood alcohol reading between 0.07 and 0.10.

“We successfully trialled these cameras last year, and have been talking about them coming to Queensland roads for two years.”

Proper Mobile Phone Use on the Road

Per the TMR site, “it will be illegal to hold a mobile phone in your hand or have it resting on any part of your body, such as your lap, when driving. This applies even if you’re stopped in traffic.”

To properly use a mobile on the road and avoid distracted driving, drivers have to find a place to park and stop their car and then make their calls or text. TMR will allow mobile phones on cradles attached to the car to allow the drivers to navigate GPS apps, play music, accept a phone call, or accept/finish a trip (for rideshare drivers). Cradles provide drivers hands-free use of their phones while driving but it should be positioned in a way that will not obscure the driver’s view.

Drivers can hold their phones, while safely stopped, for the following instances:

pay for goods and services, for example at a drive-through
gain access to or from a road-related area, such as a car park
present a digital driver licence or other document to police when asked
get a card or money out of a phone wallet for the above purposes

Penalties if Caught by Camera

Some of the cameras are going to be portable and mobile, moving in different secret spots to catch erring drivers who could be “caught anywhere, anytime, whether they’re driving in the city or on a regional highway.”

distracted driving — Photo Credit: Queensland Government

However, TMR will start collecting the $1,033 fine and four demerit points by 1 Nov 2021. Double demerit points will apply for subsequent offences committed within a year of the first offence.

In addition to the mobile phone use penalty, drivers who fail to wear a seatbelt will also be fined $413 and three demerit points.

“Whether you’re a driver or a passenger, the risk is the same and so are the penalties. Drivers can also be fined and lose points for every passenger in the vehicle who isn’t buckled up, regardless of their age,” Mr Bailey said.

For more information on road safety, visit Street Smarts.

New Caboolture Watchhouse Opens in Moreton Bay

Following a year-long construction, the new Caboolture watchhouse with bigger and more modern facilities has opened in Moreton Bay.

Unveiled in mid-June 2021, the new Caboolture watchhouse is expected to boost the capabilities of the Caboolture Police Station and Moreton District Office in ensuring the safety of the community.

The former watchhouse had just 14 beds but the new building could now accommodate 40 individuals at a given time, who will be monitored with state-of-the-art tools and equipment.

Photo Credit: Queensland Police Service/Facebook

“The rapid growth of this region in recent years means police facilities need to keep pace with the requirements of the local community,” Mark Ryan MP, Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, said during the opening ceremonies, which was also attended by Commissioner Katarina Carrol. “With the population increasing in suburbs north of Brisbane, modern facilities like this one are vital to maintaining community safety.”

Commissioner Carol said that this $14.4 million building will allow the police to continue their work to uphold a high standard of service. The new Caboolture watchhouse is also home to the police’s support staff from the Caboolture Prosecution Corp, Domestic and Family Violence Unit, Moreton District Youth Co-Responder Team and the Moreton District Tasking and Coordination Unit.

“Housing important specialist units within this building ensures our officers are available where they are needed throughout the Moreton District.”

Meanwhile, Terry Young MP had the chance to tour the facilities as well and said that whilst it was unfortunate they needed to expand the facilities to accommodate more prisoners, the completion of this project will be a big help to the police units.

According to the Queensland Police Service, about 4,000 and 5,000 prisoners are processed annually at the Caboolture Watchhouse.

Kmart Caboolture Holds Major Sale Before Closing for Good

After 34 years of trading, the popular Kmart outlet at the Caboolture Square Shopping Centre is closing down permanently. However, before the doors are locked for good, Kmart Caboolture is slashing down the prices of its last remaining items.

Kmart Caboolture will no longer trade by 12 June 2021. In January, a spokesperson for the company confirmed that the store will close as they have opted not to renew the lease at the Caboolture Square Shopping Centre. Following the confirmation, Kmart posted signs around the store to inform the shoppers, stating that the Kmart Morayfield or Kmart Burpengary outlets will be their nearest options.

The spokesperson also said that they are pushing for online orders and assisting customers with their purchases on the Kmart website, especially for shoppers who would like to avoid the commute to the shopping centre.

Photo Credit: Alexander Williams/Google Maps

The staff at the Caboolture outlets will get to keep their jobs as they will be re-assigned to Kmart Group’s other shops. The company has plans to open at least 80 redeveloped and reconfigured stores across the country in 2021.

During COVID-19’s first wave, Kmart Caboolture was the first Queensland outlet to close for an indefinite period, as it became an online fulfilment site for essential orders like grocery items and medical care.

Meanwhile, some sections of Kmart Caboolture have been nearly empty since shoppers got wind of the major discounts. However, bargain hunters can still peruse through the stationery and books section, the clothes department, as well as the toy corners.

On the other hand, the management of Caboolture Square Shopping Centre has not yet revealed the new tenant that will take over the space vacated by Kmart but there are indications that the area will be subdivided for smaller tenancies.

New RSPCA Report: Caboolture Remains the Cruelest Suburb to Animals

Based on a 2020 report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), Caboolture is once again the suburb with the highest number of incidences of animal cruelty in Queensland.

With 178 cases and complaints according to the RSPCA’s Animal Cruelty Hotspots report 2020, Caboolture has been revealed to have the worst record among Brisbane’s suburbs in terms of animal cruelty.

The suburb also secured the number one spot in the 2019 Hotspots Report with over 200 cases. The 2021 report showed a reduced number of cases compared to the 2020 figures.

Brisbane as a whole experienced a reduction in animal cruelty over the past two years, with statewide cases decreasing from 18,692 in 2019 to 17,146 the following year — numbers dropping by a little over 8 per cent.

Some of the most common complaints included animals with poor living conditions brought about by insufficient food and water, neglect and lack of exercise, abandonment, heat, lack of healthcare and veterinary treatment, and abuse and cruelty.

An estimated 1,116 emergency calls made to RSPCA Queensland were about animals suffering from heat stress, either by being left in a hot car or being tethered to the yard and unable to reach shade and water. Cars can reach up to 73 degrees Celsius in summertime — fatal for pets if left unattended, even if the vehicle is in shade with the windows rolled down.

As part of the RSPCA’s report, an interactive map was created which allows users to pinpoint their suburbs and discover how many reported cases of animal cruelty there were in the past year.