A new men’s barbershop has opened on the Clontarf foreshore, introducing an appointment-based grooming service as part of a locally established hair business.
A men’s barbershop operating under the name The MR. Collective has opened along the Clontarf foreshore, adding another small business to the Redcliffe Peninsula area.
The barbershop forms part of the MR.MRS hair brand, which is run by founders Cara and Bash. The pair previously operated under the name MrMrs The Hair Experts, a locally owned family business.
The broader brand began in 2020 with a boutique hair salon and barbershop located on the Clontarf Beach waterfront.
The Clontarf barbershop operates using an appointment-only system rather than a traditional walk-in model.
According to the business, this approach allows each booking to be scheduled individually instead of accommodating customers in a waiting area.
The grooming services are led by Bash, who has 14 years of experience in barbering. He is described as a third-generation barber and previously owned Gentlemans Barbers in Auckland.
Services listed by the business include haircuts, skin fades, beard grooming and straight-razor shaving.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Part Of A Broader Local Hair Business
The opening of The MR. Collective separates men’s grooming services from the brand’s women’s salon operations.
The business also runs The MRS. Collective, which provides hair services for women in a dedicated salon environment.
The decision to continue operating in Clontarf reflects the location where the original salon business developed and where the owners say the brand first built a local client base.
The MR. Collective opened earlier in 2026 and the business has since begun recruiting an additional barber.
Information shared through the recruitment process indicates the role is intended for an experienced barber who is confident with fades and beard work.
The position is based on appointment bookings rather than walk-in services.
A Brisbane ophthalmologist associated with a Redcliffe eye clinic recently travelled to Madagascar to volunteer aboard the hospital ship Africa Mercy, helping deliver cataract surgery to patients with limited access to specialist care.
Dr Graham Hay-Smith, principal of the Moreton Eye Group, spent two weeks aboard the hospital ship Africa Mercy in Toamasina, Madagascar, working with an international volunteer medical team.
The Brisbane ophthalmologist is linked to Redcliffe through the Peninsula Eye Centre on Redcliffe Parade, alongside additional Moreton Eye Group locations in North Lakes and Caboolture.
During the mission he performed cataract and pterygium surgery as part of a volunteer ophthalmic team delivering treatment to patients with severe vision impairment.
Life On Board The Africa Mercy
The Africa Mercy is a converted Danish rail ferry refitted as a hospital ship. It includes five operating theatres, intensive care facilities, post-anaesthesia care and general wards for around 80 patients.
Outpatient work is limited on board, so screening and other consultations are conducted dockside in tents set up within a warehouse facility near the port.
During Dr Hay-Smith’s visit, around 400 volunteers from 46 nations were serving on the ship, including more than 50 from Australia and New Zealand.
A typical day began with a team meeting at 7:30 a.m., with surgery starting around 8:30 a.m.
The ophthalmic team used Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery, a technique commonly used in settings where advanced surgical equipment may not be available.
Dr Hay-Smith estimated that more than 80 per cent of the patients he operated on could see only hand movements with their better eye prior to surgery.
During the Madagascar program, the team marked the milestone of the 1,000th cataract surgery performed during the service.
Shortage Of Eye Specialists
Madagascar has fewer than 25 ophthalmologists serving a population of about 30 million people.
By comparison, Australia and New Zealand together have more than 1,200 ophthalmologists for a similar combined population.
The disparity highlights the ongoing demand for cataract surgery and specialist eye care in many regions.
Mercy Ships Volunteer Program
The hospital ship is operated by Mercy Ships, an international charity providing free surgical care through volunteer medical teams.
Since 1978, the organisation says its volunteer crews have delivered surgery and medical care to more than 2.8 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Volunteer ophthalmic surgeons assist with patient screening, surgical procedures and post-operative care. Experienced surgeons may also provide training for other eye surgeons in Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery and related techniques.
Volunteer placements for ophthalmic surgeons can begin from two weeks, with applicants required to hold medical qualifications and active surgical practice in their home country.
Photo Credit: Dr Hay-Smith
Professional Background
Dr Hay-Smith trained in the United Kingdom and holds medical degrees from Oxford University, the University of Leeds and the University of London.
He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. Before relocating to Brisbane, he worked as a consultant surgeon in the National Health Service in England.
He now practises ophthalmic surgery through the Moreton Eye Group, including at its Redcliffe clinic.
Outlook
The Madagascar mission highlights the continued need for specialist eye care in regions with limited medical resources.
Volunteer surgeons working on hospital ships help deliver cataract treatment to patients who might otherwise have little access to ophthalmic surgery.
For participating medical professionals, the missions also provide opportunities to collaborate internationally and apply surgical skills in resource-limited clinical environments.
Communities across South East Queensland are seeing more women step into the top jobs at their local Catholic schools, with a growing number of female educators appointed as principals and heads of college in recent years. As International Women’s Day approaches on 8 March, Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) has highlighted the appointment of 29 women to principalship or head of college or campus roles over the past two years, reflecting a shift toward stronger female representation in school leadership.
From Graceville and Bardon to Mango Hill, Birkdale and Scarborough, these appointments are shaping the future of education in neighbourhoods across the region. For families, students and staff, it means welcoming experienced educators who will guide school communities through the next chapter of learning and growth.
BCE’s People and Culture Executive Cathy Heffernan said the appointments reflect a broader effort to support and prepare more women for leadership roles in schools.
“Since the program commenced, 38 per cent of participants have progressed into Head of College, Principal or BCE office leadership roles,” Ms Heffernan said.
“Beyond appointments, the program builds confidence, capability and connection, qualities that are essential for leadership in today’s educational landscape.”
Jessica Lusk, Head of College Unity College (Secondary), Caloundra West Photo Credit: Supplied
Across BCE schools, female principalship has increased from 33 per cent in 2021 to 50 per cent in 2026. In BCE offices, women now make up 64 per cent of leadership roles, up from 48 per cent in 2021.
Many of the recently appointed leaders have participated in BCE’s Women in Leadership program, which was reimagined in 2024 to strengthen leadership pathways and build a pipeline of future-ready female leaders.
For educators like Notre Dame College, Bells Creek Head of College Jasmine Brown, the program has had a lasting impact.
“For me the program highlighted the importance of women actively supporting and advocating for one another,” she said.
“I also found the course an opportunity to connect with other like-minded women who shared the same aspirations for senior leadership.
“The impact of the program has endured well beyond its conclusion, particularly for me through the lasting professional relationships I have built.”
Jasmine Brown, Head of College Notre Dame College, Bells Creek Photo Credit: Supplied
Since March 2024, a number of schools across South East Queensland have welcomed new female leaders, including appointments at St Mary’s College in Ipswich, St Patrick’s Primary School in Nanango, Unity College in Caloundra West, and St Francis College in Crestmead.
Other appointments span communities including Graceville, Bardon, Mango Hill, Ferny Grove, Birkdale, Zillmere, New Farm, Scarborough and Enoggera, where local school communities are now led by experienced educators committed to supporting students, families and staff.
For BCE, the growing number of women stepping into leadership roles reflects a commitment to creating inclusive leadership pathways and recognising the vital contribution women make to education and their communities.
As schools across the region celebrate International Women’s Day, these appointments highlight the strong role women continue to play in shaping the future of Catholic education across South East Queensland.
Redcliffe’s iconic seaside markets are preparing for a festive Easter weekend, with organisers promising two mornings packed with family fun, local stalls and community fundraising along the Redcliffe Parade foreshore.
The Redcliffe Markets Easter Extravaganza will take place on Good Friday (3 April) and Easter Sunday (5 April) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., transforming the popular waterfront strip into a lively Easter hub featuring more than 250 stalls, live entertainment and activities for children.
Locals can expect the usual market favourites — handmade crafts, gourmet street food and artisan treats — alongside special Easter-themed attractions, including craft workshops for kids and appearances by the Easter Bunny for family photos.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Market coordinator Mark Power said the event builds on the long-standing tradition of the Redcliffe Markets as a weekend gathering point for locals and visitors.
“Easter is one of those times when families come together, and the markets are the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere by the water,” he said.
The event will also include a community fundraising element, with activities such as a dunk tank and rock wall raising money for Redcliffe Hospital. Every participation fee from the attractions will go towards supporting the hospital’s work in the local community.
Photo Credit: SuppliedPhoto Credit: Supplied
Alongside the fundraising attractions, visitors can expect live music, Easter decorations and plenty of chocolate-themed treats throughout the market precinct.
The Redcliffe Markets are held weekly along the peninsula foreshore and regularly attract hundreds of stallholders selling handmade goods, produce and street food.
Organisers say the Easter edition aims to offer something for everyone — from families with young children to locals simply keen to enjoy a relaxed morning by the bay.
The Redcliffe Markets Easter Extravaganza is free to attend and will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday 3 April and Sunday 5 April at Redcliffe Parade.
Visitors are encouraged to bring the family, explore the stalls and enjoy a festive start to the Easter weekend on the Redcliffe waterfront.
It’s here! The Dolphins kick off their 2026 NRL season campaign hosting the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, hoping to get off the starting blocks with a win. The Redcliffe Dolphins QRL team also begin their Hostplus Cup campaign this weekend at Kayo Stadium against the Burleigh Bears.
An opening weekend double header at two separate venues.
Redcliffe Ready: Dolphins Open 2026 with Heavyweight Round One NRL Clash
There is no easing into 2026.
The Dolphins open their season on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium against a South Sydney side loaded with star power but arriving with question marks after a disrupted pre-season.
Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert return to the starting pack; Selwyn Cobbo makes his club debut; and Redcliffe gets an immediate read on whether this roster is ready to turn two near-misses into a genuine top-eight push.
For Redcliffe, this is not just round one — it is a genuine early test of whether this squad is ready to convert potential into finals football.
Kick-off is at 1:05pm on Sunday, March 8.
Forward Pack Reinforced
The biggest substance in this team list sits up front.
Flegler returns at prop after nearly two years sidelined by a serious shoulder injury. His presence changes the tone of the middle immediately. Alongside him, Gilbert is named to start at prop in his first NRL appearance since Round 11 last season and will captain the side in his comeback game.
Morgan Knowles starts at lock in his first match for the club, adding further steel to a forward rotation that includes Connelly Lemuelu and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki in the back row.
At hooker, reigning 2025 Forward of the Year and Most Consistent Player Kurt Donoghoe gets the nod, with Bradley Schneider, Oryn Keeley, Felise Kaufusi and Trai Fuller on the bench.
After falling agonisingly short of the top eight in each of the past two seasons, this is the strongest middle Redcliffe has taken into a Round One game.
Strike Power Out Wide
If the pack lays the platform, the backline has the capacity to finish.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow remains at fullback, despite off-season speculation about a positional switch. Coach Kristian Woolf confirmed he would stay at the back, with Trai Fuller named on the bench.
Selwyn Cobbo lines up on the wing for his club debut, opposite Jamayne Isaako. Jake Averillo and Herbie Farnworth combine again in the centres, while Isaiya Katoa partners Kodi Nikorima in the halves.
The Dolphins finished 2025 as the number one attacking team in the NRL. Tabuai-Fidow has scored 16 tries in his past 10 games at Suncorp Stadium. Those numbers are not theoretical — they reflect how quickly this side can turn pressure into points.
Rabbitohs Bring Firepower — and Questions
On paper, South Sydney arrive with serious class.
Latrell Mitchell starts in the centres, Cody Walker at five-eighth and captain Cameron Murray at lock. David Fifita will make his club debut in the second row after a strong pre-season, while Alex Johnston returns fit and sits just two tries short of equalling Ken Irvine’s all-time premiership try-scoring record.
But the Rabbitohs’ preparation has not been smooth.
Hooker Brandon Smith has undergone scans on a calf injury that could sideline him for an extended period, adding to a growing injury list. Halfback Jamie Humphreys is suspended for the opening two rounds, while Jonah Glover was ruled out after breaking his jaw in the Charity Shield. Jayden Sullivan has been working back from surgery to treat an infection and remains a watch heading into the weekend.
That has placed pressure on the halves combination. Ashton Ward has been named at No.7 alongside Walker, stepping into a key organisational role in just his seventh NRL appearance. Wayne Bennett has been forced to manage significant reshuffling during the pre-season and may yet need further adjustments if availability shifts again.
In the forwards, Jai Arrow remains sidelined indefinitely with a shoulder issue. Sean Keppie and Bronson Garlick both failed head injury assessments in a pre-season fixture but are expected to be available following the required concussion protocols.
The result is a Rabbitohs side that has quality across the park but enters round one with moving parts. South Sydney enter Round One after a disrupted pre-season due to injuries and suspensions.
For Redcliffe, that matters.
What It All Means for Redcliffe
The Dolphins have won four of their past six games at Suncorp. South Sydney managed just three wins from 12 away matches in 2025.
Both clubs have spoken openly about top-eight ambitions in 2026. Both have strengthened key areas. But round one is about execution, not projection.
With Flegler and Gilbert back in the engine room, Cobbo bringing fresh edge speed and Katoa now firmly established as the club’s on-field organiser, this is the most balanced Dolphins side Redcliffe has taken into a season opener.
The peninsula has watched this build year by year — from expansion curiosity to genuine contender. Expectations are no longer about competitiveness. They are about progression.
A fast, physical start at Suncorp would not just open the season. It would tell Redcliffe that 2026 is the year the Dolphins move from chasing the eight to belonging in it.
Dolphins v Rabbitohs Sunday, March 8 1:05pm Suncorp Stadium Broadcast on Nine Network, Nine Now, Kayo and Foxtel
Published 4-March-2026
Also happening this weekend at Kayo Stadium…
Redcliffe Dolphins Begin QRL 2026 with September in the Rearview — and Burleigh Bears in the Crosshairs
The QRL Hostplus Cup season opens for the Redcliffe Dolphins exactly where last year ended — against the Burleigh Bears.
An 18–16 preliminary final defeat at UAA Park last September left Redcliffe one step short of a grand final. Not outplayed. Not overwhelmed. Just edged in a contest decided by fine margins.
Now 2026 begins at Kayo Stadium with the same opponent across the line.
The memory is fresh. The response comes first.
Head-to-Head: Margins Define It
Across 22 meetings between the Dolphins and Bears, Redcliffe hold a narrow historical edge:
• 12 wins • 9 losses • 1 draw
Recent clashes underline how little separates the sides.
The most recent meeting — that 18–16 preliminary final — was decided late. Earlier in the 2025 regular season, Burleigh recorded a 30–12 result. These contests are shaped by discipline and execution rather than dominance.
Fortress Kayo
Venue numbers strengthen Redcliffe’s position heading into Round One.
At Kayo Stadium, the Dolphins win 66% of their matches — 79 victories from 120 appearances.
Burleigh’s record at the venue sits at 38% (5 wins from 13 games).
Nearly half of Redcliffe’s 2026 QRL regular season — 11 of 23 matches — will again be played on the peninsula. Early home conversion plays a major role in ladder stability across the 12-team competition.
Round One begins where Redcliffe are statistically strongest.
What Last Season Proved
The Dolphins finished sixth in the 2025 regular season before pushing deep into the finals and falling just two points short of a grand final appearance.
That run confirmed Redcliffe as one of the competition’s most consistent sides. Their late-season form and defensive resilience carried them through the finals and within a single score of the decider.
Rather than rebuilding in 2026, the Dolphins begin the new campaign looking to build directly on that momentum.
Program Strength vs Program Strength
Overall win rates underline how competitive both clubs have been historically:
Declan Dowson anchors the back at fullback. Steven Numbo and Jude Saldanha provide width, with Montel Lisala and Michael McGrath completing the backline. Karl Oloapu and Joshua James combine in the halves.
Through the middle, Jack Johnson, Jordan Plath and Riley Price headline the forward pack alongside Domenico De Stradis, Sam Elliott and lock Sheldon Pitama.
The interchange — Max Plath, Mali Le Pou, Patrice Siolo and Elijah Rasmussen — adds forward depth and defensive stability.
This is not a side searching for combinations. It is a team beginning the season with cohesion already established.
The Moment
Redcliffe do not open 2026 chasing credibility. They open defending momentum.
They hold the historical edge. They dominate at Kayo Stadium. Burleigh hold the most recent victory.
Two points separated them in September.
Now the Redcliffe Dolphins begin their QRL campaign with the chance to answer it — immediately.
Redcliffe Dolphins v Burleigh Bears Round 1 — QRL Hostplus Cup 2026 Venue: Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe Date: Sunday, March 8 Kick-off:1:10pm AEST Competition: Hostplus Cup (QRL)
Construction is now well underway on the $19.5 million Suttons Beach Pavilion, and with bulldozers on site and a 2027 opening date locked in, Redcliffe locals are finally getting a clearer picture of what to expect when the dust settles.
The centrepiece of the development is a striking two-storey coastal structure designed to make the most of its prime beachfront position. The design was selected through a national competition endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects, and takes cues from the curved forms of the original art deco pavilion that once stood on the site. Think open decks, breezy walkways, a sleek foreshore profile, and a rooftop platform with views stretching across Moreton Bay.
One of the more distinctive design elements is the “reverse rotunda,” an open central space conceived for meeting, hanging out, and enjoying unobstructed water views.
The 1998 rotunda will be relocated to provide shaded seating rather than being removed from the site entirely. Even the bricks from the old demolished pavilion will be reused in the landscaping, a deliberate link to what came before.
Dining Is Back on the Foreshore
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
One of the most anticipated elements of the new build is the return of ocean-facing dining to the foreshore. The new pavilion will include multiple indoor and outdoor food and beverage tenancies, with the dynamic mix to be determined through a separate tender process. In practice, that means a range of dining and drinking options, from casual fish and chips overlooking the sand to fresh Moreton Bay seafood and more upmarket offerings.
The return of ocean-facing dining is one of the project’s most anticipated outcomes.
More Than Just a Restaurant Precinct
The pavilion is about more than just somewhere to eat and drink. The broader development includes extensive landscaping designed to connect the building with the surrounding parkland, new public changing rooms and showers for beachgoers, and expanded shade structures. Shaded colonnades will link the precinct to the park, and landscaped spaces are planned with markets and community events in mind.
The adjacent car park is also in line for upgrades, and accessible public amenities are included in the scope, infrastructure designed to support both everyday beachgoers and larger community events.
A New Era for Suttons Beach
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said it was exciting to see work under way. “It’s fantastic that construction has begun on this highly anticipated project that will return the site to an iconic destination the community can enjoy for generations to come,” he said. “With a vibrant hospitality scene and stunning beachfront location, the new Suttons Beach Pavilion will be a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.”
Beachfront developments of this scale are rare, and the project has been deliberately designed to make the most of the site’s natural advantages. The project is backed by funding from all three levels of authority, council, state and federal, reflecting the development’s significance as a long-term investment in the region.
With a 2027 opening on the horizon, for a community that has long waited for this stretch of foreshore to be restored, construction starting is the clearest sign yet that the wait is nearly over.
Hundreds of young people across Moreton Bay are living without stable housing, and this April Chameleon Youth Housing is turning that reality into action through its Couch Surfing campaign, inviting Redcliffe peninsula residents to experience just one night without their own bed.
The Couch Surfing campaign runs from 13 to 19 April, timed to coincide with Youth Week and Youth Homelessness Matters Day on 15 April. Participants swap their bed for a couch or floor at home for one night and collect sponsorship from friends, family or colleagues, with all funds supporting the organisation’s youth shelter and life skills programs at Kippa-Ring. Individuals, families, school groups and workplaces can all register, either solo or as a team.
The Homelessness No One Sees
The young people Chameleon Youth Housing works with are rarely visible in the way most people picture homelessness. They are not sleeping in parks or doorways. They are rotating between a friend’s couch one night, a relative’s floor the next, and sometimes a car when those options run out. Chameleon Youth Housing manager Nicki Kemp estimates between 600 and 1,000 young people across the City of Moreton Bay are living this way right now.
That figure aligns with what national data confirms about the scale of hidden youth homelessness across Australia. Couch surfing has been identified as a precursor to chronic homelessness, occurring in the very early stage when young people are still moving in and out of unstable situations, often while still at school, and young people who couch surf face real risks of sudden eviction from their temporary arrangements as well as physical, financial and other forms of exploitation by those hosting them.
Accurate statistics on couch surfing are difficult to establish because on Census night, a young person staying temporarily with another household may be recorded as a visitor with a usual residence, masking their actual housing situation entirely. The real numbers are almost certainly higher than official counts suggest.
In 2024-25, children and young people receiving homelessness support alone were more likely than any other client group to be couch surfing, at 27 per cent compared with 15 per cent of all clients nationally. Last year alone, Chameleon’s information line handled more than 2,000 contacts from people seeking help. In a region growing as fast as Moreton Bay, the reality is that for every young person offered a bed, there are dozens more still waiting in the shadows, moving between cars and couches.
What Chameleon Youth Housing Does
Chameleon Youth Housing has been supporting young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness for more than 30 years, providing safe and affordable accommodation on the Redcliffe peninsula and surrounding areas. Its model goes well beyond a bed for the night.
The Youth Housing Program pairs accommodation with practical case management, supporting residents to build cooking, budgeting and household skills while helping them identify personal goals and the steps needed to reach them. Young people also receive assistance reconnecting with education and employment, with the aim of securing long-term independent housing rather than cycling back through crisis accommodation.
Beyond its core youth housing work, Chameleon Youth Housing runs a Transitional Housing Program for young parenting families aged 18 to 25 experiencing accommodation crisis, and an Indigenous housing program called I CaN HOPe, providing culturally appropriate supported housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. The organisation also runs a dedicated Queensland Housing Information Platform line, responding to more than 2,000 contacts in the past financial year alone as demand across the region continues to rise.
It costs approximately $70 per night to house a young person at the shelter. The Couch Surfing campaign directly offsets those costs while building the community understanding that sustains longer-term support for the organisation’s work.
Why Community Fundraising Matters
Young people experiencing homelessness face compounding disadvantages: almost half of those seeking specialist homelessness services report a current mental health condition, and many struggle to sustain education, employment or social connection without a stable base. Early intervention, of the kind Chameleon Youth Housing provides, is consistently identified in research as the most effective way to prevent short-term housing instability from becoming long-term disadvantage.
Of the 39,000 young Australians who presented alone to specialist homelessness services in 2022-23, 47 per cent needed long-term accommodation. Only 4.3 per cent received it. Community fundraising campaigns like Couch Surfing fill some of the gap that formal systems leave behind.
How to Register and Get Involved
The Couch Surfing campaign runs from 13 to 19 April 2026. Registrations are open now for individuals, families, school groups and workplaces. Participants can register, set up a fundraising page and collect online sponsorships at chameleonyouthhousing.org.au/couch-surfing. To make a direct donation or enquire about other ways to support the organisation, contact Chameleon Youth Housing at 13 Dorall Street, Kippa-Ring, by phone on (07) 3284 4805 or by email at manager@chameleonhousing.org.au.
Photo Credit: Chameleon Youth Housing
If you need help: Young people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness can contact Chameleon Youth Housing directly via the details above. This article discusses youth homelessness. If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulty, support is also available through the national Youth Homeless Hotline on 1800 882 633.
On Friday, 27 February, a sod-turn ceremony at 50 Marine Parade marks the start of works on a project set to transform one of the peninsula’s most cherished foreshore sites into a modern, multifunctional destination for locals and visitors alike.
The Suttons Beach Pavilion Redevelopment Project
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
The project will deliver a brand new pavilion building on the Suttons Beach foreshore, replacing the previous structure that had reached the end of its useful life. Recent investigations confirmed the old building, a function centre originally constructed in 2002, no longer meets modern building standards. Renovation was ruled out after it became clear the remediation works required to bring it up to compliance would be neither practical nor cost-effective.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
The new pavilion is designed with both community use and hospitality in mind. It will feature three separate hospitality spaces, including a rooftop venue complete with a public deck and dedicated event space.
Ample indoor dining and outdoor seating options will cater to everything from a casual coffee to a waterfront function, all designed with Queensland’s sub-tropical climate firmly in mind. A lift and staircase will connect both levels, and improved accessibility will extend throughout the car park, pavilion and surrounding parklands.
Public amenities are also getting a serious upgrade. The redevelopment includes new accessible toilets and showers, as well as a Changing Places facility, an important inclusion for community members with high support needs. Outside, the landscaping plan features native plantings, new shade structures, an upgraded car park, and a circular seating area that can flex for everyday use or community events.
Photo credit: City of Moreton Bay
Funding of $12.1 million was secured in November 2024 through the Liveability Fund under the South East Queensland City Deal. The construction tender was awarded in November 2025, and with works now officially underway, completion is expected by mid-2027, weather permitting. Locals keen to see food and beverage tenants move in will need to wait just a little longer — operators are expected to be on site in the latter half of 2027, subject to the outcome of a separate tender process.
A Site With History
Photo credit: Anna Vanson/Google Maps
For all the excitement around what’s coming, it’s worth pausing on what’s been.
The original pavilion, a bathing pavilion and kiosk for beachgoers, was built in 1937, and the site has changed shape many times since. The rotunda was added in 1998, and the most recent redevelopment took place in 2002. Through all of it, the foreshore has remained a constant in local life: somewhere to swim, somewhere to eat, somewhere to just be.
Students from Caboolture and Redcliffe are the first in Queensland to take part in a new clinical training pathway that places Diploma of Nursing students directly into hospital and community health settings, giving them earlier hands-on experience as they prepare to join the region’s health workforce.
The program was announced on 25 February and involves 26 students studying through TAFE Queensland who are training to become enrolled nurses.
The group forms the first cohort of the Urapun Clinical School of Nursing, a program created through a partnership between Metro North Health, Redcliffe Hospital, Community and Oral Health services and TAFE Queensland.
The initiative allows Diploma of Nursing students to complete several clinical placements within the same health network while studying. According to health leaders involved in the program, this approach helps students build confidence by working with familiar clinical teams and supervisors throughout their training.
Students will complete four placements as part of the program. Two will take place at Redcliffe Hospital, while two others will be carried out through Community and Oral Health services across Moreton Bay and north Brisbane.
Education leaders involved in the project said the arrangement gives students earlier exposure to real patient care environments while strengthening pathways into the public health workforce.
Health educators say experience in different clinical areas is key to building practical skills before graduation.
During their placements, students may work alongside health professionals in services such as wound care, diabetes management, emergency care and specialty outpatient clinics.
Community and Oral Health services play a large role in the training program. The service supports more than 250,000 patient visits each year through home visits, dental clinics, health centres, mobile dental vans and residential aged care facilities across the region.
Program leaders say learning within these varied environments helps students understand how healthcare works both inside hospitals and in community settings.
Meaning Behind the Name Urapun
The clinical school’s name, Urapun, comes from the Torres Strait Kala Lagaw Ya Western Islands language group and means “one”.
Health leaders say the name reflects the partnership between Redcliffe Hospital, Community and Oral Health services and TAFE Queensland as they work together to support nursing education.
The program also aims to encourage inclusion and participation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the local healthcare workforce.
Education staff welcomed the first group of students during an afternoon tea and badge ceremony attended by nursing educators and Metro North Health staff.
The launch marked the start of what health leaders say could become a long-term training pathway that supports both students and the region’s healthcare services.
Sat, February 21, 2026 (John Fredericks Park – Capalaba FC – Field 1) – FQPL1 – Men – Round 1 • Capalaba FC 1 | Caboolture Sports FC 3
Fri, February 20, 2026 (Eric Evans Oval – Ipswich Knights Soccer Club – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1 • Ipswich Knights 4 | Samford Rangers 2
Fri, February 20, 2026 (Prentice Park – North Brisbane FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1 • North Brisbane 6 | Moggill FC 2
Fri, February 20, 2026 (Lanham Park – Grange Thistle Soccer Club – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1 • Grange Thistle 0 | North Lakes United 4
Fri, February 20, 2026 (Albert Bishop Park – Virginia United FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1 • Virginia United 1 | Peninsula Power 0
Sat, February 21, 2026 (Wolter Park – Moreton City Excelsior – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1 • Moreton City Excelsior 4 | Gold Coast Knights 1
Sat, February 21, 2026 (AJ Kelly Park – Peninsula Power FC – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1 • Peninsula Power 1 | Eastern Suburbs 0
Sat, February 14, 2026 & Sat, February 21, 2026 (2 Day – Trevor Hohns Field) – Queensland Premier Cricket – Men 1st Grade – Round 14 • Sandgate-Redcliffe Mens 1st Grade 6-322 | Western Suburbs Mens 1st Grade 3-324
