The new Redcliffe Medicare Mental Health Centre is now providing free, walk-in support for residents in distress, offering immediate help without the need for a referral.
The facility began operating in mid-October 2025. It was part of a national rollout of 91 Medicare Mental Health Centres. The Commonwealth and Queensland governments jointly funded the project. Brisbane North Primary Health Network commissioned the service, and Communify operates it.
The centre runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, though some listings show 5 p.m. hours. It is at 198 Anzac Avenue, Kippa-Ring, offering locals access to nearby mental health care.
Free and Accessible Support for Adults
Adults aged 18 and over can walk in for free mental health care, no appointment or GP referral needed. The centre provides a mix of clinical and peer-led services, combining professional expertise with lived experience support.
Teams offer assessments, treatment, and support for people experiencing mental health distress. Anyone needing urgent help or information can call 3510 2777 or the national line at 1800 585 212.
Part of a Growing National Network
The Redcliffe site is one of 47 Medicare Mental Health Centres already open across Australia, with more expected in the coming year. Queensland currently has 12 active centres and plans for 24 statewide.
Nearby facilities include Lutwyche, Strathpine, and Caboolture, expanding access for residents across the Moreton Bay and Brisbane North regions.
A Local Step Toward Better Mental Health Access
Government representatives said the goal of these centres is to make mental health support as easy to access as Medicare itself.
By offering free, immediate assistance in a welcoming setting, the service aims to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments while giving residents timely help. The opening improves local access to mental health care in the Redcliffe area.
A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for the dangerous driving death of a Kippa-Ring grandmother in a horrific crash that has left a family shattered.
Andrew Julian Stewart-Smith was handed the sentence at Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday for the September 2023 collision that claimed the life of 73-year-old Yrsa Christoffersen and left her daughter Maria with life-changing injuries.
The court heard Stewart-Smith was driving a stolen Holden Commodore at speeds of up to 114 kilometres per hour in a 60 km/h zone along Anzac Avenue when he crashed into Ms Christoffersen’s stationary hatchback just after 6.30am on September 22, 2023.
Ms Christoffersen died at the scene at the intersection of Anzac Avenue and Oleander Street, whilst her daughter Maria spent 11 days in hospital with severe injuries including a broken jaw, two shattered ribs, fractured vertebrae, and serious head trauma.
In a heart-wrenching victim impact statement read to the packed courtroom, Maria described the moment her world changed forever. She recalled a car coming from nowhere before waking up in hospital, immediately sensing something was terribly wrong when medical staff wouldn’t tell her where her mother was.
Maria’s lost up to 15 kilograms in the first 10 days of her recovery, unable to eat properly and vomiting blood. The physical injuries were accompanied by the devastating emotional toll of losing her mother without the chance to say goodbye.
The court heard that Stewart-Smith fled the crash scene despite pleas from bystanders to remain and assist. He told witnesses they didn’t understand because it wasn’t his car before jumping fences to escape. Police tracked him down two hours later using sniffer dogs, finding him covered in mud hiding in a drain.
Justice Tom Sullivan described Stewart-Smith’s behaviour as “reprehensible” during the sentencing. The judge noted that after the crash, Stewart-Smith’s actions went beyond panic, appearing to be a calculated attempt to avoid arrest.
Stewart-Smith, who left the elite Nudgee College after Year 11, had an extensive traffic history with 35 prior speeding offences. The court was told his dangerous driving on the morning of the crash lasted approximately three minutes and involved erratic behaviour, swerving between traffic, and excessive speeds in multiple zones.
Crown prosecutor Jordan Daniels told the court that Stewart-Smith had attached stolen number plates to the stolen utility vehicle. When arrested, he was found in possession of 3.3 grams of methamphetamine and digital devices containing child exploitation material.
Maria’s sister Lorna also provided a victim impact statement, describing how the tragedy “broke” her young son, who had been staying with his grandmother in the days before the crash. She spoke about visiting the crash site and the haunting realisation of what could have happened to her child, noting a car seat had been thrown from the vehicle during the collision.
Defence barrister Angus Edwards acknowledged his client’s apologies might seem hollow but insisted they were genuine. He described Stewart-Smith not as a violent person but as someone struggling with drug addiction who never intended to hurt anyone.
The court heard Stewart-Smith had undertaken drug rehabilitation courses whilst in custody, addressing the substance abuse issues that underpinned his offending behaviour.
Stewart-Smith pleaded guilty in March to multiple charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and grievous bodily harm whilst excessively speeding, leaving the scene of an accident, drug offences, and child exploitation material charges.
Justice Sullivan opted not to set parole at the typical one-third mark for a guilty plea, meaning Stewart-Smith will serve more than the standard minimum sentence before becoming eligible for release. The judge also disqualified his licence indefinitely.
The tragedy has left an indelible mark on the Kippa-Ring community, with the victim impact statements painting a picture of Ms Christoffersen as a kind, gentle, and loving woman whose loss has devastated her family.
Justice Sullivan emphasised during sentencing that Ms Christoffersen was entirely blameless in the collision and highlighted the severe impact on her family, particularly her daughter Maria’s ongoing recovery from serious injuries.
The case has been processed through Queensland’s justice system with Stewart-Smith receiving 686 days credit for time already served. The sentence serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from dangerous driving and drug-affected decision-making on our local roads.
A major upgrade at Talobilla Park in Kippa-Ring will deliver a brand-new $4.8 million clubhouse for the Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association, supporting hundreds of players and volunteers who rely on the local grounds each season.
Construction is set to begin in mid-2025 and take around 12 months, with funding shared by the City of Moreton Bay and the Australian Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program.
The clubhouse will feature change rooms, a clubroom, a kitchen, and other key facilities, creating a central, accessible space for games, training, and events for over 700 members.
City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the upgrade reflects the region’s growth and the council’s push to keep local sport facilities up to standard, adding it could attract higher-level competitions and boost local business.
Designed for Inclusion and Growth
More than $2.4 million in federal funding has been committed to the project. Senator Anthony Chisholm said the new clubhouse will give people of all ages more opportunities to stay active and socially connected.
Division 5 Councillor Sandra Ruck said the clubhouse will support local clubs as the region grows and recognises the ongoing efforts of weekend volunteers in grassroots sport.
Meeting Community Needs
The project is part of a broader plan to upgrade sport venues across Moreton Bay, with Talobilla Park set to play a key role in meeting current and future demand for softball and baseball.
The Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association, which has served the community for many years, will gain a much-needed upgrade to continue supporting players, families, and the next generation of athletes.
Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association will soon benefit from a $4.8 million clubhouse at Talobilla Park. Construction is set to deliver upgraded facilities for hundreds of players, volunteers, and visitors across the region.
The new clubhouse will be built at Talobilla Park in Kippa-Ring, with construction expected to commence by mid-2025. Jointly funded by the City of Moreton Bay and the Australian Government, each contributing $2.4 million, the project was supported by the Thriving Suburbs Program—an infrastructure initiative supporting urban and suburban communities nationwide.
Significant Sporting Hub for Redcliffe and Beyond
The Redcliffe Leagues Softball Association currently supports over 700 members, and the new clubhouse is designed to enhance the experience for players, officials, and spectators alike. The facility will include two changing rooms, an umpire room, amenities, a first aid room, internal storage, a clubroom, an office, and a kitchen.
Photo Credit: SenAnthonyChisholm/Facebook
Talobilla Park is already considered a vital sporting precinct for Redcliffe and the broader Moreton Bay region. Officials say the facility is not only important for local residents who are passionate about softball but also acts as a drawcard for teams visiting from outside the area.
The project is expected to increase Redcliffe’s capacity to host high-profile sporting events and strengthen its role as a key location for softball and baseball competitions across South East Queensland.
Backed by All Levels of Government
Federal official Anthony Chisholm reinforced the importance of community sports infrastructure in fostering local engagement. He noted that facilities like Talobilla Park provide space for residents and visitors to come together, stay active, and enjoy the benefits of community sport.
City authorities have also said the delivery of this infrastructure will support the sustainability of grassroots clubs, enable larger-scale events, and attract even more people to the sport.
The build is expected to take approximately 12 months, with completion anticipated by mid-2026. Once open, the upgraded facility will serve as a regional hub for community sport and a boost to Redcliffe’s growing profile in competitive softball.
A series of wallet thefts at local shopping centres has prompted Redcliffe police to issue a warning to residents. Over the past few weeks, several incidents have been reported at Kippa-Ring and Rothwell shops, raising concerns about shopper safety.
Acting Senior Sergeant Sharnelle Harris, Officer in Charge of the Moreton Prevention Unit, stated that thieves are opportunistic and can remove a wallet from an open bag in a trolley in just a few seconds.
Police have documented four specific incidents:
September 6: At 12:15 PM, CCTV footage captured a female suspect removing a wallet from a handbag left briefly in a trolley at a Kippa-Ring shopping centre.
September 12: At 11:00 AM, a wallet was stolen from a bag at a Kippa-Ring shopping centre. The stolen cards were later used for fraudulent transactions.
September 20: At 11:20 AM, a wallet was taken from a handbag in a trolley at a Rothwell shopping centre. The wallet was later found discarded on a store shelf, minus the cash.
September 21: At 12:10 PM, a man’s wallet was stolen from his back pocket at a Kippa-Ring shopping centre.
Authorities believe these four incidents are connected and are actively investigating to locate the suspect(s).
In response to these thefts, police have issued several safety tips for shoppers, including:
Using bags that can be secured
Keeping valuables close to the body
Avoiding leaving bags or wallets unattended
Being mindful of surroundings when loading shopping into vehicles
Redcliffe residents are advised to report any suspicious activity immediately. In case of theft, victims should call Triple Zero (000) and try to remember details of the incident without confronting the perpetrator.
Police investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Policelink or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
Police dogs tracked the male driver of an allegedly stolen Holden Commodore to a drain 4 km away from the scene of atragic collision that occurred in Kippa-Ring, involving said car and a Suzuki Swift carrying two women, one of whom died at the scene.
Emergency services promptly responded to the scene at the junction of Anzac Avenue and Oleander Street in Kippa-Ring, following reports of the collision that occurred at approximately 6:53 a.m. on Friday, 22 Sept 2023. .
The elderly fatality was trapped in her vehicle and received immediate CPR at the accident scene. She sucumbed to her injuries. Her adult daughter suffered serious injuries and has been rushed to the hospital.
#UpdateFinal – One patient in a serious condition has been transported to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital following a serious two-vehicle crash on Anzac Avenue at 6.53am. #KippaRing
The 27-year-old male driver of the Commodore fled the accident scene on foot and was subsequently discovered in a drain near Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe, four kilometres from the accident scene.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the Suzuki was making a left turn out of Oleander Street when it was struck by the eastbound-travelling Holden Commodore on Anzac Avenue. According to the authorities, the utility vehicle was stolen from a Stafford address sometime between 18 and 19 Sept 2023.
“It’s a terrible scene for emergency personnel, a terrible tragedy for anyone involved,” Inspector Craig White of the Moreton Bay Police said.
“Our units did an exceptional job in finding him; he was tracked 4 kilometers from the scene by police dogs and was taken into custody without further injury.
The Queensland Police Services charged the man in custody, who hails from Aspley, with charges of “dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm, driver fail to remain at incident and render assistance, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and stealing.”
Currently, officers from the Forensic Crash Unit and detectives from Redcliffe are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the collision or possesses dashcam footage of the event to come forward and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
A woman from Kippa Ring can kiss her stress goodbye now that she has gained a big windfall of nearly two million dollars, something that she says will make her dream of having a new home come true.
The woman won one of three division winning entries during the Saturday Gold Lotto draw 4229 on 29 Jan 2022, totalling $1,937,209.61. Her identity remained a mystery since her winning ticket wasn’t registered.
All The Lott knew was the winning ticket was purchased at Redcliffe Dolphins Discount Drug Store, Shop 5, 110 Ashmole Road, Kippa-Ring. The store manager, Alycia Whalley, said that this will be life-changing for the winner.
“This is the first division one winning ticket we’ve sold, so it’s a big moment for us. Our entire team is thrilled to have made one of our customers a millionaire,” Ms Whalley said.
On Tuesday morning, 1 Feb 2022, the Kippa Ring woman went to Redcliffe Dolphins Discount Drug Store on her way to work to verify her winning ticket. The Lott confirmed that she was indeed the new millionaire.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
“I was absolutely gobsmacked. I could barely stand up and I wasn’t making much sense,” the woman said.
“I wanted to be pretty discrete about it all, but I let out a little scream and yelled, ‘Holy sh**!
“It’s absolutely brilliant. I can’t believe it! I’m still in shock now.
“Ah, I can’t believe I’m a millionaire. It’s crazy! It’s a dream! I don’t know how this is going to sink in.”
The woman said she was going to begin house shopping after work.
“The timing couldn’t be better either,” the woman added. “I’ve been desperately looking for a house, but it’s so difficult to buy or rent in this current market. I’ve been so stressed about it all, but this just takes away all of those pressures. I can buy a house now! And not just any house, a really nice house!”
Did you know that Kippa-Ring was named after an Aboriginal bora ring near Klinger Road? The ring was nearly destroyed in 1950, but its significance remains up to this day.
The word “kippa” is a Kabi indigenous word that means an “uninitiated man” whilst the ring was a reference to the bora ring, a raised platform of dirt arranged in a circle where most important ceremonies of the Aborigines took place.
Considered as one of the lost rings of South East Queensland, the ring was a double-ring complex and located 30 metres north of Klinger Road West. Moreton Bay Regional Council said it was situated off Anzac Avenue in the vicinity of Boardman Road. To be exact, it was approximately 21 chains east of the Anzac Avenue turn-off and on the crest of a low sandy ridge partly cleared of timber.
Satellite view of Kippa-Ring in 2021, where the bora ring was said to be located (Photo credit: Google Maps)
In his book, “Aboriginal pathways on South East Queensland and the Richmond River,” author John Gladstone Steele wrote that the bora rings, across the top, measured around 24 metres north-south and 22.5 metres east-west.
The ring was also mentioned in “Tom Petrie’s Reminiscence of Early Queensland,” a book published in 1904 and was known as one of the best authorities on Brisbane’s early days. Recorded by his daughter Constance Campbell Petrie, Tom mentioned that remains of the ring were still seen near Humpybong, the former name of Redcliffe, from the Aboriginal word umpi bong meaning “dead houses.”
Tom Petrie is of Scottish descent but his family moved to Australia at a young age. He spent much time with the tribe from his childhood. He mixed freely with Aboriginal children whilst studying in Moreton Bay penal colony (now Brisbane).
Tom, who learnt to speak Turrbal and was encouraged to share in all Aboriginal activities, described the ring as a large saucer-shaped depression in the ground. Tom also went on to say that the circle itself was about 40 or 50 feet (around 12m to 15m), slightly smaller than what Steele mentioned in his book.
“The greater ceremony of kippa-making was carried out in the following fashion and what is known as the ‘bora’ ceremony of other tribes is not unlike it. First a circle – called ‘bul’ by Brisbane blacks and ‘tur’ by the Bribie Island tribe – was formed in the ground, very like a circus ring, the earth being dug from the centre with sharp sticks and stone tomahawks, and carried to the outside on small sheets of bark to form a mound or edging round the ring about two feet high.,” Constance wrote, based on the recollection of his father.
Bora Ring’s Fate
As with many lost Bora rings in Queensland, the Bora ring near Redcliffe is now hidden in the rural scenery. According to T. Houghton, of the Redcliffe Historical Society, it was offered to the Redcliffe City Council. However, the offer was declined and the bora ring was ploughed over, now forming part of farm cultivation. The stone axes and grinding stones found in the surrounding area were turned over to the Redcliffe Historical Society Museum.
Aerial photos taken in 1956 showed that the location of the ring was already cultivated by that time. However, Armchair Histories noted that a closer look would show remnants of the ring. It was also mentioned that the bora may be gone, but it’s still appropriately used by aboriginal community groups.
Near the location of Bora ring (Photo credit: Google Street View)
Global Web Builders, a historic archive, stated that the site is identified as Lot 1 of RP 139809 and is freehold land, meaning the owner can use it for any purposes but in accordance with local regulations.
The article on GWB further claims that the five-acre land was bought by the Clarke family in 1901, with the present generation of the family claiming there wasn’t any evidence that will prove a bora ring existed on the site. The Clarkes then sold it to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brisbane, whose Corporation of Trustees sought rezoning of the area for residential use. Later on, it was acquired by Dellmere Pty Ltd, which planned to develop the site into a housing estate.
In 1997, the late Senator John Herron wrote a letter to former Liberal Party Representative for Brisbane Teresa Gambaro, stating that the site was under serious threat for the proposed development. In the letter, he also wrote that he requested advice from the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) as to whether they would consider purchasing the property on behalf of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA).
The foundation sought the protection of the area for the purposes of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (the Commonweatlh Act). Under section 9 of this act, it was clear that the minister can make declarations to preserve and protect places, areas and objects of particular significance to Aboriginals under the following circumstances:
The Minister receives an application made orally or in writing by or on behalf of an Aboriginal or a group of Aboriginals seeking the preservation or protection of a specified area from injury or desecration
The Minister is satisfied that the area is a significant Aboriginal area; and that it is under serious and immediate threat of injury or desecration
Herron, who was a Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in the Howard government at the time, said the ILC Board approve the purchase of the property on behalf of the traditional owners and that Dellmere Pty Ltd agreed to sell it.
The former senator, who was known for being a champion of Indigenous Australians, said a condition of the purchase is that the land can’t be developed as it was acquired for cultural reasons and that the land cannot be rezoned without prior approval of the Redcliffe City Council.
A new development, featuring a service station, retail store, and fast food restaurant, is being proposed at a general residential zone on Elizabeth Avenue in Kippa-Ring.
Last December 16th 2019, a development application has been lodged for a new service station, retail store, and fast food restaurant at 403 and 405-407 Elizabeth Avenue in Kippa-Ring.
Photo credit: Google Maps
According to the submitted DA, the proposal seeks the three properties to be placed along the street frontage, in the north east portion of the overall site. The proposed development will include two single-storey buildings with a maximum building height of 8 metres.
To remain the overall balance of the site, the existing ten pin bowling centre building and car park will remain. However, the two existing stand-alone fast food buildings will be completely removed in order to facilitate the proposed development.
Victor G Feros Town Planning—the planners for this proposed development—have stated that their given proposal is consistent with, complementary to, and compatible with the surrounding environment and other commercial facilities nearby.
They also ensure that the proposed development would remain consistent with developing a cluster of non-residential uses as a neighbourhood hub on a main street, given that Elizabeth Avenue is used as a main access road between Kippa-Ring and Clontarf.
