In April members of OCCA and the management committee started the looking in earnest at the possibility of a new resource centre and associated facilities by the end of 2012. Three potential sites were identified and after scouting each site a list of PMIs (Plus, Minus and Interesting points) were developed and are listed below.·In the near future we will have a round table discussion about this topic so we can start the journey.·If you are interested in coming on that journey, please contact Beryl Roberts at· bberylroberts@gmail.com·or OCCA.
Read on for the PMI (Plus, Minus and Interesting) for each site
- Bowhill Road in Durack, site of the decommissioned Inala water treatment plant
- The vacant Alan Fletcher Research Centre, Magazine Street, Sherwood
- The high ground of the Oxley Creek Common on Sherwood Road
- The Oxley Creek Common
OCCA HQ possibilities PMI (compiled by Beryl Roberts)
1. Bowhill Road in Durack, decommissioned Inala water treatment plant Plus
- weeds – potential workshops/trainings/community involvements
- on Hanley Creek – part of Oxley Creek
- wetlands – potential community involvement
- plenty of parking
- good bus/large vehicle access
- close to dense residential – townhouses, retirement villages, schools
- bushland – potential ID trail/s, revegetation
- on a linking road/fair traffic flow
- good road frontage for signage
- good road through the site entry/exit
- fences, gates
- large beautiful gum trees – must be preserved
- potential seed gathering site
- excellent bird watching sites
- wheelchair access
- potential to redesign buildings on site for use
- access to electricity and sewerage
- potential BSU site
- potential plant nursery site
- potential community garden site
- many established trees
Minus
- lots of weeds
- large site to maintain
- very few buildings on site – considerable effort/money required to make them useful
- this site is not obvious from the road – at presentsecurity issues
- infrequent local bus services – will change with community needs
- somewhat out of the way
- communication tower – Any issues with this?
Interesting
- disused BCC water treatment plant – potentially unique education facility
- lots of rubbish – some of which might be useful for ‘redevelopment’
- piles of soils, gravel
- koala habitat? – potential for enhancement.
- potential visiting bus access and parking
- needs TLC – the ‘redevelopment’ of this site will be a challenge but a thoroughly worthwhile task to enhance this site for an environmental education/awareness centre
- canoe trail potential
- bikeway/walkway potential
- picnic area/playground potential
- history of the site
- potential to redevelop a disused industrial/community utilities site
- potential for bushwalking trails
- potential to establish examples of water filtration, siltration, water saving techniques
- potential weekend food/craft market site
Possible community groups sharing-partnerships-involvements on site
- OCCA/BSU/Green Army
- bird watching (Bird Queensland)
- CTC, TAFEs,…
- frog, insect native bee, native fish and butterfly groups
- native tree/plant groups
- men’s shed
- Wildlife Preservation Society
- Queensland Conservation Council
- UQ Architecture (Andrew can contact Ben Carson)
- QUT – Centre for Sub Tropical Design (Rosemary Kennedy)
- Koala Foundation
- Richlands Inala Historical Society
- SES
- bee keepers – honey bees and native bees
- weather station
- writers/poets, artists/painters/crafts, photography, music/drama groups
- weekend markets
- Tourist bus trips could be developed from CBD out to the site for full or half day of tours/activities
- Durack Community Gardens – composting, worm farms, vegie/herb patches, fruit orchard
- Environmental Education /Awareness Centre – water quality testing, plant ID, seed gathering, seed propagation, pricking out seedlings, tree planting, bush tucker, bushwalking, birdwatching, leaf litter decomposers, gardening, composting , worm farms, reduce, reuse, recycling waste, water treatment, sustainable house/retrofitting, rain harvesting, reducing water/energy use
Click to view a potential site usage map
2. Vacant Alan Fletcher Research Centre, Magazine Street, Sherwood
Plus
- a range of buildings on site could be used with low level of renovation
- two buildings presently onsite that are possibly available for relocation: one excellent large building that could be removed in four sections and one smaller house (asbestos in the roofing and some internally).
- off-street designated parking
- several vehicular access points
- surrounded by residential
- a wide range of beautiful trees and garden plants, both indigenous and exotic (site is about 11 acres – 5 hectares)
- good road frontage for signage
- good road through the site entry/exit
- fences, gates, landscaping
- potential seed gathering site
- excellent views of Brisbane River
- top area is above the flood levels
- wheelchair access to most of the site
- potential to redesign buildings on site for use
- electricity, phone and sewerage already on site
- potential BSU site
- potential plant nursery site – greenhouses and shadehouses everywhere
- potential community garden site
- plenty of office space, meeting rooms, science laboratories,…
Minus
- Site is in the Brisbane River Catchment not in the Oxley Creek Catchment
- large sloping site to maintain and possibly revegetate
- unsure of the overall future use of this site
- this site has a road frontage but it is not easy to find within Sherwood
- security issues – maybe
- somewhat out of the way
- river bank areas and lower land of this site floods
Interesting
- interesting site history
- lots of greenhouses, equipment needs to be sold, relocated and removed from the site
3. Oxley Creek Common High Land, Sherwood Road, Rocklea
Plus
- a relocated house on the site could be raised up (3 metres) and closed in/ retrofitted so the house and the under house area could be fully used
- great potential to share with local community and environmental groups (OCCA, Friends of Oxley Creek Common, Birds Qld, Frog Societies,…) and schools (Corinda SHS and St Aidan’s Anglican Grammar School)
- on Oxley Creek and within Oxley Creek Catchment
- central position within the Lower Oxley Creek Catchment
- an EQ shed on the site
- close to a precious migratory bird stopover wetlands – potential community involvement
- potential onsite parking
- potential vehicular access
- small site – less ongoing maintenance
- close to the Brisbane Markets and other local businesses
- on a busy linking Sherwood Road with high passing traffic flow
- in sight of Sherwood Road
- good road frontage for signage
- some fences, gates
- potential BSU site
- close to ‘Pink building, picnic area and parklands
- potential small plant nursery site
- some small trees
- weeds – potential workshops/trainings/community involvements
- great aspect
Minus
- uncertain of present site ownership
- unsure of ownership of Corinda SHS shed and land
- unsure of ownership and possible future for the relocated house on site
- lots of weeds and high dense grass
- lot of work to clean up the site – thick grass, steel fencing, silos
- flood inundation has covered this site in several major floods
- fencing and access roads, walking trails can and need to be established
- possible security issues
- access to electricity, phone, water and sewerage
- limited potential parking
Interesting
- needs TLC – the ‘redevelopment’ of this site will be a challenge but a thoroughly worthwhile task to enhance this site for an environmental education/awareness centre
- close to the canoe trail
- potential bikeway/walkway circuit liking to the ‘pink’ building and the site trail to Pelican Lagoon and the ‘Secret Forest’
- popular picnic area/playground nearby
- interesting history of the site
4. Brisbane Markets’ Office, Sherwood Road, Rocklea
Plus
- Parking usually available
- Central location in the lower Oxley Creek catchment
- Space
- ‘kitchen’ area
- Storeroom area
- Meeting space
- No rent
- No maintenance
- Access to toilets, shops
- No real security issues
Minus
- May have to move (renovations, rent increases)
- No lift, elevator
- Flood-bound in major floods
- Signage needed
- Effort to collect and return equipment
- Hot in summer
- Only office space for BSU
- No place to clean education gear on site
- No opportunities to share with other local environment and community groups
- No shop front
Interesting
- In the middle of a diverse, large business hub
- Close to Oxley Creek Common