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A Build-Your-Own Cake Bar Is Coming to Westfield Mt Gravatt on 28 March

A first-of-its-kind dessert concept called The Cake Bar opens at Westfield Mt Gravatt on Saturday 28 March, giving shoppers at the Upper Mt Gravatt centre the ability to build a fully personalised, freshly assembled cake on the spot rather than ordering one day in advance.

The concept fills a gap that sits between the impulse dessert market — think Yo-Chi, which already operates at Garden City — and the traditional custom cake bakery, where lead times and minimum orders put the experience out of reach for a spontaneous weeknight craving or a last-minute birthday. The Cake Bar plants itself squarely in between: a fresh cake, assembled to order, available in the time it takes to walk from the carpark to the food court.

A Custom Dessert Experience

Customers kick things off by picking a cake base from a solid lineup of flavours. From there, the build branches out across premium fillings, frostings, and toppings, with a menu ranging from decadent chocolate to childhood throwbacks like raspberry jellies, sherbet, and sour straps. Crucially, the range is built for everyone, offering gluten-free and vegan options to ensure those with dietary requirements don’t miss out on the sugar hit. The model is deliberately open-ended—the same counter can whip up a clean, frosted red velvet for the traditionalists or a stacked, sprinkle-covered creation for the kids.

The kitchen assembles the order fresh, on the spot, from premium ingredients. Nothing sits pre-made in a display fridge. That distinction matters operationally: it means the quality of a custom-ordered cake without the custom-order wait.

A Sweet Addition to the Food Scene

Westfield Mt Gravatt is one of Brisbane’s largest shopping centres, located approximately 12 kilometres south of the CBD, with more than 400 retailers, three supermarkets, Event Cinemas, and a food and dining offer that spans two indoor food courts, an outdoor dining precinct and an Asian street food strip called 8 Street. The centre draws shoppers from Mt Gravatt, Macgregor, Wishart, Mansfield, Rochedale South and across Brisbane’s southside.

The dessert category at the centre already includes Yo-Chi, alongside a broader entertainment and dining precinct that includes Timezone, Holey Moley, Cloud 8 Karaoke and Hijinx Hotel. The Cake Bar adds a format that none of the existing operators cover: a made-to-order, whole-cake dessert experience priced and positioned for everyday shoppers rather than special-occasion pre-orders.

For families doing the weekly shop, the model is simple enough to be a spontaneous stop rather than a planned event. For parents with kids in tow — and Garden City’s family-heavy southside catchment means there are plenty of them on any given Saturday — the interactive build-your-own format offers more engagement than a standard dessert counter.

Good News for Sweet Tooths

Brisbane’s dessert and specialty food market has expanded significantly over the past five years, with concepts built around the build-your-own model proving durable in both food courts and high-street locations. The Cake Bar represents the format applied to one of the few categories — fresh cake — that had not yet made the transition from pre-order to impulse. This adds a locally accessible version of an experience that previously required either a custom order from a bakery or a trip into the CBD.

The Cake Bar is at Westfield Mt Gravatt, Logan Road, Upper Mt Gravatt. More information is available here ahead of the 28 March opening.

Published 12-March-2026.

Police Statistics Show 375 Stolen Vehicles in Upper Mount Gravatt

Photo Credit: QPS/Facebook

Upper MT Gravatt, known for its major shopping and transport hub, has recorded 375 stolen vehicles, with police data placing the suburb among the Queensland areas reporting the highest totals for unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The figure comes from Queensland Police Service statistics referenced in statewide reporting on trends in vehicle theft.

Police data shows 1,797 victims of unlawful use of a motor vehicle were recorded across Queensland in November 2025, making it one of the highest monthly totals since records began in 2001.

Across the first eleven months of 2025, police recorded 16,805 victims statewide, according to publicly available crime statistics. While the total was slightly lower than the same period in 2024, monthly figures had been rising again since August.

Upper Mount Gravatt’s total stands out because the suburb functions as a major activity centre on Brisbane’s southside, attracting large numbers of visitors, workers and vehicles each day. The suburb is home to one of Brisbane’s largest shopping centres and sits near major transport routes, meaning large volumes of vehicles are parked in the area throughout the day and evening.

Upper Mount Gravatt has also appeared in other police reports connected to broader property crime investigations across South East Queensland, including incidents where stolen vehicles were allegedly used during business break-ins.

Queensland Police record offences such as unlawful use of a motor vehicle based on where the incident occurs, meaning suburb totals reflect the location of the theft rather than where offenders may live.

Police say operations targeting vehicle theft continue across the state as part of broader strategies aimed at reducing property crime and improving community safety.

Published 10-March-2026

Route 171 Through Mount Gravatt Sees Passengers More Than Double in Brisbane Bus Shake-Up

Route 171 through Mount Gravatt recorded a 115 per cent jump in passengers in the first seven months after Brisbane’s mid-2025 bus network changes took effect, making it one of the strongest-performing routes in the city.

Read: Brisbane Metro: Service’s Permanent Launch Anticipated to Bring Fast, Reliable Transit to Mount Gravatt

The result came as Brisbane’s redesigned bus network recorded strong patronage growth across the city.

A city-wide transformation with local impact

The 171’s gains were part of a broader network redesign that has driven significant ridership growth across Brisbane. Brisbane reported more than 51.2 million bus and Metro trips in the first seven months following the mid-2025 overhaul, which is up 10 per cent on the same period the previous year. Across a longer timeframe, Brisbane bus trips have risen 27 per cent since the beginning of 2024.

BCC puts the impact in road terms too, estimating the ridership growth represents the equivalent of 3.9 million fewer private car trips, calculated on an average of 1.2 people per vehicle.

Cr Adrian Schrinner pointed to the flow-on benefits for all road users, saying that every additional bus or Metro passenger meant one fewer car in peak-hour traffic, resulting in less congestion, safer roads and shorter travel times for everyone.

A bumpier ride for some

The strong numbers have not been felt equally across all areas. Some residents say the network changes have made getting around harder, not easier, for those without a car.

One Moorooka resident noted that the 116, despite being extended to Upper Mount Gravatt, only runs every 30 minutes during peak hour and hourly on Saturdays, with the last city-bound service at 7pm and no Sunday timetable at all. They said residents who don’t drive had been left worse off by the changes, and that the 125 and 110 routes were also not much better, not running late enough.

Read: Brisbane Metro Depot in Rochedale to Provide New Eco-Friendly Transport

Broader shifts driving the change

The network overhaul was one of several significant public transport changes rolled out across the past two years. The state Labor government introduced 50-cent fares in August 2024. Brisbane’s first Metro service became permanent in January 2025. The new bus network launched in mid-2025, followed by the opening of the Adelaide Street tunnel in September 2025.

Brisbane’s bus network carries around 80 million passengers annually and is responsible for more than two-thirds of the city’s public transport trips.

Published 6-March-2026

Hertford Street Transformation: 199 New Apartments Headed to Mt Gravatt

A massive 199-apartment residential precinct spanning three towers is set to transform the local landscape of Upper Mt Gravatt following a formal development application for a nearly 7,000-square-metre site on Hertford Street.

A New Chapter for Hertford Street

The proposal involves three separate buildings ranging from two to seven storeys in height, positioned at 30, 34, and 36 Hertford Street. If the plans move forward, the project will replace existing lots with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom homes.

Tower B is designed to be the largest of the trio with 84 units, while Tower A and Tower C will house 40 and 75 units respectively. This layout aims to distribute the population across the site rather than concentrating everyone into a single high-rise block.

Balancing Density with Nature

Developers have focused on keeping the ground level accessible, with roughly 20 per cent of the total site area dedicated to deep planting and landscaping. While the buildings will cover about 75 per cent of the land, the inclusion of significant greenery is intended to help the project blend into the surrounding neighbourhood.

Residents will also have access to various outdoor areas, including individual rooftop recreation spaces for each tower and a large shared garden located on the central podium level.

Infrastructure and Neighbourhood Fit

To manage the influx of new residents, the plan includes two levels of underground parking providing 370 spaces, with 50 of those specifically set aside for visitors. The planning team from Urbicus has indicated that the scale of the towers fits within the current expectations for the area’s growth and infrastructure.

They suggested that the extra height and size are supported by a genuine need for more housing and economic activity in this part of Brisbane. Access to the entire complex would be managed through a primary entrance on Hertford Street to keep traffic flow organised.

Published Date 28-February-2026

East Brisbane Sports Results Feb 20-22

Sat, February 21, 2026 (Allianz Stadium) – A-League – Men – Round 18
• Sydney FC 1 | Brisbane Roar FC 0

Sun, February 22, 2026 (Spencer Park) – A-League – Women – Round 18
• Brisbane Roar FC 0 | Adelaide United FC 2

Fri, February 20, 2026 (Whites Hill Reserve – Holland Park Hawks FC – Field) – FQPL1 – Men – Round 1
• Holland Park Hawks 2 | Logan Lightning 0

Sat, February 21, 2026 (Whites Hill Reserve – Holland Park Hawks FC – Field 1) – Kappa Pro Series – Women – Regional Round 1
• Holland Park Hawks 1 | SWQ Thunder 3

Sat, February 21, 2026 (Underwood Park – Rochedale Rovers FC – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1
• Rochedale Rovers 0 | Wynnum Wolves 3

Sat, February 21, 2026 (AJ Kelly Park – Peninsula Power FC – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1
• Peninsula Power 1 | Eastern Suburbs 0

Sun, February 22, 2026 (Meakin Park – Field 1) – NPL – Men – Round 1
• Brisbane Roar B 1 | Brisbane City 3

Sat, February 21, 2026 (Heath Park – Eastern Suburbs FC – Field 1) – NPL – Women – Round 3
• Eastern Suburbs 4 | Brisbane City 2

Fri, February 20, 2026 (Brisbane Entertainment Centre) – NBL – Men – Round 22
• Brisbane Bullets 77 | Sydney Kings 117

Sat, February 21, 2026 (The Gabba) – One Day Cup 2025-26 – Men – Match 6
• Queensland Bulls 260 | South Australia Men 135

Sat, February 14, 2026 & Sat, February 21, 2026 (2 Day – Ian Healy Oval) – Queensland Premier Cricket – Men 1st Grade – Round 14
• Northern Suburbs Mens 1st Grade 6-293d | Wynnum-Manly Mens 1st Grade 217

Alleged Refund Machine Misuse Under Investigation In Mt Gravatt

Photo Credit: Containers for Change QLD/Facebook

An alleged attempt to improperly claim container refunds at a Containers for Change site in Mt Gravatt is under investigation following circulation of video footage online.

Alleged Misuse At Mt Gravatt Refund Point

Footage recorded at an Upper Mt Gravatt Containers for Change site shows a man and woman allegedly placing non-eligible fast food packaging into a reverse-vending machine while scanning an eligible drink container.

The video shows the scanner being activated repeatedly while rubbish, including takeaway cups, is fed onto the conveyor belt. The refund mechanism was reportedly triggered 15 times in less than a minute.

A witness who filmed the incident said she was left waiting behind the pair for about half an hour while the machine was in use. The incident is now being examined.

How The Scheme Works Across Queensland

Queensland’s Containers for Change program provides a 10-cent refund for eligible drink containers, including plastic bottles, aluminium cans and certain cartons.

The scheme began in November 2018 and is overseen by the not-for-profit Container Exchange (COEX). COEX has reported 11 billion container returns since launch, equating to $1.1 billion in refunds. The network processes more than 3,000 containers per minute across Queensland.

Reverse-vending machines are intended to prevent misuse through checks that can include barcode scanning and material or shape detection.

Queensland recycling — *Photo Credit: Containers for Change QLD/Facebook*

Investigation And Community Reaction In Mt Gravatt

COEX says allegations of fraud are treated seriously and the Mt Gravatt recycling incident will be investigated. The review will examine whether the matter involved a machine fault.

The footage has prompted a strong response online. Some commenters criticised the behaviour, describing it as taking advantage of a community program. Others expressed sympathy in comments.

Photo Credit: Containers for Change QLD/Facebook

Queensland authorities have not publicly detailed potential penalties in this case.

Members of the public are being encouraged to report suspicious activity through official channels to help protect the integrity of the refund scheme.

Published 22-Feb-2026

Abandoned Griffith University Mount Gravatt Campus Goes on the Market With Community Protections

The 42-hectare Griffith University Mount Gravatt campus, closed since last year after more than five decades of operation nestled in Toohey Forest, has been listed for sale with strict conditions protecting Yarranlea Primary School, the aquatic centre and the tennis facilities for ongoing community use.

Expressions of interest for the former Griffith University site, located nine kilometres south-east of the Brisbane CBD near the summit of Mount Gravatt Mountain, close on 13 March 2026. The sale requires any new owner to maintain the primary school and sporting precinct as operational, while the surrounding bushland will be retained separately and not form part of the sale.

Griffith University vacated the Mount Gravatt campus last year after consolidating resources at its larger Nathan campus and a new Brisbane City campus set to open in the historic Treasury Building in 2027. Nine buildings remain on the site, including deserted student dormitories, an auditorium and lecture halls, all in varying states of disrepair after standing empty.

What Stays and What Changes

The recreational precinct at the heart of the site includes a 25-metre pool and aquatic centre, a 12-court tennis centre, outdoor basketball and netball courts and a rugby field. Nearly 1,000 residents signed a petition calling for the aquatic centre’s future to be secured, recognising it as a vital community space used by local residents and school students throughout the year.

Site of the abandoned Griffith University Mt Gravatt Campus — *Photo Credit: Queensland authorities*

Yarranlea Primary School Board Chair Adrienne Innes welcomed the certainty the sale conditions provide, saying the community loves the unique independent school and the multi-age education and wellbeing it provides children. She said the school looks forward to working with the future owner so it can grow and flourish for years to come.

The sale will be conducted as a freehold transaction for both the former university precinct and the recreational precinct, with the surrounding high-value bushland areas preserved separately for future generations. No public funding will be contributed to development of the site, with private investment expected to activate and redevelop the campus buildings.

A Unique and Challenging Site

The former Griffith University campus presents an unusual proposition for the property market. Located only nine kilometres from the Brisbane CBD with good public transport connections, the site offers genuine accessibility and community infrastructure. However, its position perched on Mount Gravatt Mountain and surrounded by Toohey Forest places it in a high bushfire danger zone, complicating any development ambitions.

Urban researcher and Griffith University adjunct professor Matthew Burke described the campus’ public transport links as making it an ideal location for a selective high school or education academy. He noted that the old buildings will need significant investment if they are to be retained, given their deteriorating condition following the university’s departure.

The site’s information memorandum describes it as offering exceptional connectivity, proximity to major transport corridors and access to a thriving community, making it an ideal location for education, innovation and community-focused development. Expressions of interest close March 13, with a sale approval expected in April 2026.

Published 17-February-2026.

2026 College Captains Named At Upper Mount Gravatt School

Clairvaux MacKillop College in Upper Mount Gravatt has announced its 2026 College Captains as part of Brisbane Catholic Education’s broader rollout of student leadership appointments across South East Queensland.

Student Leadership In Mt Gravatt

At Clairvaux MacKillop College, Julieta and Leo have been appointed as College Captains for the 2026 school year.

Their appointment forms part of Brisbane Catholic Education’s confirmation of 86 newly selected College Captains across its 146 schools. The appointments span secondary campuses and Prep to Year 12 colleges throughout the region.

For the Upper Mount Gravatt campus, the focus for 2026 centres on strengthening school connections and reinforcing a supportive environment for students. Julieta and Leo have outlined plans to encourage stronger engagement between students and staff, promote a sense of belonging, and support classmates in their everyday efforts and achievements.

Part Of A Wider Network Announcement

The 2026 appointments were published on 11 February 2026 under Brisbane Catholic Education’s secondary school update. Schools across South East Queensland introduced their newly appointed student leaders at the beginning of the academic year.

College Captains across the network take on responsibilities that include representing the student body, mentoring younger students and upholding the values associated with Catholic education.

School Context In Upper Mount Gravatt

Clairvaux MacKillop College describes its learning community as one focused on student growth and development. The college offers co-curricular opportunities in sport, arts, STEM and service learning alongside classroom programs.

An Academic Excellence Program commenced at the college in 2025, designed to provide an extended learning pathway for students.

The announcement of the 2026 College Captains marks the start of the new student leadership term at the Upper Mount Gravatt campus, placing Mt Gravatt at the centre of this year’s local education leadership update.

Published 16-Feb-2026

High-Density Zones Approved for Upper Mount Gravatt Shopping Centre Precinct

Yong Real Estate

Upper Mount Gravatt’s Westfield shopping centre precinct will see new high-density zones allowing apartment buildings under plans approved this week, with proximity to the Brisbane Metro line cited as a key factor in the decision.

The precinct plan passed with broad support and will now proceed to Queensland authorities for approval before returning for final details including specific rezoning areas and building height limits. The Upper Mount Gravatt precinct was selected because of its location next to the new Brisbane Metro line, providing public transport connectivity for future residents.

The high-density zones around the shopping centre aim to concentrate housing near established retail, services and transport infrastructure. Upper Mount Gravatt already features the Westfield Garden City shopping complex, multiple bus routes and the upcoming Metro service, making it well-positioned to accommodate additional residential density.

Community Perspectives on High-Density Development

Brisbane residents have shared mixed views on the high-density zones proposal for Upper Mount Gravatt. Some community members expressed strong support for building apartments near high-frequency public transport, arguing these are exactly the sort of locations that should accommodate denser housing.

Community members have suggested expanding the Mount Gravatt precinct beyond its current boundaries, pointing to strong potential for increased density in areas directly bordering the designated zone. Several residents called for broader upzoning around all train stations and busway stations across Brisbane, rather than isolated precinct-by-precinct changes.

Some community feedback emphasized the need for comprehensive transport infrastructure to support high-density corridors, warning against creating pockets of apartments separated by areas with limited public transport options. The sentiment reflected concerns about distributing transport capacity alongside housing density.

Urban Densification Near Public Transport

The precinct plan forms part of Brisbane’s urban densification approach, intended to build taller apartments near public transport to reduce car dependency. Recent changes include reducing minimum block sizes to 120 square metres and cutting parking requirements for new buildings.

High-density zones approved for Upper Mt Gravatt — Photo Credit: BBC

Other precinct plans under development include Stones Corner, Wynnum Central, Salisbury, Moorooka and Alderley. Each precinct focuses on areas with existing or planned public transport infrastructure and established commercial centers.

The Upper Mount Gravatt high-density zones will complement the shopping centre’s role as a major retail and service hub for Brisbane’s southern suburbs. The precinct acts as a central hub for the wider Southside community, drawing residents from across the surrounding residential suburbs to its retail and transport core.

Authorities will determine the final details following approval, including which areas will be rezoned and the maximum building heights permitted. Once planners finalise the framework, market demand and private investment will drive how quickly new developments get underway.

Published 13-February-2026.

Medical Centre and Townhouses Proposed for Wishart

DA A006909855

A development application has been lodged for a medical centre and three townhouses at 502 & 516 Newnham Road and 3 Naples Street, Wishart.

The proposal by Kabaro Pty Ltd would see two existing dwellings demolished to make way for a two-storey medical centre with 1,313 square metres of floor space, alongside three three-bedroom townhouses totalling 524 square metres.

V Architecture designed the development to orient the medical centre toward Newnham Road while positioning the residential townhouses to front Naples Street, maintaining consistency with the street’s existing low-density character.

Development Overview

The 13,560-square-metre site currently contains two detached dwellings and car parking serving the adjacent Newnham Hotel. Key features include:

Two-storey building height
60 car parking spaces for the medical centre in basement and at-grade parking
Six car parking spaces for the townhouses (two per unit)
408 square metres of deep planting (intended to support large trees to screen the development from neighbours)

Medical centre and townhouses — Photo Credit: DA A006909855

The medical centre would share vehicle access with the existing Newnham Hotel via an existing crossover on Newnham Road. Each townhouse would maintain individual driveway access from Naples Street.

Healthcare Need

An economic needs assessment accompanying the application identifies a significant shortage of medical services in the Mt Gravatt catchment area. It finds the catchment has only one GP per 1,000 residents, compared with 5.4 per 1,000 in Brisbane and 2.1 per 1,000 across Queensland.

Allied health professionals service 4.4 per 1,000 residents in the catchment, compared to 18.1 per 1,000 in Brisbane and 10.4 per 1,000 across Queensland. With the catchment forecast to grow by 11,370 residents by 2034, the facility would address a critical service gap.

Design Response

The architectural design uses the site’s topography to reduce visual scale. The building appears as single-storey along the Newnham Road frontage, with the lower storey becoming visible further into the site where the topography falls.

The facade incorporates varied materials, recesses and projections to break up building mass. Landscaping buffers and setbacks aim to maintain the subtropical character of the surrounding area.

Car Parking

The application proposes 60 car parking spaces for the medical centre, below the typically required 80 spaces. A traffic impact assessment justified the reduced provision through analysis of similar medical centres in Brisbane, which achieve parking rates averaging 3.4 spaces per 100 square metres.

The assessment noted that the shared access arrangement will remove 17 parking spaces currently serving the Newnham Hotel. However, parking surveys identified the hotel has 48 surplus spaces during peak periods, leaving 31 surplus spaces after the reduction.

Assessment Status

The application was lodged on 21 November 2025. As the site falls within the Low Density Residential Zone, the health care service exceeding 250 square metres triggers impact assessment. This means the application requires public notification, allowing residents to submit formal comments for or against the proposal during a designated period.

Planning consultant Urbis says the facility’s size meets community health needs and addresses the identified shortage of medical services in the area.

Published 10-February-2026.

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