Tag: Mount Gravatt

Business Continues for Toys “R” Us Mt Gravatt Despite Parent Company’s Bankruptcy Filing

Employees and customers of Toys “R” Us Mount Gravatt need not worry after the retailer’s parent company filed for bankruptcy in the United States.

Toys “R” Us Australia assured that it is business as usual at its local stores, including Mount Gravatt and 39 other stores spread across the country.

“The company’s operations outside of the US and Canada, including its operations in Europe and Australia and its approximately 255 licensed stores and joint venture partnership in Asia, which are separate entities, are not part of the Chapter 11 filing,” said a statement from the parent company.

Pressure from Debt

The recent move by Toys “R” Us to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy came as the company gave in to pressure from debt of more than $US5 billion. Under Chapter 11, the company hopes to restructure $US400 million in debt that is due next year.

Some analysts believe that the largest toy retail chain in America is just one of the growing number of retailers that fell victim to the rise of e-commerce. However, some put the blame on its inability to innovate to improve its competitiveness.

Toys “R” Us posted net loss of $US164 million in the quarter ending 29 April. The company has not reported annual profits since 2013.

The Australian stores are doing much better as it reported net sales of $US207 million in the year ending January 2017.

The bankruptcy filing will also not deter the plan of Toys “R” Us Australia to open four new stores in the country by Christmas 2017. One of the new stores will be in the greater Brisbane area in North Lakes.

Cheaper to Buy Versus Rent in Mount Gravatt

Here’s an interesting point to ponder for Mount Gravatt residents and would-be residents. Given Mount Gravatt’s excellent location, just eight kilometres away from Brisbane’s CBD, recent research data shows that it is actually cheaper for people looking for property in Mount Gravatt to buy, rather than pay rent to a landlord. At Mount Gravatt, renting a unit costs a median amount of $1,918, while the mortgage repayment of the same unit would only be an estimated $1,364 per month.

RealEstate.com cites research conducted by RP Data which shows the fairly unusual discrepancy, observed in Mount Gravatt, Spring Hill, Brisbane City, and 3,227 other Australian suburbs. Apparently, it would be cheaper to take out a three-year fixed interest rate mortgage (with a 5.15% rate) on a property, than it would be to pay rent on it. Tim Lawless, RP Data’s Research Director, says that the “possible reasons for this change in fortune for potential home buyers includes a decrease of capital city home values (2.9% lower than when they peaked in October 2010), lower mortgage rates and tighter rental markets.”

Results also show that rentals are higher for apartment-style housing, and that houses are better options for those looking to purchase, rather than rent, as one moves away from the CBD. This is certainly good news for residents in 71 Queensland suburbs, including those looking for houses in Goodna, Holmview and Burleigh Waters, where mortgage repayments are also found to be significantly lower than median house rental rates.

To read more about the other places in Australia where it’s cheaper to buy rather than rent, click here.

If you are a renter and want to know how much you can afford to borrow based on your current rental payments, use this Reverse Rent Calculator.

If you want to find out how much you will need to cover your desired mortgage loan, use this Mortgage Calculator.

And if you have absolutely no idea what you can afford to borrow and pay, this Borrowing Power Calculator might be able to help.

Photo Credit: Mount Gravatt Mansfield Lions Club

 

Mount Gravatt School Proves Itself Worthy

What do these high achievers have in common? Erika Yamasaki, weightlifting champion and holder of 23 Queensland, 15 Australian, and one Oceania record. Ross Clark, award-winning poet and recipient of the Centenary Medal. Dean Felton, senior journalist and presenter at Melbourne’s Seven Network.

They are all alumni of Mount Gravatt State High School, who have taken to heart the school’s motto, “Digna Petamus”, and gone on to “seek worthy things”.

A co-educational public secondary school along Loveburn Street with a strong tradition for academic excellence and well-rounded foundation for its graduates, Mount Gravatt State High School ranks ninth in Better Education Australia’s list of the Top Ten Public High Schools for 2016. Better Education Australia’s rankings consider English, Math and overall academic performance. Mount Gravatt State High School has consistently appeared in their Top Ten rankings for public high schools since 2010.

With a population of 1,500 students, the school is actively involved in promoting digital education as part of Queensland’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry Project. Currently one of six schools that have been chosen as “Gateway Schools to the ICT Industry”, Mount Gravatt State High School has a curriculum that promotes learning development through the use of appropriate technology in the school setting.

Also, as a Registered Training Organisation under the Australian Qualification Framework, the school is able to issue, deliver and assess associated training and qualifications in vocational education.

Over recent years, the Mount Gravatt area has seen high demand on real estate rentals and sales. Data from realestate.com.au shows a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%, when one considers that the median house sales price for houses in the area increased by 26.3% compared to the same period five years ago.

With access to better schools being one of the main motivations of people who are looking to buy property, proximity to a good public school with a strong, consistent record of excellence, such as Mount Gravatt State High School, certainly looks to boost the Mount Gravatt area’s growth prospects even more.

Photo from YouTube.

Free Immunisations Scheduled for Mount Gravatt Kids

Mount Gravatt children between the ages of six weeks and ten years old now have access to free vaccinations from the childhood immunisation clinic at the Upper Mount Gravatt Progress Hall. A project by the Brisbane City Council, vaccinations are scheduled weekly until the end of June. This comes as a welcome development to parents in the area, as the latest Queensland health data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System shows a significant increase for 2016, in cases of pertussis (whooping cough) and varicella zoster (chicken pox, shingles and unspecified cases), annually from the year 2014.

Graph

Paul Bartley, AMA Queensland’s spokesman for infectious diseases, reminds parents about the importance of immunisations, given the rise in these infectious, and potentially fatal, diseases. He said, “The increase is certainly still under review, but it is a timely reminder for parents to ensure their children are appropriately vaccinated for their age.” Bartley also calls on pregnant women to make sure that they have their booster vaccinations.

The Brisbane City Council’s local immunisation clinic is located on 1873 Logan Road in Upper Mount Gravatt. Bookings are not required to organise immunization services; however, parents should have the Medicare number, along with their child’s immunisation records and the required consent forms. The weekly schedule and blank forms can be downloaded below.

January-June 2017 Schedule

Consent Form

Comparison of Effects Form

Photo credit: CCO Public Domain/Amanda Mills/Pixnio

QRA Holds Australia Day Photo Competition

Winners to be awarded on 25 January!

Do you love living in Australia? Do you want to show some Mount Gravatt pride? The Queensland Reconstruction Authority is holding a photography competition to celebrate Australia Day. Spend the weekend getting creative. Show everyone that spectacular snap amongst your family photos that you just know will stand out from the pack. Pick your best shot and share the love that you have for Australian living!

Espresso Engine vouchers and prizes for “CEO’s Choice” and “People’s Choice” will be awarded on Wednesday, 25 January at 10:00 am. Bring a dollar to cast your vote. Everyone is welcome to participate in the judging, located at the Tank Street side of the QRA building in Brisbane. Sausage sizzle is available for $2. Join the morning tea, and feel free to bring a plate to share the love.

All entries must be received by the close of business on Monday, 23 January. All photographs should not be older than November 2016. Limit of only one entry per person. For more information, click here.

(Photo credit: CCO Public Domain/marselmajid/Pixabay)