Fitzgibbon Community Newsletter

No. 1 (June 2025)

Welcome to the first issue of our monthly community newsletter! It aims to help foster a sense of belonging and connection by sharing local-interest items and celebrating the people and places that make Fitzgibbon special.

In acknowledgement of the traditional custodians of this land, our first item is about local First Nations artist Lisa Anne Caruana.

Lisa Anne Caruana—Artist, Educator and Cultural Advocate

For more than fourteen years, Lisa has called Fitzgibbon home, but her work on Turrbal Country spans over twenty-five years. A proud Larrakia woman, Lisa’s presence in the community is felt deeply through her cultural arts practice, grassroots community work, and the meaningful relationships she has built with Indigenous and non-Indigenous families in the region.

“My art is about storytelling,” Lisa shares. “It’s rooted in culture, identity and connection to Country.” Her creative practice spans a diverse range of mediums—from canvas and homewares to jewellery, clothing and digital design. Her works blend traditional Aboriginal symbolism with contemporary aesthetics, offering a unique visual language that is both grounded in heritage and innovatively modern. Lisa finds her greatest creative spark in digital art, a medium she says allows stories to be shared in new, accessible ways.

One of Lisa’s most impactful recent projects is the Fitzgibbon Bush Trail interpretive signage initiative. She led the design and installation of ten educational signs placed throughout the trail—each one highlighting native plants, their traditional uses and cultural significance. Developed in collaboration with Cr Sandy Landers and Brisbane City Council, the project has transformed the trail into an engaging outdoor learning space. “It’s been incredible watching families walk the trail, connecting with First Nations knowledge in such a tangible way,” Lisa says. With stage two of the project underway, her commitment to sharing culture in community spaces remains steadfast.

Lisa has also been a long-time contributor to local community sport, serving as Secretary of the Kurbingui Sporting Association for over five years. Though she recently stepped down from the board to care for her father, who is living with dementia, she remains an active supporter. “It’s more than just boxing,” she reflects. “It’s about building strong, confident young leaders through discipline, cultural values and connection.”

Beyond the arts and sport, Lisa is a passionate cultural educator. She has delivered workshops across Brisbane in schools, early learning centres and with organisations such as Guide Dogs Queensland, the Country Women’s Association and Brisbane City Council. Her cultural consultancy has informed programs and public initiatives alike. Among her standout creative achievements, Lisa designed Australia’s first custom beer tap handles for Jarrah Boy—each one hand-carved and painted—and created their distinctive logo, now proudly displayed on every can. She also designed commemorative bibs for the Bracken Ridge Ridgettes Netball club, embedding a powerful story of strength and pride. Lisa also completed a large-scale mural at the Bracken Ridge Scout Den, a vibrant and symbolic artwork celebrating connection to Country, leadership and community spirit. The mural stands as a visual storytelling piece—welcoming all who visit with its bold colours and deep cultural meaning.

Fitzgibbon’s strong sense of community continues to inspire Lisa’s work across art, education and grassroots initiatives. Her belief that cultural visibility leads to healing and connection remains at the heart of everything she does on Turrbal Country.

Your Community Centre – Ann Ingamells

In the moves towards an individualistic culture, we are losing something significant—communities that can provide support and connection. Volunteering for the Fitzgibbon Community Centre is a continuation of my background as an academic, practitioner, educator and researcher of things related to community. Fitzgibbon is a wonderful place, and there’s so much more we could do as a community.

When this building was built, little thought was given to who would run it. Many people think the Council or state government owns and operates it, but the owner is Fitzgibbon Community Centre Ltd. Three non-government organisations came together to manage it. Burnie Brae and Jabiru ran some activities on a shoestring budget, often at a loss. I was on the Board of the third organisation, SANDBAG, and convinced it to see if the Fitzgibbon community has people willing to get involved in running the Centre.

No one funds the Centre, so we depend on hiring out the halls. Annual costs (rates, water, electricity etc.) are quite high. We have applied for grants, but because we don’t have a track record we haven’t yet had much success. Covid-19 stopped venue hire, and Burnie Brae and Jabiru pulled out.

We then developed a small committee of seven volunteers to manage the Centre and get it back on its feet after being very short of funds and having many unresolved issues. The committee looks after the Centre, makes plans for it and does the best we can. After community consultation in 2022, we received town planning permission to lease out part of the Centre for commercial purposes to contribute towards running costs. The network of people supporting the committee is starting to grow, and we welcome conversations with others interested in helping.

The Centre hosts two kinds of activity. The first is classes offered on a semi-commercial basis. For instance, on Saturday mornings there is the Little Kickers group, where kids learn ball skills, which is great for coordination. There are weekly activities for older people to keep the joints moving and yoga sessions three times a week. The second category involves social groups, such as a book club, play group and meditation group. A major church group uses the hall each week. We’re keen for residents to develop activities for their own purposes—e.g. sharing a language and keeping it alive, or sharing a skill or spiritual tradition. Many people have small homes and little space for family gatherings, so we want to support parties. We have to charge a fair bit for these, as things get damaged or broken and extra cleaning is needed. The Centre also owns the Community Garden land at 76 Mt Kaputar Avenue, and this beautiful garden is open to everyone. It’s a place to meet local residents on another level and to grow and share vegetables.

A community hub offers a venue for community members to create the things they want to see happening there. Our vision is for Fitzgibbon’s Community Centre to provide opportunities for everyone to meet others with similar interests. To achieve this, we need to work together. This will make the community even stronger. It’s your community centre, and you can be part of it. We’d love to hear from you: facilities@fitzgibboncommunitycentre.org. (For bookings, call Ann at 0491676230.)

$30,000 Grant for Solar Panel for Community Centre

Ann Ingamells recently submitted a successful application for a Gambling Community Benefit Grant of $30,200 to install a solar panel and battery at the Community Centre. This will reduce electricity costs and help the environment. This application is just one of the many ways Ann continues to contribute to the Fitzgibbon community.

A Hive of Activity

Did you know that the Community Centre has “public art elements” titled Living Traditions? These consist of a honeycomb-shaped design etched into the paving and sculpture modules in the gardens and around the centre that evoke bee hives. Check out the plaque at the foot of the noticeboard to learn about the design, the artists and the students involved.

News from Cr Landers

Brisbane has a great lifestyle, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why we are working with the Queensland Police Service to roll out our new Suburban Safety Cameras. The first location for Bracken Ridge Ward is McPherson Park, Bracken Ridge, which is an important hub for our community and home to Cricket, Little Athletics, Lions, Girl Guides and Scouts. This camera will identify offences as they occur and allow police to respond quickly. It’s all about safer suburbs for Brisbane.

With Stage 1A of the Beams Road Upgrade now complete, Stage 1B between Carselgrove Avenue and Handford Road will commence shortly. Works will include widening of the roadway from Carselgrove Avenue to Handford Road, installation of a new shared path for people walking and riding, and building a new shared pedestrian underpass at Cabbage Tree Creek. It’s all about keeping Brisbane moving.

The Bracken Ridge Backyard Bonanza in conjunction with the Bracken Ridge Central Lions Club Train Day, is back on Sunday 24 August at McPherson Park from 9.00am to 2.00pm. Bluey and Bingo will be performing with three special Live Interactive Experiences to enjoy, as well as performances from local schools and community groups. You can also get up close and personal with reptiles and baby animals, and there will be food and market stalls, giveaways, free rides and lots to see and do. The Lions miniature trains will run as usual for the cost of $2 per person, or you can buy a 10-ride pass for $15 that is valid on all train days.

To stay up to date with news and upcoming events in the Bracken Ridge Ward, follow my Facebook page at Facebook.com/Cr.sandy.landers or Instagram@crsandylanders or sign up for my eNewsletter at www.sandylanders.com.au/newsletters.

Contributions Welcome

We want to hear from you! Share your news, memories and anecdotes about Fitzgibbon, local photos (e.g. of community events, local landmarks), poems, or ideas for future issues. The deadline for submissions is the third Monday of each month. Contact us through the Community Centre website’s “Contact Us” page (https://www.fitzgibboncommunitycentre.org/contact-us/).