How Accessible is Fitzgibbon?

Keith Heinrich

Fitzgibbon is a suburb that has been rolled out in stages starting around 1990. The most recent development was completed around 2010, and between 1990 and 2010 thoughts and regulations regarding accessibility and infrastructure design progressed to make it easier and safer for those with greater mobility needs to move around. But how accessible is Fitzgibbon really?

This is a high-level carer’s view of how difficult it might be for someone using a powered mobility device to get around the suburb. I understand everyone’s circumstances differ, so this is a personal observation rather than any sort of definitive report.

The cohort for the purpose of this conversation includes anyone using a mobility device, people with prams and members of the community whose mobility might not be what it used to be. Mobility devices vary from wheelchairs to mobility scooters of all sizes, with the larger ones up to 1.8m in length. Shorter ones can flip over backwards or capsize on a steep or uneven grade, and longer ones can get stuck on tight turns. Both can bottom out on poor kerb ramps/kerb cuts. And by the time it becomes apparent that there is trouble ahead, bailing out might not be an option. Prams and strollers are less of an issue, being lighter and smaller, but if someone has their arms full wrangling kids, they are not going to be happy negotiating broken paths and bad kerb ramps. A kerb ramp is where the path meets the road, and there are standards for their design to ensure accessibility, safety and ease of use. I expect few of the older ones meet the current council standard which provides room for turning, a shallow grade for safe entry to an intersection with the road and, in some cases, indicators for the visually impaired. TMR have a guide for design with the following observations:

While a footpath necessarily follows the natural topography of the area, in the best possible circumstances a continuous accessible path of travel should:

• have a gradient of no steeper than 1 in 20
• have a cross fall of no steeper than 1 in 40
• have kerb cuts with appropriate kerb ramps
• incorporate appropriate Tactile Ground Surface Indicators where necessary to ensure adequate safety and orientation at street crossings
• have a pedestrian zone with a minimum clear width of 1.8m at the narrowest point and a minimum clear height of 2 metres with nothing encroaching into that envelope
• be as smooth as possible without raised or cracked paving or tree root damage
• have a slip resistant surface during dry and wet conditions.

Ideally, paths should be wide and flat with safe kerb ramps to easily permit safe entry to and exit from the path. Uneven grades and tight turns present the risk of capsizing or getting stuck. Today’s kerb ramp standards are much better from an accessibility perspective, but the paths and kerb ramps in Fitzgibbon are largely decades old. I have experience with getting stuck on a bad kerb cut on a busy street at traffic lights when the chair bottomed, and it’s no joke. A person by themselves can’t go forward to cross the road or back up onto the kerb. A person in a chair is typically invisible to the many people who will ignore their plight as they pass by. Rollovers are worse, and neither is a good situation for anyone to find themselves in.

Back in the early 1990s when Golden Downs and the Carseldine Grove and Greenfields estates were developed, footpaths were typically narrow and extended only along main roads. Today many of these are cracked and uneven, tree-affected, poorly repaired or poorly maintained. They are somewhat better than nothing, but in places they are dangerous or even unusable.

Where old meets newer on Beams Road. This will be updated with the improvements underway but is a good contrast in the change in design over the years.

The corner of Handford and Roghan Roads is a perfect storm of poor conditions. A shallow kerb ramp, narrow path, crazy camber, and situated on a traffic filter lane for good measure. Site conditions make it a difficult situation from an accessibility perspective. 

Where a user needs to get onto the road, the kerb from a home driveway also creates a barrier. There is a risk of bottoming out and getting stranded or even tipping over. So there are plenty of hazards and even inaccessible areas for a user with a mobility device, unless they have an accompanying carer to help them negotiate the paths in these areas.

The access to the path at Iris Place Park is typical of the way driveways met the kerb across the estates in the 90s. There is no kerb ramp/cut. The road surface here is at an angle which means an uneven approach, there is a broken kerb and a steep and uneven drop when returning from the path to the road. It’s a hazard for anyone on a mobility device who might want to go to the park or use the path. Getting down to the road is risky business as well.

There are some further examples of poor accessibility down by the original Carselgrove roundabout at the intersection with Orchid Crescent. In days gone by, this was the edge of the world for that side of the estate, as the road stopped right there. Paths are narrow and the kerb ramp terrible owing to the camber on the road. This is one of the worst areas in Fitzgibbon to negotiate with a mobility device.

Footpaths here are narrow and uneven and confined to just the main road. The associated kerb ramps are steep and narrow and poor for safely traversing. Contact with the road is possible.

Where old meets newer down at the Carselgrove roundabout. This is another technical challenge because there is no way to approach it directly — the path is too narrow. There is a serious risk of rolling here by inadvertently entering over the side of the kerb ramp.

Although this crossing has been rebuilt recently, it is still not entirely suitable for accessibility. Here you can see how narrow it is, the awkward angle of approach, and the angle on the sides of the kerb ramp. It’s a proper technical challenge to approach from the left, and a full-sized mobility scooter would need a very skilled driver indeed to negotiate it safely. Another gotcha is ensuring grass meets the path without a gap, which was not the case for some time after it was built. Any gap creates a hazard, especially on a narrow path like this one. Obviously there are site considerations when installing a kerb ramp, but providing a compliant design does not guarantee it will be fit for purpose. Even so, it is a whole lot better than what was there previously. 

Technical challenge at Cambridge Crescent — steep ascent, narrow path, big camber on the ramp and a terrible kerb ramp at the top. The camber change and slope on the hill are sufficient that a rollover here would risk serious injury. The change in camber at the top corner is more than enough to capsize the unwary.

Shared path Beams Road rail crossing gets a 10 out of 10 for thoughtful design. It’s wide with a shallow grade implemented as a series of long steps. 

At the new rail crossing, designers have eliminated the pedestrian level crossing in favour of the ramp up both sides of the new bridge. The good news is that the path is a long staircase with shallow steps limited to 3 degrees and a smooth transition between them. Kerb ramps are long and shallow as well, which is excellent and much better than what was at the intersection of Beams Road and Plazza Place previously. There is additional work to be done as construction proceeds, but even now they are easily the best in the area by a long way. Traversing this path shouldn’t pose a challenge to anyone, which goes to show that accessibility can and should be part of good design.

Changing gears now, what about accessible parking? At Hidden World, including the dog off-leash area and the Bill Brown Reserve, there is generous accessible parking. Accessible toilets are also available at these locations, but these are the only public toilets in all of Fitzgibbon that I know of. I’ve excluded the parking and toilets at the Community Centre, since this isn’t a public space per se. There are two accessible parking spots behind the Nest shopping centre on Roghan Road. I am unaware of accessible parking anywhere else.

In summary, the older areas of Fitzgibbon are nowhere near as accessible as the newer parts, and in some places these older areas are totally inaccessible and possibly dangerous. Parking is good in the big parks at Hidden World and the Bill Brown Reserve and compliant at the Nest. Accessible toilets exist in the two big parks mentioned. 

So that’s some of the worst of it, but it’s not all bad. There are places in the newer parts of Fitzgibbon that are quite good for people using mobility devices, such as Roghan Road from Hidden World to the Community Centre, which is wide and flat and not interrupted by street crossings. As a result it gets well used. However, given the general state of driveways in Fitzgibbon, a person is going to need to install a ramp in the driveway to safely get to the street and then travel on the road to the nearest place where they can safely access a path. This makes something routine like going to the shops a bit of a mission for those with accessibility needs. 

Keith Heinrich Named Synology Competition Finalist

Local photographer Keith Heinrich is a finalist in a national competition by computer storage maker Synology. Leveraging long experience with Synology products for storing and sharing image files, Keith was able to deliver on the brief and make the shortlist. He is the hand behind the revitalised Fitzgibbon Community Centre website, and you might have seen him around the community centre recording activity there for the website.

Details of the competition here: https://event.synology.com/en-au/photographer-experience-sharing and his submission here: https://www.facebook.com/SynologyAsiaPacific/posts/122229257036084902. Congratulations, Keith!

Long-awaited Opening of First Beams Road Overpass Bridge

Talk of the need for an overbridge to improve traffic flow where Beams Road crosses the railway line dates to at least 1953. On 2 September 2025, one lane of the first Beams Road overpass bridge finally opened for west-bound traffic, followed on 17 September by the opening of the lane for east-bound traffic. The second bridge is scheduled to open in late 2026.

Honey’s Alterations Services

Welcome to a new business that opened in early September at 522 Roghan Road. Offering clothing alteration and ironing services, the business can be contacted at 416-670-185 or honeysantander26@gmail.com.

Man With A Pram Walk

Organised by Hola Playgroup (a Spanish-speaking group that meets at the Community Centre on Fridays between 9.30 and 11.30 a.m.), the Man With a Pram walk on 6 September was part of Father’s Day celebrations. Its aim was to support dads and raise awareness of the importance of paternal mental health (matters such as anxiety and postnatal depression). Nearly twenty-five participants (big and small), many sporting Man With A Pram T-shirts or Dads Group.org T-shirts, gathered for a morning stroll through the Bushland Walking Circuit behind the Community Centre.

Seniors’ Morning Tea Hosted by Sandgate MP Bisma Asif

On 12 September Sandgate MP Bisma Asif hosted a morning tea for over fifty local seniors at Bracken Ridge Hall. After her welcome and introduction, a representative from National Seniors Australia outlined this organisation’s efforts in advocating for seniors to the government.

Jodie Murray, a crime prevention and community engagement officer for north Brisbane, emphasised that seniors are the least likely to be crime victims because they are sensible and avoid risks. They might, however, be more likely to fall victim to scams. This veteran police officer was herself scammed just last month, highlighting how easy it is even for careful, well-informed citizens to fall prey to scams. Jodie recommended downloading The Little Book of Scams and registering online with https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ to receive updates about scams. She also touched on the topic of elder abuse.

A representative from the Heart Foundation then highlighted different heart health risk factors and measures to avoid a stroke, such as annual heart health checks with a GP and participation in the Bracken Ridge walking group (for information, see https://walking.heartfoundation.org.au/walking/group/ridgy-didgies).

Other topics included the Seniors Enquiry Line (https://seniorsenquiryline.com.au/). There were several information booths (e.g. Metro North, ADA Australia, Heart Foundation, MyAgedCare, National Seniors Australia), and attendees were given a wealth of printed informational materials. The one-hour event wrapped up with morning tea (healthy fruits and not-so-healthy—but yummy—bikkies and cake).

Jabiru Park Play at Hidden World

On 24 September kids from Fitzgibbon and neighbouring suburbs gathered for a fun morning at Hidden World between 9 a.m. and noon. Jabiru and many other organisations hosted free games and activities for kids, including a scavenger hunt. Queensland Police and other community services were also on hand to talk with kids and their parents and provide information. Unsurprisingly, the longest queue was at the free sausage sizzle stand.

Blast from the Past: Tree Theft at Ward’s Flat 125 Years Ago

A tree theft occurred in the middle of what is now Fitzgibbon 125 years ago. This area (Portion 6) was owned by one of the first local landowners, James Monro. It was known as Ward’s Flat in the late 1880s, possibly after Monro’s agent, John Luke Ward. Ward had arrived from Ireland in 1863 and made bricks in his backyard at Geebong while also serving as agent for Monro’s property.

A more likely possibility (not mentioned in Butterflies and Bandicoots: On Becoming Fitzgibbon) is that this area was named after William John Ward, who owned land to the west of Monro’s land (see pages 10–11, 30, 42 and 220n8 of Butterflies and Bandicoots for information about William John Ward). His land was also referred to as “Ward’s Flat”, as shown in an advertisement on 6 July 1889, which refers to Portion 9 (owned by William John Ward):

LOT 3.—Ward’s Flat, Bald Hills, about one mile from Railway Station ; Splendid Farm of 5 Acres, half of which is under cultivation, described as Subdivisions 28, 29 of Portion 9, Parish of Nundah ; Improvements, House of Five Rooms and Kitchen, with outbuildings, stables, &c. (The Brisbane Courier, p. 8)

In 1900, “a father and son both called Albert Catton allegedly cut down a tree [at Monro’s property] with the intention of stealing it. They were acquitted because of lack of evidence. That same year August and William Baumann were issued with summonses for a similar offence on this property, but Monro declined to proceed. All this indicates that the timber on Portion 6 was of some value. The name Ward’s Flat, however, has long been forgotten.” (Butterflies and Bandicoots, p. 28). The Catton incident was not the first time a tree from this property had allegedly been stolen, as a similar incident occurred on 18 July 1887.

From Cr Landers

From Monday 13 October 2025, residents in Fitzgibbon will have their annual kerbside collection to dispose of large household items. Please remember not to put anything out on the kerb until the weekend before your collection date. For more information on acceptable items, visit: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bins-waste-and-recycling/kerbside-collection/acceptable-kerbside-collection-items.

Prepare your home for summer storms with Council’s free green waste drop-off weekends. Brisbane City Council is holding another free green waste drop-off weekend on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October. The city’s four resource recovery centres are open from 6.30am to 5.45pm, and our closest centre is located at 1372 Nudgee Road, Nudgee Beach.

If you have images taken in and around the Community Centre (including the walking tracks) and would like to share them on the website or Facebook page, please send them to the Community Centre (https://www.fitzgibboncommunitycentre.org/contact-us/) for inclusion in a gallery of community images. Images added to the gallery will be attributed with your name. The purpose is to share our fabulous facility, which sits hidden in the trees. We want everyone to know what a fantastic resource their community centre is and to come on down and enjoy it.

If you wish to contribute information, an article or pictures to the Newsletters section (https://www.fitzgibboncommunitycentre.org/newsletters/) or have ideas for an article, drop us a line through Facebook or the website.