Finding Home Across Borders: One Woman's Journey to Belonging

Fitzgibbon resident Ayhwa Currie was born in Magelang, Indonesia after her parents left China in the 1940s because of the lack of freedom under Mao Zedong's regime. The Indonesian government didn't recognise her family as citizens because her parents were settlers from China, and the community did not welcome the Chinese language, so Ayhwa grew up speaking only Bahasa Indonesia. Most Indonesians are Muslims, and Ayhwa's family lived in a Muslim community. When her parents cooked pork, the neighbours said "You bloody Chinese. Go back to your own country, you dirty people." and threw stones. At school, Ayhwa had to study Islam, despite telling the teacher she was a Buddhist.

After majoring in accounting at university, Ayhwa worked for an Australian-Indonesian joint venture for about three years. She then married an Australian working in Indonesia. When he was transferred to Malaysia, they lived there for about a year and a half, then he was transferred to Thailand, where they stayed for seven years. Ayhwa loved Thai food and the Thai people. Although not allowed to work there because she was a foreigner, she immersed herself in community service in Bangkok, joined the International Women's Club, learned ikebana flower arrangement and taught art at the Indonesian Embassy. She even met some members of the royal family.

In 1977 Ayhwa became an Australian citizen. After separating from her husband, she decided to move to Australia in 1989 with her two daughters and son, aged nine to thirteen. She already owned several investment properties in Brisbane, so Australia did not feel too foreign. When this single mum applied for an accounting job, however, the company manager said "I'm concerned about your accent, and you don't have an Australian background." So she thought to herself, "Right, you want an Australian background? I'll give you one!" Ayhwa went back to study for a marketing and accounting diploma and also mastered shorthand. Although it was still not easy to find work, she secured a position at a company in Archerfield.

After some time, Ayhwa decided that office work was not her cup of tea. Since her mother was a dressmaker, her sister was a fashion designer and Ayhwa enjoyed fashion, she studied for a diploma in fashion. After working from home in Ascot for a while, she found a job at Sckafs Fabrics, which allowed her to build a strong client base. Ayhwa also entered many fashion competitions and won several awards. Clients urged her to open a boutique, so she launched one in Ascot that showcased her designs ranging from casual to haute couture and bridal.

While passionate about fashion, Ayhwa eventually decided that life is too short to spend it sewing, so now this perennial student took up real estate study. Her first job in real estate was at a Sunnybank agency where most employees spoke Chinese at the office, which was a difficult work environment for Ayhwa. Remax then poached her. Today she is thriving at a small boutique real estate agent, and her clients see her as knowledgeable, honest, helpful and successful.

After her children became independent, Ayhwa relocated to Fitzgibbon in 2014, mainly because it's not far from the CBD and public transport is convenient. She bought land here and then chose from several housing styles offered by the developers, making a few tweaks to personalise her chosen design. Downsizing meant parting with half of her furniture. When Ayhwa first moved to Fitzgibbon, she worried she had made a big mistake, since it was so different from Ascot and not what she'd expected. Now, however, she's very happy with her life here.

Ayhwa's creative interests have included cross-stitch, Chinese brush painting, oil painting, fruit carving and crafting flowers from silk and bread dough, but the difficulty of sourcing the necessary materials in Australia means she no longer pursues all these hobbies. Ayhwa also finds joy in gardening. When she was a little girl, her father owned a large chicken farm and would ask her to clean the chicken coops and throw the manure onto the tomato trees and chili plants. Though that angered her at the time, she noticed that the tomatoes were doing well, and this sparked an interest in growing herbs, flowers and other plants.

For the past ten years or so, Ayhwa has been working intermittently on her autobiography, jotting down her thoughts before bedtime. She believes that she has a story to tell—a journey that begins with her working-class roots, where her family instilled the value of education, through her hard work, facing difficulties in her marriage, raising good children and ultimately achieving happiness. Much of the story is painful, so the writing process is an emotional struggle. This resilient woman is torn between the urge to share her story and wanting to forget the past and move on. Writing in her second language adds an extra layer of difficulty. Incidentally, one of Ayhwa's daughters now lives in Norway and is a published writer of fiction novels. Her other daughter is a graphic designer, and her son is a mechanical engineer.

Ayhwa has no plans to retire as long as she is still able to work. She takes great pride in her "beautiful, smart" children, has four grandchildren and has just returned from a trip to attend her granddaughter's first communion in Norway.

Ayhwa no longer has family in Indonesia and hasn't returned for decades, as it brings back too many sad memories. She appreciates the beauty of Indonesia and realises that conditions have improved since President Suharto's time, with greater recognition of the Chinese community there. Since the Indonesian government would not acknowledge her as a citizen, however, she doesn't feel a sense of belonging to the country where she was born. Ayhwa has planted new roots here and now feels Australian.

Back in the Day: The View from Silkyoak Circuit

Ann Floyd

I called 43 Silkyoak Circuit, Carseldine Grove Estate, Fitzgibbon, home from 25th August 1995 to October 2022. Purchased here due to the proximity to the railway station, close to the city but far enough out to enjoy the surrounding bushland and a small but new area being built. It also was an unknown suburb, nestled between Carseldine and Taigum.

In 1995, Carseldine Grove Estate (as it was called) was not big. You entered from Beams Road and drove along Carselgrove Avenue to the roundabout then turned left into Lavender Place or right into Orchid Crescent. Straight was dirt and bushland. The area to the left of the roundabout had been mostly built, but to the right there were not many houses, as land was still being sold. Along Orchid Crescent, building stopped around Primrose Street, and Silkyoak Circuit was not a complete road. Houses from Primrose Street up to 51 Silkyoak were completed, and that is where the road ended. On the other side (even numbers) from the park up to opposite 51 had not yet been built in 1995. The rest of this area was still being developed. This estate was bordered by Cabbage Tree Creek and the creek/waterway that is now Iris Place Park. The rest of the area was bushland. The photo below shows the building of houses opposite our place in February 1996. Note the trees in the distance.

The following photo is looking from 43 Silkyoak Circuit up to the end of Silkyoak Circuit in February 1998. The road ended at 51 Silkyoak Circuit.

I shopped mainly at The Aspley Hypermarket but did go to Chermside Shopping Centre. Carseldine Railway Station was very different in 1995. Access from the Fitzgibbon side was not easy. Upgrades came a few years later, giving the Fitzgibbon side a lift to access the platforms. A third railway line was laid, and over the years different upgrades and renovations to the station happened. This line saw many different trains pass by—steam trains and new trains for the local train network and Queensland network.

In 2008 the changes that are seen today started. This quiet, unknown suburb was centre stage for the Queensland government's project to build a new community called Fitzgibbon Chase. Residents of Fitzgibbon formed an action group, of which I became a member. The group was not against the building of new homes, but it was concerned about the effect on wildlife, waterways and creeks and the overall effects of a new development.

Fitzgibbon (Carseldine Grove Estate) has changed. I called it home for 27 years and have seen so many people come and go, life and death, natural disasters, and so much more. It has and always will change, but it is an interesting place to live in.

Fitzgibbon Market Day

Saturday 16 August was a beautiful sunny day—and a fun and eventful day at the Fitzgibbon Community Centre. It kicked off at 8 a.m. with Fitzgibbon Market Day, which generated a real "village feel" as people happily browsed the stalls and chatted. The stalls run by local vendors included several craft stalls (jewellery, crochet, quilted goods etc.), food stalls (selling temptations such as fudge, chutney, cookies, scones, Turkish delight and dried fruit), a plant stall, stalls selling pre-loved books, toys and miscellaneous items such as key rings. It was nice to see some kids among the vendors. There were displays by St Flannan's School, Ellapointe Dance Studio and Fitzgibbon Early Learning, as well as a raffle. Burnie Brae provided free kids' activities, allowing parents to browse the stalls at leisure. Good use was made of the Community Centre's kitchen for a sausage sizzle, with drinks and chips also available. All funds went to supporting the Community Garden. Congratulations to Natasha Rabey, Sabbu Chhetri and their team for organising such a successful event.

Sabbu Chhetri

Fitzgibbon has always been home for us—it's where we work, raise our kids, and feel proud to be part of a community where neighbours really do look out for each other. We love our weekend bush walks, splashing around at the Emily Seebohm swimming pool, and wandering along the walking trails—but the Fitzgibbon Community Garden is our absolute favourite. My kids love exploring the garden and always keep an eye out for the wild raspberries—they swear it's the yummiest thing in the whole wide world!

Over the years, I've often seen the volunteers working away in the garden, rain or shine, and when Sandy, Russell, Satya, and Natasha mentioned fundraising, I didn't even think twice before saying, "Count me in." Running the local café, we'd always dreamed of creating a Market Day where everyone could come together, but it had only ever been an idea… until now.

To be honest, we were nervous at first—what if we put the word out and no one showed up? We had a few catch-ups to plan the Market Day, but since it was the first time for everyone, nobody really knew where to start. We put flyers out but still had no stallholders. That's when the worry kicked in—what if no one booked a stall? So we decided to charge a small stall fee, with all money going directly to the garden fund, and then reached out to local schools, daycares, and high schools. And then something amazing happened: the support poured in. By the day of the market on 16 August, we had 16 stalls, a full team of volunteers, and a park filled with families, laughter, and picnic blankets.

We raised over $1,000 for the garden, which we're so proud of—but the real win was seeing the community come alive. Kids ran around making new friends, parents sat together enjoying the sunshine, and neighbours who'd never met before ended up chatting like old mates.

The response has been incredible, and the question on everyone's lips was the same: "When's the next one?" That's when we knew—this wasn't just a one-off event. It's something Fitzgibbon has been missing, and something worth continuing. We hope that many more locals are now aware of our inclusive community garden and reach out for membership information to fitzgibboncommunitygarden@gmail.com.

Meet Judy Wakabayashi, author of Butterflies and Bandicoots: On Becoming Fitzgibbon

The Fitzgibbon festivities continued in the afternoon of 16 August with the launch of this book (available on Amazon), which celebrates the people, places and pivotal moments that have shaped our suburb.

[Disclosure: The newsletter would feature any author of a book about Fitzgibbon. In this case, the newsletter editor also happens to be the author of this book.]

Before moving to Fitzgibbon, I'd lived in Japan, the Netherlands and the United States for over three decades of my adult life. So I'm no expert on Queensland history, although I was born in Queensland and taught at the University of Queensland for fifteen years. My academic field is Japanese translation, with a particular focus on the history of translation in Japan. Returning to Brisbane after nineteen years teaching in Ohio, I chose Fitzgibbon as my new home because of its affordability and location between my sons' families. My experiences living in cultures where history is more visible made me curious about the apparent dearth of history in Fitzgibbon. My career has given me the research and writing skills needed for book projects (I've written, translated, edited or co-edited nineteen nonfiction books and am currently completing a biography of a Maryborough cattleman), so one thing led to another …

This project involved delving into a wide range of primary and secondary textual sources, searching for photos of Fitzgibbon's past, and interviewing some residents. After my recent work on a monograph (Translational Engagements with Asian Languages in Premodern Japan; forthcoming in December) that involved researching Japanese textual encounters from ancient times to the late nineteenth century using texts often written in old Japanese, it was a pleasant change to delve into English-language sources about a more recent period and an area I can explore in person. I hope Butterflies and Bandicoots will help other residents to discover new aspects of their suburb and see it in a fresh light.

Beyond the Brew Charity Fun Run/Walk

On the morning of 31 August, forty-eight participants turned up to Beyond the Brew's charity event organised in conjunction with its seventh anniversary. Participants could choose to walk or run a one-kilometre bushland course or a five-kilometre course along Roghan Road, Lemke Road, Telegraph Road and the Bill Brown Reserve shared path. Back at Beyond the Brew, a beverage and brekkie roll or wrap were included in the registration fee. All profits are to be donated to the Pawkala Animal Welfare Foundation.

Agami Co

The July newsletter carried an article about the Agami Co cafe that opened for business at The Nest in June. We're sorry to see that it has been forced to close. This is a loss not only for the owners but also our community as a whole. We wish Mica and Anthony all the best as they recover from this major setback.

Seniors' Morning Teas

Bisma Asif, the member for Sandgate, is hosting two seniors' morning teas, which will include "presentations on services available across areas of government, social activities, advocacy, and healthcare." Entry is free. One morning tea will be at Bracken Ridge Hall (77 Bracken St.) between 9 a.m. and noon on 12 September. The other one will be at Sandgate & District Senior Citizens Centre from 9 a.m. to noon on 10 October. RSVP is required. Call the electorate office on (07) 3639 9100 or email sandgate@parliament.qld.gov.au.

Park Play at Hidden World

Jabiru is hosting Park Play at Hidden World between 9 a.m. and noon on Wednesday 24 September (during the school holidays). Come along to enjoy free games and activities for kids, a free sausage sizzle and a scavenger hunt and to engage with local Community services.

From Cr Landers

The rollout of green waste recycling bins in local suburbs has commenced. Bins will be delivered in the Fitzgibbon area from Monday 22 September. The rollout is part of the 2025–26 Budget initiative to expand green waste recycling and reduce landfill across our suburbs. As part of the rollout, renters are now eligible to receive a green bin, and those who already compost or manage green waste differently can still opt out. Go to www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search Green waste recycling service and scroll down to the opt out link or call 3403 8888. Almost 230,000 tonnes of green waste has been recycled via green bin collections since 2019–20. This new rollout will extend the program to all remaining eligible homes not currently using the service.

The Lord Mayor's Seniors Cabaret Gala: A Music Journey through the Decades will be held on Sunday 19 October at 3 pm at Brisbane City Hall. This special event will include spectacular performances by the experts, as well as some of the participants from this year's program. Tickets will go on sale late September and are $5 each and will be available at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au.

Kerbside collection for Fitzgibbon will start the week commencing 13 October 2025. Please do not put anything out for collection until the weekend before. To check the list of what is acceptable or unacceptable for kerbside collection, go to: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bins-waste-and-recycling/kerbside-collection/acceptable-kerbside-collection-items.

Community Centre website

New this month on the Fitzgibbon Community Centre website is an image gallery to record and share events that occur from time to time. First up is the recent community market, which saw the concourse area come alive with vendors' stalls and the smell of food cooking on the barbecue. This was followed by the launch of Judy Wakabayashi's book Butterflies and Bandicoots: On Becoming Fitzgibbon later the same day.

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 the 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. Many people at the market said they had never been to the Centre before but had driven past many times. We want everyone to know what a fabulous resource their community centre is and to come on down and enjoy it.

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