MPs lobbied to build proper creek crossing for safety of students

For years north Brisbane students have been balancing their way over a pipe to cross a creek on their way to and from school. Now there are calls for a permanent crossing to be built.

Member for Aspley Bart Mellish is calling for a proper crossing on Cabbage Tree Creek, linking Aspley State High School and the new Carseldine Urban Village.

FOR years Aspley students have been balancing their way over a pipe to cross a creek on their way to and from school.

Now there are calls for a permanent pedestrian crossing to be built on the site over Cabbage Tree Creek, which is used by Aspley State High School students accessing Carseldine station and surrounding areas.

$6.5M CARSELDINE SPORT PRECINCT IS ONE STEP CLOSER

Member for Aspley Bart Mellish has written to the Education and State Development ministers, calling for a proper crossing to link the school and the new Carseldine Urban Village (CUV) sports precinct, which is expected to open by mid-year.

A plan from the Carseldine Urban Village Queensland Government development application - Stage S is the new sports precinct.

Acting Premier and Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick appears amenable to the idea and said he has asked his department to work with Education Queensland “with a view to resolving this issue”.

Mr Mellish said the pipe, which he thinks might carry stormwater, had been used as an unofficial crossing for years.

“I’ve talked to someone who lives in Bald Hills who said they used to cross that pipe when they went to school there. So I’m surprised it hasn’t been an issue before now.

“The principal brought it up with me initially and it’s been raised with me when talking to various parents from time to time.

“I think the Carseldine Urban Village is a good catalyst to see something done about it.

“There’s no real safe crossing linking the Carseldine sporting fields with those at Aspley State High.”

Aspley State High School principal Jacquita Miller is excited about the possibility of her students accessing the new Carseldine Urban Village sports precinct. Picture: Tara Croser.

School principal Jacquita Miller said there were a lot of Aspley High students who lived on the other side of the creek “and there will be more, so having a safe crossing that is well lit and wide enough will be awesome”.

“It will take a lot of pressure off Zillmere Rd if we can get some students going that way to Carseldine.”

Ms Miller said she was also excited about the possibility of students accessing the new CUV sports precinct which was about 300 metres “as the crow flies” from the back of the school grounds.

“If we were able to walk through from the back of the school and go towards the sporting precinct it would open up a great opportunity for people on this side of Aspley,” she said.

“If there was a proper walkway we could go there for PE lessons.

“But make it a good one — it needs to be well lit and there needs to be a bit of clearing so it’s safe. There may also be options to link it to cycling tracks.

“It’s a great opportunity to link a back way from the school to that space and other sporting groups could link with our four fields here.”

Member for Aspley Bart Mellish and Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick at the start of construction on Stage S of the Carseldine Urban Village development in November 2018.

Ms Miller said a crossing would also provide “a lovely walking corridor” for people who live on the Zillmere Rd side of the creek who already walk in the area.

In his letter to the ministers Mr Mellish wrote, “Creating a safe and proper crossing here will create many opportunities for both the school and local community by connecting two significant sporting facilities.

“A proper crossing will also allow students a safer route between the school and the Carseldine Train Station, and potentially relieve some traffic congestion on Zillmere Rd during school pick up and drop off times.”

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Mr Dick said, “We are building great new sporting facilities at the Carseldine Urban Village and it makes sense for the school community to benefit from those new facilities.

“I have asked my department to work with Education Queensland with a view to resolving this issue.”

Earlier, a spokesman for Education Minister Grace Grace said, “The Minister has asked her department for advice on this issue”.