Jeffrey Service, an artist with an Auchenflower studio, is holding an exhibition of a series of watercolour artworks that depict the fun and oddness of life.
Dubbed “Jeffrey’s Choices,” the exhibition, which will take place from 21 October to 26 November 2022 at the Logan Art Gallery, harkens back to the time Mr Service lived in a California hippie community in the 1960s and the waters of the Rio de la Pasión in Guatemala. artists
Following his exciting adventures, Mr Service returned to Australia in the 1980s and then eventually set up his studio in Auchenflower.
His works often reflect the unusual comedies of life and his quest for wisdom.
“My love of The Road also took me hitching from San Francisco to Panama, living in the Guatemalan Jungle down the Rio de la Passion out of a 20-foot dug-out canoe, visiting the indigenous river folk,” Mr Service said.
“Returning to my native Australia, I travelled widely sharing my artistry with settlements of Tiwi Islands, Weipa, local Brisbane groups including 10 years of travelling with the Queensland Arts Council, and the New Mexico Arts Commission with Native American communities.”
The Logan Art Gallery, located at the corner of Jacaranda Ave and Wembley Rd, Logan Central, is open from Tuesday to Saturday at 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, Mr Service will also have his artwork, “Mr Polly.” on exhibition at the Gagliardi Gallery, Kings Road from 3 to 10 November 2022 as it won in the 2021 London Biennale.
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Service/Facebook
“This watercolour painting was inspired by my Grammar School English teacher. His name was Dr Hamilton Russell Cowie OAM (now deceased),” he said.
“His style of teaching was enthusiastic and I enjoyed his oratorial reading the book: ‘The History of Mr Polly,’ written by H.G.Wells.
“The substance of the book remains with me and influences my journey. Its message that there are many options throughout life, is relevant to us all today.”
As floodwaters subside, the devastation of the severe weather event that hit Southeast Queensland, including Milton, Rosalie and Auchenflower, has become more pronounced. What forms of assistance can residents in flood-affected suburbs get to help them recover from the effects of this disaster?
Among the most affected areas in Brisbane include Milton where low-lying streets and homes were inundated with floodwaters from the swollen Brisbane River. The floods affected Coronation Drive that heavily impacted traffic flow for days. Milton State School was submerged as well and remained closed for several days along with 1,000 plus other state schools.
Inundation at Milton State School | Photo Credit: Milton State School / Facebook Inundation at Milton State School | Photo Credit: Milton State School / Facebook
Nearby Rosalie was also not spared with floodwaters reaching chest high entering restaurants, destroying equipment and machines and leaving owners with the laborious task of cleaning up after the flood.
Auchenflower too took a beating from the torrential rains and flooding as helpless residents could only watch as their homes got inundated with floodwaters. And to make the situation more frustrating, water comes flowing back after they have already finished cleaning up.
The total damage caused by the floods is estimated to reach $1 billion as flood and storm damage insurance claims rose in the aftermath of the inundation with about 31,000 claims already being made.
Access to grants and support for flood-impacted residents
On 1 March, the State Government unveiled grants and support for flood-impacted areas including Emergency Hardship Assistance grants of up to $180 per person and $900 for a family of five or more. As assessments in other affected areas are still ongoing, these grants are open for people in the following LGAs only:
Ipswich LGA
Somerset LGA
Moreton Bay LGA
Lockyer Valley LGA
Gympie LGA
Dallarnil locality – North Burnett LGA
However, there are other grants available to eligible residents who are uninsured and have experienced certain losses or damage to their property including the Essential Household Contents Grant which provides up to 1,765 for single adults and up to $5,300 for couples/families.
Photo Credit: Rosalie Village Community / Facebook
Also available are the Structural Assistance Grant – to go towards repairs to make the home secure and safe – and the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant which is a two-part grant aimed at helping affected homeowners get reconnected with essential services including electricity, gas, water and sewerage.
The State Government is also rolling out a “rapid housing response” in flood-affected areas, including the establishment of a $600,000 Rapid Response Fund, to tackle housing challenges and homelessness brought about by the recent flooding.
“Record interstate migration, rising house prices, very low vacancy rates, COVID-19 and severe weather has created a perfect storm.
“Every Queenslander deserves a roof over their head, and I have been looking at all available options to assist people who might require short-term accommodation and longer-term housing,” Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch said.
“We are doing this in a way that considers the individual and the diverse needs of households.
“This includes providing accommodation solutions with appropriate support for people with disability, and people experiencing homelessness or domestic and family violence.”
Those needing housing help are encouraged to call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or visit the nearest Housing Service Centre.
Meanwhile, the Australian Government is also offering support through its Disaster Recovery Payment program which provides eligible families who have been significantly affected by the recent disaster with a lump sum payment of $1,000 per adult and $400 for each child younger than 16.
The 25th of April 2021 was just another Sunday at Wesley Hospital and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, until all of a sudden it wasn’t. As the day went on, it became clear that both hospitals were experiencing a cyber-attack, one that led to serious worries about compromised information systems and other hospital systems and services coming offline.
The attack forced hospitals under UnitingCare Queensland (UCQ) to resort to manual processes after their Digital and Technology systems were rendered inaccessible.
Despite the attacks, back-up processes and systems were prepared in the event that such a situation occurred. Services are continuing as normal thanks to the contingencies and safety measures the hospitals have prepared in advance, however certain processes that cannot be performed manually have been either redirected or rescheduled due to these cyber attacks.
UCQ, the organisation that encompasses the Wesley Hospital and St Andrew’s Memorial Hospital, has not commented on plausible reasons behind the attack however it is commonly speculated that this was the work of ransomware — an act that revolves around criminals restricting data access until a ransom is paid.
According to UCQ’s most recent statement regarding the cyber attack, it is unclear when the issue will be resolved given its recency. However, concrete efforts are being made by their Digital and Technology team to get to the bottom of the issue and have systems fully operational as quickly as possible.
The statement also mentions that those who wish to learn more, or those who wish to receive updates on the matter should periodically visit the media section of the UCQ website as they steadily work to resolve the issue and learn more about those responsible.
Wesley Hospital can be found at 451 Coronation Dr, Auchenflower. To learn more about UCQ, visit their website here. For the latest updates and announcements concerning the hospital, the cyber attacks, and the progress of their attempts at getting systems back online, follow their Facebook page.
