Virginia Archives - Nundah News

Virginia and Pinkenba Businesses Named Finalists in 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards

Two businesses from Brisbane’s northside suburbs have been named among the finalists in the 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, marking a proud moment for Virginia and Pinkenba. The awards, now in their 20th year, celebrate enterprises that are transforming industries, introducing new ideas and contributing to the city’s future prosperity.

Read: Rino Recycling in Pinkenba: Powering Brisbane’s Green Economic Growth

Sharpe Engineering: Virginia’s industrial innovator

Photo credit: Facebook/Sharpe Engineering

From its origins in Roma about 30 years ago, Sharpe Engineering has grown into a family-owned Australian manufacturer with large-scale operations in Queensland. To meet rising demand, the company established a modern production hub in Virginia, which spans 18,730 square metres and is equipped with advanced machinery including CNC lathes, deep hole boring systems and vertical milling technology.

The Virginia facility is located close to major road, rail, air and shipping networks, enabling efficient management of supply chains and distribution to clients across Australia and internationally. It also houses the company’s well-control products and rental equipment.

In 2025, Sharpe Engineering has been named a finalist in two categories: the Australia Pacific LNG Business Transformation Award and the Accenture Australia Product Innovation Award. These listings recognise the company’s presence in both transformation and product innovation categories.

Austep Eco: Pinkenba’s purpose-driven enterprise

In Pinkenba, Austep Eco combines commercial energy-efficiency work with a stated social and environmental mission. Founded in 2015, the company provides services such as LED lighting, hot water systems and HVAC upgrades for commercial properties. These upgrades help reduce energy costs for clients while lowering carbon emissions.

Austep is certified as a B Corporation, part of a global network of businesses committed to balancing profit with purpose. The company donates half of its profits to charity, embedding community impact into its operating model.

Austep has been named a finalist in the Hutchinson Builders Social Enterprise Award, which recognises enterprises that create measurable community benefits while maintaining financial sustainability.

About the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards

The Lord Mayor’s Business Awards celebrate enterprise, innovation and community impact across Brisbane. Now in their 20th year, the awards have become a showcase of the city’s organisations, spanning start-ups, social enterprises and long-standing industry leaders.

The program features categories sponsored by major partners, acknowledging excellence in areas such as transformation, innovation, sustainability and social enterprise.

Read: What’s in a Name? Future of Pinkenba Terminal’s Identity at Risk

The winners of the 2025 awards will be announced on Thursday, 6 November 2025, at a gala ceremony in Brisbane City Hall. For Sharpe Engineering and Austep Eco, being named finalists recognises their contributions to local industry and community.

Published 30-September-2025

Virginia State School: A Century of Learning and Community Spirit

On 2 February 1920, Virginia State School opened its doors to the children of a growing northern Brisbane suburb. The very first pupil, 11-year-old William Edward Ernest Smith, symbolised the beginning of an institution that would become a cornerstone of community life for generations.

Read: New Look, New Era: Brisbane Airport Celebrates Centenary with Brand Refresh

With 266 students enrolled at the time of its official opening ceremony, the school was already a sign of the area’s rapid transformation from farmland to suburb.

Virginia itself had only begun to change in the late 19th century, following the arrival of the North Coast railway line in 1888. What had been rural paddocks soon attracted families seeking homes within reach of Brisbane City. By the early 1920s, the demand for education was so strong that the school expanded almost as soon as it was established.

The Sectional School Design

Virginia State School, 1924 (Photo credit: State Library of Queensland)

One of the most distinctive features of Virginia State School is its architecture. The Queensland Department of Public Works designed the school’s timber sectional buildings to suit the subtropical climate and the shifting needs of a growing population. Constructed in stages between 1920 and 1933, Blocks B, C, and D made up a three-wing formation that maximised natural ventilation and lighting. Verandahs, south-facing windows, and modular layouts were all hallmarks of this interwar-era design philosophy.

Block D, the western wing, was completed in 1933 at a cost of £1781 10s 8d, a significant investment at the time. The sectional design also meant the school could be enlarged as enrolments grew, which proved vital when numbers surged from 135 students at the start to more than 380 by 1923.

Community, Grounds, and Growth

Virginia State School — Suburb of Virginia, 1952 (Photo credit: State Library of Queensland)

The school’s grounds were shaped not just by government planning but also by strong community involvement. Local families took part in Arbor Day celebrations during the 1920s, planting shade trees along Sandgate Road that still stand today. In 1925, a tennis court was built in the southwestern corner of the site, reinforcing the school’s role as a social and recreational hub. By the 1950s, forestry plots of pine and cypress were introduced, part of a statewide educational initiative combining environmental awareness with practical training.

Post-war growth brought further changes. The population boom of the 1950s led to new classroom blocks, extensions, and the construction of a swimming pool and second tennis court by the mid-1960s. The school grounds also expanded, growing from an initial three hectares to nearly five by the late 1950s.

A Living Heritage

Virginia State School has been more than just a place of learning. It has hosted social gatherings, sporting events, and commemorations that have bound the community together. In 2015, its distinctive interwar architecture and long-standing role in local life were recognised when it was entered into the Queensland Heritage Register.

A century after its founding, Virginia State School marked its centenary in 2020 with around 480 students enrolled—similar in size to the bustling numbers of the 1920s. While the suburb has grown and modernised, the school remains a visible link between past and present. The old timber wings, shaded by mature trees planted by earlier generations, continue to welcome children, just as they did more than 100 years ago.

Read: Healing Happens Here: The Nundah Practice Helping Locals Feel Understood

The story of Virginia State School is not only about classrooms and buildings, but about community resilience, foresight in design, and the deep connections between education and place. It stands today as one of Brisbane’s enduring reminders of how a school can shape, and be shaped by, the community around it.

Published 18-August-2025

Firefighters Act Fast to Save Lives in Virginia Blaze

Photo Credit: CC-BY 2.0/Pixelkisser/Flickr

In a daring operation on Wednesday night, emergency crews saved a mobility-impaired woman from her burning Virginia home, just minutes from Nundah’s town centre.

Read: Pinkenba Hub Boosts Pacific Security Collaboration

Rescue through walls

At 9:14 p.m., a fire erupted in a single-storey residence on Jefferis Street, prompting a swift response from emergency services. Twenty-five firefighters arrived to find the home engulfed in flames, with the woman trapped at the rear of the property.

In an extraordinary act of quick thinking, rescue crews cut through an external wall to reach the trapped resident. This unconventional method proved successful, though the operation came at a cost: several Queensland Police officers sustained injuries while assisting with the evacuation.

Injuries and investigation at the Virginia site

The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene before being transported to Prince Charles Hospital. Multiple police officers also required medical attention after their heroic efforts during the rescue.

Although firefighters extinguished the blaze by 9:33 p.m., the incident has taken a serious turn as investigators have declared the fire suspicious. Police have established a crime scene, and investigations into its cause are underway.

Read: Nudgee Cemetery: Shadows of the Past, Whispers of the Departed

Second incident south of brisbane

On the same evening, emergency services responded to another structure fire in Brisbane’s south. Just minutes before the Virginia incident, firefighters contained a blaze at an abandoned brick building on Laxton Road, Pallara. That fire was successfully extinguished by 9:50 p.m.

The proximity of these incidents has raised concerns among local residents, although authorities have not suggested any connection between the two fires.

Published 08-December-2024

Virginia Festive Hub: VEND Marketplace to Host Christmas Pop-Up Extravaganza

Photo Credit: VEND/ Instagram

Virginia, get ready to jingle all the way to VEND Marketplace this Christmas! VEND Marketplace in Virginia and Annerley is transforming into a festive wonderland this November and December with not one but two Christmas pop-up markets.

The popular indoor market will be overflowing with festive cheer. It will showcase the wares of over 120 vendors inside and be complemented by local artisans offering unique Christmas gifts in the outdoor area.

Shoppers can expect a complete Christmas experience with a cafe serving delicious dinner meals, a pop-up bar offering festive cocktails for the adults, and free face painting to entertain the little ones.

Highlights of the VEND Christmas Pop-Up Market

Diverse Shopping: Over 120 vendors inside and local artisans outside offering unique gifts.

Festive Feasting: A cafe serving up delicious Christmas dinner options.

Christmas Cheer: A pop-up bar with festive cocktails for the adults.
Family Fun: Free face painting for children and a dedicated kids’ playground.

Pet-Friendly: Furry friends are welcome to join the festivities.

Convenient Parking: Ample on-site and street parking available.

The markets will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, 30 November, and Saturday, 7 December. VEND Marketplace encourages attendees to embrace Christmas by donning their best festive attire.

With its diverse offerings and family-friendly atmosphere, the VEND Christmas Pop-Up Market promises to highlight the holiday season in Virginia.

Published Date 23-October-2024

Chemical Leak at Virginia Factory Forced People to Evacuate

Photo credit: Facebook / Queensland Fire and Emergency Services - QFES

Police declared an emergency declaration under the Public Safety and Preservation Act (PSPA) on Thursday afternoon, 9 March 2023, due to a chemical leak at a Virginia factory forcing the evacuation of people within the exclusion zone.

At 2.35 pm, an emergency declaration was declared due to a chemical spill at a factory located on Newton Street in Virginia. People within the exclusion zone were asked to evacuate and police asked the members of the community to avoid the area while emergency services responded to the emergency.

The exclusion zone included the intersections of Newtown Street and Robinson Road, Hadley Street and Robinson Road, Bilsen Road and Robinson Road, Lisgar Street and Pritchard Road and Newtown Street and Pritchard Road.

Eight crews from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services attended the scene. A QFES spokesman said that a scientific team also conducted air monitoring tests to determine what type of chemical leak it was and what caused it.

The police revoked the PSPA declaration at around 4 pm and declared the emergency situation no longer exists with no injuries reported.

QFES advises people to always call Triple Zero (000) first for any life-threatening emergencies.

Some of the types of emergencies, according to QFES’ guidelines for hazardous industry, include:

Fire (including the generation of toxic combustion products)
Explosion (including BLEVE)
Spill (of hazardous solids and liquids)
Gas leak (flammable, toxic, asphyxiant, pressurised or refrigerated liquid)
Structural failure
Natural events (including floods, earthquake, storms, storm tides, etc)
Impact event (road vehicles, railways, aircraft, ships)
Subversive activities (bomb threat, vandalism, sabotage)
Transport incident

Published 13-March-2023

Virginia Spiritual Mentor Sailesh Chand Building His Dreams with NDIS Support

Sailesh Chand is a Virginia local with a goal of creating an online presence as a spiritual mentor and he is building on this dream with the help of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

As a meditation teacher and Hindu priest, Sailesh said that he has been sought by people for guiding their personal and spiritual concerns. He realises that he can help more people if he works in the digital space to share his skills in the community.

“I give many talks and have developed quite a social media following; I am trying to work out how I could channel this into earning a living,” Sailesh said.

“I realise that I need good social media skills to advertise my services and I am getting some training support for this.

“I have a support worker who is just really nifty at that and she is showing me how to create content, and I have recently started learning more and getting help from a professional digital marketing specialist who has shown me the basics of how to build my online presence, which is different to creating content.”

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Born in Fiji, Sailesh was diagnosed with a giant cell tumour at 20 years old and was given six months to live. He went on a spiritual journey to India for his healing but he soon found himself settled in Australia, where he had his left leg amputated.

He managed to thrive without NDIS support, initially, but realized that the quality of his life can still improve if he had the assistance, particularly for someone with physical challenges as a person with a disability.

“Being able to access the NDIS changed a lot of things for me.

“Currently I have a support worker who helps me with a lot of the physical challenges I have and he is also a qualified allied health assistant, so, he also helps me with health appointments and prosthesis appointments.”

“NDIS has had a big impact on my family’s life; having access to help in the house and garden has changed things a lot, especially for my wife.

“I feel that overall these supports have helped me play my role as a husband and father better as I am less reliant on my family members to do things that I would normally be able to do.”

Eventually, Sailesh wants to be more independent even while walking on crutches and a prosthetic leg, which he was able to access through NDIS. He’s also learning to run his own webinars and create a podcast for his online community, I Pure Soul.

“I just ran my first webinar, for free, just as a test run and I had 56 people sign up for it and they were based all around the world.

“My next step is to turn the next webinar into a paid webinar and hopefully I can build from there.

“I would also like to learn how to create and record a podcast; I haven’t accessed any support for this as yet but, I would like to do that in the future.

“I am really passionate about helping others and if I can help them in some way while earning a living, it would be a dream come true.”

To learn more about NDIS, contact Carers Queensland on 1300 999 636, or email cq.enquiries@ndis.gov.au

Service Station with Retail Showroom Proposed on Sandgate Road in Virginia

A development application has been submitted for a new service station next to a single-storey retail showroom at the site of a large warehouse and vacant lot on Sandgate Road in Virginia.

The development proposal, DA A005871526, also includes the creation of a shared driveway along Radley Street, which will open the space up for the existing buildings on the site.

Possible occupants for the retail area include a home store or an outdoor and camping brand. Meanwhile, the existing showrooms found on the southern section of the precinct, such as Drummond Gold Virginia, Big Swing Gold Virginia, National Tiles Showroom, and Christmas Shack will remain.

Some structures will be demolished to make way for the service station, two retail tenancies (spanning 2,400 square metres and 900 square metres), and a forecourt fuel canopy.

The showroom area will have 110 car parking spaces, four motorcycle bays, and three parking spaces for persons with disabilities. The proposal also includes landscaping and other improvements.

Local Opposition

Even though public notification isn’t applicable for this development, neighbouring businesses on Sandgate Road have collectively made a submission to oppose the plans for the service station and showroom.

“We feel this will have a catastrophic impact to the 7/11 Fuel and Convenience on 2009 Sandgate Road,” landowner Jim Petrocitto said on behalf of other fuel providers in the area, such as bp Truckstop, Shell Coles Express Virginia, Freedom Fuels Geebung, Puma Zillmere, Caltex Zillmere Diesel Stop, and Caltex Woolworths.

“There is sufficient/oversupply of fuel retailers and we feel that this proposed addition would greatly impact our tenancy and location.”

The development application was filed on 1 November 2021 and is currently under assessment.

Virginia’s Big Girls Don’t Cry to Come Back as Curvy

A Virginia plus size lingerie store has gotten a second wind barely a month after announcing it has shut down the business. Big Girls Don’t Cry (Anymore) will soon be joining the Curvy family from Lane Cove, NSW.

Big Girls announced the latest development, saying that the online store will be back in operation “very soon.”

“Big Girls has changed ownership and will be joining the Curvy.com.au family. We’re working around the clock to resume the online operations in the coming days.”

Karen Mason, Big Girls’ founder, decided to close her store in December 2020 after a year of struggle. Her husband, Keith, passed away in May and her liquidator Jarvis Archer said she could no longer sustain the business despite trying to keep it going with the help of her staff.

Ms Mason started her business in 1992 and soon expanded online as BrasToGo. Her suburban outlet in Virginia also serves as the warehouse. A recent expansion has been impacted by the pandemic as boxes of orders could not be delivered in time, resulting in cancellations.

Meanwhile, Curvy owner Wes Blundy started his business as a joint partnership with Bras N Things. Inspired by the system of Amazon.com, Curvy went solo in 2014 with the goal of providing plus-size pieces for the whole of Australia.

Mr Blundy believes that Big Girls and Curvy have gone through similar paths in the last year and felt that Mason’s store, now iconic, should thrive.

Curvy is working with Big Girls for the transfer of the business’ intellectual property (IP), inventory, as well as other related records and assets. Reopening the store in Virginia is still up for consideration.

Specialty Lingerie Business in Virginia Goes Bust Before Christmas

Big girls may have one reason to cry as this Brisbane-based lingerie business with a physical shop in Virginia goes under —- right before Christmas.

Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore, a plus-sized brand that owner Karen Mason set up in 1992, has enlisted the help of a liquidator, Jarvis Archer.

On the online website, Ms Mason informed the customers of closing down her business, which has become an iconic brand in Australia.

According to Mr Archer, Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore has over 100,000 customers in its database and earned $6 million this year. The company was planning to release the very first lingerie business app in Australia, which includes a virtual fitting room among other sophisticated features.

The liquidator also said that despite Ms Mason’s efforts to innovate and attract new customers, the business experienced challenges in the delays of overseas supplies due to COVID-19.

In May, Ms Mason lost her husband, Keith, further impacting her ability to maintain the business’s profitability and cash flow.

Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore has 20 full-time workers and 33 casual staff who are hoping to keep their jobs if another entrepreneur takes over.

Mr Archer said that the business would be an attractive venture for the right buyer with its loyal customers, a knowledgeable team and a strong sales growth potential.

Virginia Lingerie Store Has 15 New Jobs But No Applicants

A Virginia lingerie store has 15 new jobs and has gone weeks without any takers. Owner Karen Edbrooke said that she has been looking for unpackers, order fillers and responders to enquires but she hasn’t had any luck because the applicants say they can get more money just by not working.

Ms Edbrooke runs the lingerie and swimsuit store Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore on Sandgate Rd. She said that they currently have loads of product shipments and deliveries on hold. In the last few weeks, the shop owner said that she could not cope with the demands because she could not get applicants to stay or keep working.

Despite advertising for the job openings more than a month ago, Ms Edbrooke said many of the applicants actually do not want a job or prefer shorter work hours. She believes that many people have been demotivated to find work because of the government’s JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments amid this coronavirus crisis.

One applicant told the shop owner, “I can just get more [money] by not working,” referring to the government’s stimulus.

Photo Credit: Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore/Facebook

Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore is not the only retail store struggling to find staff.

“I have a friend in the same situation, his staff won’t come back to work. It’s ridiculous,” a follower of the store said on Facebook.

According to senior industrial relations specialist, Michael O’Brien, it is the retail and service industries struggling the most during this COVID-19 crisis. He said that those with junior roles work fewer hours but may also benefit from JobSeeker or JobKeeper for their second or third jobs.

“We are offering casual positions at the retail award rate, which can be accessed online to anyone. Hours vary on what you can offer us – anything from 16 hours to 38 hours,” Ms Edbrooke said.

But Ms Edbrooke said they received an overwhelming response even from outside Brisbane hours after her story broke in the media on 2 Aug 2020.

Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore has been in business since 1992 and caters to well-endowed women. Most of the products are imported from America and this Virginia lingerie store also sells maternity bras, posture bras and bridal wear exclusively for big girls.

They claim to have the “largest range of fuller figured bras in Australia.”