UPDATE – 9 March, 2026
I have finally received an update from Council’s CEO regarding the fill at 433 Cliveden Ave, Oxley. It’s not good news. The bottom line is Council says the development was approved in 2013 and fill was approved as part of that development. I encourage you to read the CEO’s letter here.
In my view, there are inconsistencies with the original approved plan which said fill would not be imported onto the site. I’m currently reviewing the CEO’s decision to determine what, if any, further steps are available to the community.
UPDATE – 28 January, 2026
I met with Mr Andre Casson, principal of BBC, and school representatives today to discuss the current works at 433 Cliveden Ave, pictured below. Confirming that the extent of the works is a new boat storage shed which will store BBC’s boats in the off season and Stuartholme’s boats in their off season. Rowing will continue at BBC’s existing UQ river facilities—there will be no early parent arrivals as this site is for school access only. There may be some ancillary boat repair works but the site will be used for storage purposes only. The nursery behind the boat shed is not progressing at this stage, but will in the future.
Mr Casson was very apologetic about the school’s failure to be a good neighbour and let our community know that work was commencing on the boat storage facility. He has promised that the school will communicate both directly with residents and myself in future.
The good news is the school has no short or medium term plans to progress the rest of the masterplan development. Their focus is on new facilities at the main Toowong campus of BBC.
Current construction works are due to be completed by mid-June. The school has indicated that they are not planning to fill the site or raise it in any substantial way.
I know that seeing development happen without any notification was a shock to many people, but it is good news to hear that the masterplan is not proceeding, other than this boat storage facility.
20 January, 2026
A number of residents have contacted me about Brisbane Boys College starting to progress development of their sporting fields at Oxley.
17 years after they lodged their first DA in 2009, it would have been courteous for the school to let our community know they were progressing the development. In my view, it reflects poorly upon them to treat our community with such disregard.
Between 2009 and 2013 our community fought the proposed redevelopment of the driving range and golf club that BBC had bought a few years earlier. Even though the site was in then Cr Milton Dick’s Ward of Richlands (he spoke up too), I fought the development hard with Corinda residents particularly those living in Cliveden Ave who would be directly affected by the many courts and indoor facilities along the Cliveden Ave frontage of the site.
Here’s a summary of my objection at the time:
“In particular, I strongly object to the inclusion of tennis courts and a multipurpose indoor court in a known flooding area and opposite to residential properties. These facilities do not meet Council’s town planning requirements for stormwater management, waterways, subdivision, biodiversity protection and noise and do not meet the Department of Environment and Natural Resources requirements for vegetation management and protection. This site regularly floods and any additional development, fill, changes to the watercourse or land clearing will create additional flooding risks to nearby homes and roads.
I am not opposed per se to the use of the site for sporting and recreational purposes, but object to the scale and impact of the proposal in its current form. I urge Council to reject the application on the basis of the adverse impacts on neighbouring homes, roads, the community and local environment and seek significant modification of the proposal to mitigate the community and environmental impacts.”
The development was approved in 2013, and Council has extended the approval on several occasions since. Sadly, the School has an approval and has the right to build on the site. We the community have no say in extension of time being granted under the Queensland Planning Act and coupled with a pro-development Lord Mayor, it seems they are now starting development on the site.
In their recent Construction Management Plan application to Council, the School is planning to build a boat storage shed, new road entrance and parking facilities at the old golf club on Cliveden Ave. This is only a small component of the overall master planned facility which is spread across 35 hectares.
I have included a number of links to documents below for those who are newer to area or want to review the proposal again. It is still shocking. And for the eagled eyed among you, yes, I have written to Council about the mad suggestion that high/heavy vehicles use Oxley Rd, coming from Sherwood Rd, to access the site from the north. We seriously do not need more trucks crashing into the low rail bridge. The fact that the developer, builder and Council don’t seem to know it’s there is astonishing.
Personally, I think that Brisbane Boys College are imprudent in progressing given the frequency and severity of flooding on this site. Surely even a wealthy private school like this, understands the catastrophic flood risk and huge clean-up costs to their facilities on this site?
Further Reading
2025 Construction Management Plan (Cliveden Ave Rowing Shed Precinct) –
My submission and flyer to residents in response to the original 2010 Development Application