During its 45 years the Brisbane Festival Hall played host to everyone from the Beatles and The Who to Radiohead and Nirvana.

When it was demolished in 2003 it left a huge hole in the city’s music scene, a hole that is about to be filled.

Tonight the The Fortitude Music Hall will open in The Valley, the brainchild of former Powderfinger bass player John “JC” Collins, former Powderfinger manager Paul Piticco and building industry heavyweight Scott Hutchinson.

The Fortitude’s manager Brett Gibson tells Mark it finally gives the city the mid sized venue it has been crying out for.

When a Hervey Bay ambulance driver delivering a terminally ill patient home stopped mid-journey to allow her to look upon Fraser Island and breath in the salt air for the last time the photo went viral.

It’s inspired the Queensland Ambulance Service and Palliative Care Queensland to join forces to launch Ambulance Wish Qld.

Shyla Mills from Palliative Care Queensland tells Mark the program began in the Netherlands and it is the first time it will be available in Australia.

https://ambulancewishqld.org.au/

Mention Colombia to most people and the first thing they probably think of is Pablo Escobar, cocaine cartels and communist rebels, but the country is a very different place today.

In fact, it is fast becoming a tourist mecca boasting spectacular mountains, rainforests, beaches and a vibrant and authentic Latin American culture.

No-one is more surprised than Mark and Clifton Sylk from Journeys Worldwide says the turn around has been as quick as it has been remarkable.

www.journeysworldwide.com.au

Organisers of next January’s Brisbane International are over the moon following confirmation that women’s world number one Ash Barty will play.

Barty is enjoying some welcome time at home before she heads to Canada next week to play in the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

Tennis Queensland CEO and tournament director Mark Handley tells Mark he couldn’t be more thrilled to have the French Open champion.

QPAC will play host next month to a marriage between musical theatre and grand opera when From Broadway to La Scala hits the concert stage.

Six of Australia’s finest voices will perform 34 songs, everything from Puccini to Rodgers and Hammerstein and Bizet to Gershwin.

Tenor David Hobson tells Mark it’s challenging for performers and hopefully exciting for audiences.

New research published in the Medical Journal of Australia has found that many young children are spending too much time in front of screens.

The study done by the University Of Queensland found children under two are spending an average of about 50 minutes a day parked in front of screens.

Federal Government and World Health Organisation guidelines call for zero screen time for under 2s and report lead author Associate Professor Leigh Tooth tells Mark the potential negatives far outweigh any perceived benefits.

The Palaszczuk Government is under pressure like never before during its four and a half years in power in Queensland.

It’s under assault on several fronts with questions over a property purchase by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and a business development grant paid to a company co-owned by the Premier’s chief of staff.

Political scientist Dr Paul Williams tells Mark that even if there’s nothing wrong it’s not a good look and it’s the last thing the government needs after its Adani backflip.

It’s estimated that five per cent of elderly people are victims of financial abuse perpetrated by family, friends or carers.

There are continuing calls to standardise Powers Of Attorney rules across the country and for the introduction of a national POA register.

National Seniors today released its Senior Surfers report at the National Elder Abuse Conference in Brisbane which deals with the digital literacy of older Australians.

Chief executive Professor John McCallum tells Mark that if older people become more comfortable using digital technology the less likely they are to fall victim to financial abuse.

Having won the inaugural Wimbledon wheelchair singles title Dylan Alcott now has his sights fixed on the upcoming US Open and a possible Grand Slam.

Even so, he’s found time to launch a new campaign aimed at convincing more employers that hiring disabled workers is good for business and the bottom line.

It’s called Remove The Barrier and Dylan tells Mark that 54 per cent of disabled people who want jobs can’t get work.

Surgeons at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital have been trialing the use of Deep Brain Stimulation to treat Parkinson’s patients with some encouraging success.

The technique involves placing fine metal wires in a patient’s brain which send out electrical pulses that help control trembling and shaking.

Since October, five patients have had the procedure and the hospital has been given the go ahead to treat 10 more.

Neurologist Dr Robert Adam tells Mark the hope is that if it continues to show good results it will permanently offered at the hospital.