Waging war on graffiti at Kippa-Ring

Dozens of volunteers have helped federal Petrie MP Luke Howarth transform the graffiti-ridden former Red Rooster building at Kippa-Ring.

The Elizabeth Ave outlet closed in September 2014 and in the years since has been daubed with tags and other graffiti.

Mr Howarth, who lives at Clontarf, says he’s been driving past the empty building for years and was sick of looking at an eyesore.

“It just looked terrible,” he says.

He sought help from Moreton Bay Regional Council and the State Government, but says they were powerless to force the owner to paint over the slogans.

Instead, he turned to the real estate agent tasked with selling the site and found the owner had painted the building previously, but vandals had returned.

“The reality is that building is on the main thoroughfare in and out of Redcliffe,” Mr Howarth says.

“People come through that area on their way to the Sunshine Coast, and it’s just a bad look.”

Permission to paint

Mr Howarth contacted the owner seeking permission to paint the building black before posting about his mission social media.

His video of the site attracted the attention of Clontarf painters Allscale Brushworx who offered to donate their time and expertise, Bunnings at Rothwell and Inspirations Paint at Kippa-Ring - and a small army of volunteers keen to make the graffiti disappear.

“We had about 20 volunteers, including a family of five with a guy whose birthday it was, and a lady who drove over from Bald Hills,” Mr Howarth says.

“We knocked it over in about two-and-a-half hours and it cost $600 in paint.”

Mr Howarth says the support of volunteers shows people are sick of seeing graffiti spoiling the landscape.

“If the community looks untidy, I think it can escalate from there.

“I am calling on everyone to keep the place beautiful and show a bit of pride.”

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