Brisbane, from the river
You don’t expect to find a dense rainforest with towering trees forming a canopy, a stream and a boardwalk, in the middle of a busy city, but then Brisbane, called Brissie by the locals, is not just another city. The Rainforest boardwalk is located on the South Bank, in the heart of a parkland, and has lush local trees, lizards and birds, with many office goers having their lunch on its benches.
Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia called the River City, which was for long overshadowed by Sydney and Melbourne, is now coming into the limelight, with the 2032 Olympics on the horizon. One of the first things that I notice about the city, is its vibrant riverside, and how it’s used for everything from exercise and cycling, to housing world class museums and restaurants with views.
The serpentine river called the ‘Brown Snake’ by the locals thanks to its dark colour with mud and silt, has been an important artery since the times of convict settlement, breaking up the city into many neighbourhoods, each with its own distinctive character and personality.
John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane. Today, the river even has a festival to celebrate it called Riverfire, which began in 1998, and is held in September each year at South Bank Parklands and surrounding areas (including the Victoria Bridge).
Early settlers admired the beauty of the river that had abundant fish and rich vegetation along the banks. Multiple floods occurred since the 1800s, the most damaging one in 1974, causing a 66,000 tonne vessel to break free. Long ago, the river was bustling with steam ships and sailing vessels moving goods, and barges unloaded coal to power stations. Docks lined the riverside and a Customs house was built to oversee paying duties.
Today, you can explore the river that is spanned by as many as 17 bridges ranging from heritage listed to contemporary, in many fun ways, from kayaking on it looking up at towering skyscrapers and mansions, or taking a jet ski ride out to the bay where loggerhead turtles and bottlenose dolphins can be spotted. Many rivers and board walk also allow you to explore the city’s different neighbourhoods.
I love the Neville Bonner Bridge near our hotel, The Star Brisbane, which is just for pedestrians and takes you across to South Bank. The Kurilpa Bridge (originally known as the Tank Street Bridge) is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge which is perhaps best known for its spectacular LED light displays.
The Brisbane River walk, runs along the river's meandering path from New Farm through the CBD and across to South Bank, with multiple bridge crossings providing circular routes of various lengths. One of the easiest ways to criss-cross the river is to take a local Cat Ferry that’s the cheapest public transport accessible to all.
I cruise down the river in a private yacht, to check out the wealth of stately buildings on its banks. We pass the City Botanic Gardens with bamboo gardens, weeping figs and ponds, with tall palm trees surrounded by skyscrapers. The captain explains that the Brisbane river has its own code of conduct and speed limit. We pass the glitzy skyscrapers of the Central Business district. The spanking new Howard Smith Wharves set under the Story Bridge have undergone a multi-million dollar re-energisation, with old warehouses turned into a dining and bar precinct, with alfresco dining overlooking the river. You can taste beers at the Felons Brewing company, a dog-friendly micro-brewery or have Italian food at Ciao Papi with tables overlooking the river.
If are feeling adventurous, sign up to climb the cantilevered Story bridge, for breathtaking views of the city. The climb that takes you up as high as 80 metres above the river is suitable for most fitness levels, with experienced guides sharing information about Brisbane's history and landmarks. Near the Riverside ferry terminal, I see the copper dome of the Customs House, a classical building from the 1800s with gables, pediments and colonnades. We pass the iconic Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Convicts quarrying stone out of the volcanic rhyolite rock to provide building material, as part of their hard labour made these cliffs, and today they are abseiling sites! Many of the early buildings in the city, like the Commissariat Store were made out of this stone.
Much of Brisbane’s art and culture scene lies on the south bank of the river- we visit the QAGOMA the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern art, surrounded by manicured lawns, with a great collection of indigenous, Australian, Asian and international art as well as a well curated gift shop and café, and the Queensland Performing Arts centre close by.
South Bank, as the name suggests is located on the South Bank of the river, and covers across 42 acres of lush parklands, restaurants, cafes, boardwalks and promenades and is a favourite with joggers and cyclists. I walk through the rainforest board walk, and then come across Streets Beach, a man-made inner city swimming beach with crystal clear lagoons and lifeguards that was built bang in the middle of the Parklands. I see locals spread out picnic blankets and enjoy time with their families. Another tranquil spot is the kilometre long walkway with an awning and curling, galvanised steel posts with vibrant magenta bougainvillea, called the Arbour.
Along the river, are also some of Brisbane’s finest heritage homes with cooling breezes and sweeping views in a variety of architectural styles, including the oldest surviving Georgian home from 1846 called Newstead house, made of brick, stone and timber up on a small hill, originally built for a grazier and explorer. It is today a museum, furnished and decorated in the Victorian period, and open for weddings and events.
Many of these houses were built by wealthy ship captains and early settlers, with sash windows, grand staircases, decorative cornices, pressed metal ceilings, archways and grilled balconies. Wool export was a huge industry in the early 20th century. We pass the neighbourhood of Tenerife, known in the past for its wool stores and warehouses, when wharves and railway sidings were used for efficient transporting of goods by the river and today has been transformed into a hip neighbourhood worth restaurants, bars and cafes as well as residential apartment complexes. Another repurposed building is the red-bricked Brisbane Powerhouse, which once powered the city’s trams and has been transformed into an art and festival centre with markets, restaurants and festivals.
Come night, the skyscrapers, iconic landmarks and bridges are lit up and the reflections on the water make the city skyline look magical. The Big Ferris Wheel on the South Bank is all lit up and silhouetted against the dark skies. I muse on how much the river has witnessed down the ages and still remains the centrepiece of the city’s laid-back lifestyle.
Tourism