If I tried really hard, I could probably think of some bad things about working from home. But today, it was all good. By about 3pm, I’d edited around 18000 words of PhD thesis to my satisfaction, and was on top of teaching and book review editing tasks, so having noticed when I wandered down to the shops earlier for some lunch it was an incredibly beautiful Brisbane autumn day, I decided to go for a gratuitous walk to the city - along the Riverwalk - about 2.2k. With a bit of discussion around the traps about Brisbane transport lately, it’s worth mentioning that Riverwalk, a network of walking and cycling tracks along the river stretching for about 20km, is one of the most visionary projects undertaken in our fine town in recent decades. An initiative of the Jim Soorley Labor Council in the late 90s, it was initially opposed by riverside property owners and the Liberals. But aside from giving New Farm residents the chance to walk or cycle to work, the floating pontoon section which stretches from Merthyr Road along to the Story Bridge and then joins up with the city stretch is just such a wonderful contribution to the city’s amenity. It’s usually jam packed with office workers around 5pm, and a little later on with strollers, joggers and cyclists, but if you can get the chance to do the walk on a week day outside peak hour, you have it almost all to yourself. I seized the chance, really enjoyed the walk, and snapped some photos.
There are more than I’m posting here, and you can see them all at this link. If you want to see a bigger version of any of them, remember to click on the “full view” link once you’re inside the gallery. If you haven’t done the walk, you might be interested by some of the unusual views of the iconic Story Bridge.
Riverwalk XV by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk XIII by *phenomenologist on deviantART
On the way II by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk VI by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk VII by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk X by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk XII by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk XIV by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Riverwalk XVI by *phenomenologist on deviantART
I new to this neck of the woods. I had the kids all day Saturday (because Mum was working) so I drove up to Brisvegas for the day to check it out for the first time. The plan was for the kids to have a splash at Southbank then walk across the bridge and check out the city, but we didn’t get past Southbank and the riverside walk. Very nice.
Ok Southbank was a bit tacky in parts but nowhere near as tacky as I expected, and to be swimming in mid-May with temps in the high 20s was a new experience for this southerner.
I agree, Riverwalk is cool.
For that matter, pretty much everyhting about the river is groovy these days. It all post-dates my lving in Brisbane time, so I dont have an ever-familiar sense about about it (except the few cross-river ferries, which are great).
In fact, I had a great night on my last visit: pissup at Story Bridge, cross river ferry to meet a friend and have a few at Alchemy (which stands out from the lesser fare at Eagle Pier); then the citycat to the Powerhosue for dinner and moore booze (and hey - the citycat is like, regular now! excellent development); then on further to Bulimba for a couple more!
It was a hoot. Riveine Brisbane was for too long disconnected, I say!
i agree the riverwalk is visionary. being able to walk from new farm to the city, free from traffic fumes, is pretty spectacular. i’ve seen a dolphin in the brisbane river on one such stroll.
Agree it is spectacular, but I can’t help remembering the historic plaques that detailed the devastation of a couple of floods in the 1970’s on riverbank pier work. I hope there is never a repeat.
Soorely has a lot to be proud of. I must admit I wasn’t a fan, particularly when he narrowed the streets to allow for sidewalk cafes. I think he will be remembered in much the same vein as Clem Jones - somewhat of a visionary.
But a difficult man to deal with nevertheless.
i think the walks should be extended, by more pontoons if necessary. why doesn’t it go all the way around to new farm park? and at the other end, round to UQ.
“But a difficult man to deal with nevertheless”
I had a one on one meeting with him once, over a planning issue. He was unhinged!
I found myself using the same anger management techniques I had employed as mental health worker. Im not joking.
Lefty E May 20th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
He was like a ‘cut snake’; but perhaps, given his religious background, more like a ‘mad monk’.
And I was only trying to solve his problems on any number of occasions. And on mate’s rates as well.
Should have kept notes.
Yes, perhaps he had a spark of divine madness about him. The stories about his temper are legion. But he certainly does stand out in retrospect as one of our best mayors.
“But he certainly does stand out in retrospect as one of our best mayors.”
Absolutely.
BTW, those pictures are first class. As a child I lived along the river at Norman Park and those pictures bring back memories of taking the ferry to New Farm Park and then the tram to the ‘Valley’ for swimming training under Bill Flemming.
Just remembering.
Southbank’s grown on me - probably largely because people have really made it their own. It’s not so much for dumb “attractions” as it was when it started but for folks to do stuff they want to do. I’m not minding all the bars and restaurants along Grey St either. I’m still mourning the formal Japanese gardens that went in the late 90s remodelling though…
We did the walk into town from New Farm a month or so ago when staying in New Farm for the weekend. An excellent walk and very enjoyable way of getting into the city. My ex-Brisbane wife marvels at the changes to the city - Southbank, the walk and even some of the roads - since she left there 40 years ago. Pity the trams went though. They might have been a handy way of sorting out the congestion. (But then even a few cars is congestion for a bloke from the remote NT)
Mungoman, I was here at boarding school and university in the 1950s and early 60s and have now been here continuously from 1968 after four and a half years in Adelaide.
Most people say that the coming of age was Expo in 1988 also the year that the Myer Centre was opened and I think the Queen Street Mall was extended to the upper end as well. Certainly since then the city traffic has been stuffed.
But there has been significant change all along the way. In the 1950s-early 1960s the city hall tower stuck out like a great phallic symbol and could be seen from far and wide. The Torbrek set of units was built around then in Highgate Hill, another landmark. But city high rise followed thick and fast, the new King George Square and carpark was built by razing part of a city block, the riverside expressway was finished and the impressive Cultural Centre was built. Back in the 50s-60s there were two coffee shops in Brisbane (the Milano, plus one) and about three quality restaurants.
From the early 70s the city has been quite dynamic. Of Lord Mayors Clem Jones took the place from 10% sewered to virtually 100% and improved the roads. The Commonwealth Games in 1982 and Expo in 88 attracted attention, but ‘Salary-Ann’ Atkinson put us on the world map with a failed Olympics bid. But it was Soorley who was responsible for inner urban renewal and a range of initiatives to make Brisbane livable.
The trams had to go, because the lines prevented a decent road surface and the stops to let off passengers in the middle of the road were disruptive and dangerous.
It’s a fantastic city now which you can participate in and enjoy on all sorts of levels and in all sorts niches. One of it’s features is that I believe it has greater penetration of wild-life through the suburbs than any other capital, eg. scrub turkeys in Spring Hill.
Beautiful pics, Mark.
Being a Sydneysider born and bred, having lived for a while in Hobart (truly the jewel in Australia’s crown), and now inhabiting our nation’s fine capital, I also adore the Riverwalk. Every time I’m in Brisbane (generally staying either in the Valley or Kangaroo Point) I make sure I take it in the early morning, continuing on to West End for Brekkie. It’s a beautiful way to start the day!
PS One of my favourite memories was the “Great American Disaster” a cafe at ground level in the SGIO building decorated with American kitsch, including an undressed shop model (female, of course) embedded in the ceiling. I used to take the kids there in the 70s.
I remember the car that came out of the wall!
Jim was certainly a maddie. A good thing. Love the walk too (though I am usually on the bike in the morn), Mark. You managed to snap my abode too!
Brian @13:
“he Commonwealth Games in 1982 and Expo in 88 attracted attention, but ‘Salary-Ann’ Atkinson put us on the world map with a failed Olympics bid.”
Does anyone else recall that one of the promises that got her elected was that, unlike Labor mayors Roy Harvey and Frank Sleeman, she wouldn’t waste the ratepayers’ money on bidding for things like Olympic Games?
Gosh, where were we going to put the Olympic Games?
Kim, I don’t recall, but it was a dumb idea. They reckon you need a city of at least 3 million, otherwise your infrastructure comes up short.
At that stage we did have two inner city sites that could have been redeveloped. One was what is now the
Roma St gardens, which I think is 16 hectares. The other is the Brisbane Showgrounds, 22 hectares and still available, though there would have been resistance to that from our rural folk. Also I guess Southbank would have been available at that time, post Expo.
For the Commonwealth Games in 1982 special facilities were built at QE11 (athletics), Chandler (swimming) and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at Deagon, designed as a gymnastics facility. There would have been plenty other peripheral sites that could have been used, but transport and accommodation would have been beyond us, I think.