On any glorious sunny day, Brisbane basks in its title of “River City”.
Hundreds of residents and visitors alike head out on the water in vessels from the smallest kayak and chartered dinghy to a plethora of private cruising yachts, the Brisbane City Council’s network of CityCat ferries and even a Kookaburra Queen paddlesteamer.
They long to feel the breeze in their hair and enjoy the subtropical splendour to its fullest.
From the floor-to-ceiling glass of our 8th floor River City King Suite at The Emporium Hotel South Bank, I can watch river life pass by and marvel at the city skyline with my head still firmly placed on my pillow.
But that’s not quite enough.
Today, I want to experience a new “awakening” of the hometown where I spent the first 20 years of my life.
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As a girl growing up on the northside in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the only time my family took any notice of the 344km “brown snake” was to cross the Story Bridge on our way to the Gold Coast, and for the Thursday night greyhound racing or Sunday QAFL Aussie Rules match of the day at the ’Gabba.
Much later, I caught ferries from St Lucia to Hamilton, drove the riverside tangle of freeways and tunnels, strolled the 17ha South Bank Parklands’ cultural and entertainment precinct, and traversed the Victoria and Goodwill bridges on foot to and from the CBD and Botanic Gardens.
But there’s so much more “grassroots Brisbane” to see down by the river.
So, I’ve been wanting to “do” the Brisbane Riverwalk for a while and today’s the day.
Five minutes’ walk from our Grey Street hotel foyer takes hubbie and I through South Bank to the ferry stop for the free CityHopper.
Brisbane City Council’s CityHopper conveniently takes residents and visitors the six stops between North Quay and Sydney Street, New Farm.
The service generally runs every half-hour between 5.30am and midnight, seven days a week, and has to be the most practical way to soak up the scenery, with new perspectives on the Queensland capital around every bend.
We cruise past the Queensland Maritime Museum, under the pedestrian-only Goodwill Bridge and busy Captain Cook Bridge, past the City Botanic Gardens on our left, down to bustling Eagle Street Pier bars and restaurants, where just as many passengers get off as on.
We strain our necks for a better look as we pass under the massive Heritage-Listed steel cantilever Story Bridge connecting the northern and southern suburbs.
Then it’s time to disembark at the end of the line at Sydney Street and take our first steps towards Riverview Court and the start of the New Farm Riverwalk.
Right from the get-go, when the original floating pathway was built in 2003, the Brisbane Riverwalk was a well-used route that truly made people feel like they were “walking on water”.
That Riverwalk washed away when major flooding struck Brisbane in 2011 but the new design, which opened in 2014, has been built to withstand a one-in-2000-year flood.
We snap photos (making sure to avoid a continual stream of cyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers, dog-walkers and pram-pushers) as we wander past old architectural wonders such as the 1928 “Lealholme” – the former Gregory Terrace rowing shed converted to an outstanding modern Queenslander home in 2004 – as well as new builds sprouting like strong young seedlings from the riverbanks.
We stop for selfies as the “Strawberry Bridge” (as my husband knew it as a boy) looms once again in the background.
The Howard Smith Wharves is our first welcome pitstop.
One of the newest arrivals on Brisbane’s cultural and entertainment scene, the Heritage-Listed wharves have undergone a $110million transformation that has seen them become a magnet for daily visitors to its bevy of restaurants, cafes, bars and chill-out zones.
Construction of the wharves began in the 1930s in conjunction with the Story Bridge: a State Government project to provide local residents with relief work during the Great Depression.
The site was originally built as the Brisbane Central Wharves and leased by shipping company Howard Smith Co Ltd, but had been largely abandoned and derelict since the 1960s when the port moved downstream.
But more than 80% of the 3.4ha site is now public space and Brisbane’s “new playground”, making the most of the location at the bend of the Brisbane River, beneath the massive grey steel “gentle giant” and riverside cliffs.
And there’s nothing better than sitting in the sunshine, toasting the surreal view of the bridge from a spot at the “dry bar” along the length of the veranda at Felons Brewing Co.
The Howard Smith Wharves connect to the City Reach boardwalk via Boundary Street, creating an uninterrupted riverside route stretching right up to the City Botanic Gardens.
Nearby Eagle Street Pier is another happening place morning, noon and night, with award-winning restaurants, popular bars and priceless views.
But today, I want to tick off another first: crossing the Story Bridge by foot.
The 777m long grey mammoth is an engineering feat to behold and one many Brisbaneites take for granted.
It took five years to build in the middle of a steel shortage period after 1935 and opened to traffic on July 6, 1940.
It’s repainted every seven years using 17500 litres of paint and is one of only three bridge climbs in the world (the others are Sydney Harbour and Auckland Harbour bridges).
We feel the rush of wind as the traffic whizzes past us and marvel at the architecturally diverse residential and office skyscrapers framed in the triangular spaces of the steel pylons and support structures.
After taking the stairs at the southern approach to the bridge walkway, we head past local favourite the Story Bridge Hotel, and back down to the river for the return journey.
I lose count of the weddings, bridal showers, birthday parties, picnics and sunset celebrations (even a psychic reader) we pass over the next hour on the riverbanks along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park and The Cliffs Boardwalk.
As well as abseilers and cliff climbers, there’s plenty of opportunity to capture the Captain Cook and Goodwill bridges from below, and parts of the sprawling CBD from fresh angles.
After embracing the river for three hours, we return to The Emporium, keen to devour more of “the good life”.
The Terrace rooftop bar, complete with retractable roof, and pool area at The Emporium (www.emporiumhotels.com.au) take us to new heights in decadent style as they make the most of those river and city skyline vistas.
But to truly get a handle on Brisbane’s place in the culinary world, Signature Restaurant’s Signature Experience with the wine pairing option for each course is quite another “awakening”.
The five courses champion the best of fresh, Southern Queensland seasonal produce within its innovative menu that surprises and delights the tastebuds – from the foam of the Amuse Bouche “soup shot” through the choc-rosemary garnish of the palate cleanser to the delicate passionfruit flavour of my favourite petit fours and everything in between.
Entrees include exquisitely plump Hervey Bay scallops (confit Borrowdale pork belly, celeriac puree, apple, nasturtium ) and long slithers of Ora King Salmon (Moreton Bay bug tortellini, purple broccolini, globe artichoke, shellfish foam).
A generous serving of Murray Cod (Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, radicchio, red wine fish jus) and tender White Pyrenees Lamb 3 Ways (pumpkin fondant, rosemary foam, chestnut puree, salsa verde) are among the highlights of the main courses.
The great attention to detail and bold flavour combinations are evident in desserts such as Hazelnut Praline and (Mapleton) Falls Farm Citrus (yuzu parfait, hazelnut and tonka dacquoise, milk chocolate mousse, praline fior di latte), Wattleseed Caramel and Parsnip (wattleseed and molasses sponge, caramel, whipped Orelys, parsnip ice cream) and Saffron and Ginger Rice Brulee (ginger tea sorbet, candied puffed wild rice, pickled pear).
Even the cheese selection is a triumph, with Charleston Jersey Brie (South Australia: whipped brie, caramel apple, verjus and hazelnut streusel) and Bay of Fires clothbound cheddar (Tasmania: spiced pumpkin, candied pepita, pecan crispbread) our satisfying selections.
“The Library” dining room’s extensive wine collection caters to every palette and budget of local and international producers – from the modest and accessible to the extremely rare – making up a 6000-strong curated collection of bottles from more than 400 villages and wine producers. Owner Anthony John has created the collection, including the revered 2005 Henschke Hill of Grace and Penfold Grange vintages, over more than two decades.
When we finally bid farewell to the River City, we realise our weekend away has taught us two things.
The first is that “little old Brisbane” is no more.
We think back to when that process probably began: when Brisbane won the right to host World Expo ’88 – the six-month long milestone event that helped the Queensland capital shake off its shackles as a “big country town”.
That helped its then 1.32million residents appreciate what the river could truly offer in lifestyle opportunities.
The second is what followed – something akin to the Field of Dreams movie: “If you build it, they will come”. And they did.
Brisbane hasn’t really “come of age” as much as been “reborn” as a renaissance city of 2.4million people with an enviable lifestyle and the river at its heart.
A hometown to be proud of.
BRISBANE IN A NEW LIGHT
Among its river-centric attractions and springtime events are:
- The much-loved cultural and entertainment precinct that is South Bank Parklands is always surprising with its colour, vibrancy and ever-changing shows and programs, restaurant menus and festivals (Brisbane Festival continues to September 25) taking place on its inner-city streets, and in major cultural treasures: Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and Queensland Museum.
- SunSuper Riverfire on September 25 attracts 500,000 people riverside and other vantage points as multiple bridges, barges and city rooftops electrify the night sky as the explosive Brisbane Festival finale. Ahead of the pyrotechnics, the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force showcase their flying prowess, with Army helicopter displays and the aerobatics of the Roulettes in the late afternoon and evening. The best vantage points include: Kangaroo Point cliffs; River Terrace at Kangaroo Point; South Bank; Captain Burke Park at Kangaroo Point; Wilson’s Lookout (Bowen Terrace (near the corner of Bowen Street, New Farm); Eagle Street Pier; Riverside Centre; City Botanic Gardens; and River Quay.
- Brisbane’s acclaimed Gallery of Modern Art is hosting the European Masters from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, until October 17 in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see works by painters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Turner, Degar, Renoir, Cézanne, and Monet in one place.
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- Queensland’s oldest-standing theatre is Brisbane’s latest arts, live music and entertainment venue. The Princess Theatre boasts 133 years of history at Woollongabba and has undergone a refurbishment renaissance, courtesy of the people behind The Tivoli Theatre, hosting an array of live bands and music artists.
- If you’re a history buff, head to The John Oxley Library – part of the State Library – to delve further into Queensland’s history since becoming a state on January 1, 1901.
- Many historic landmarks have been re-imagined and re-purposed to reflect a growing appetite for culture, entertainment and lifestyle choices. The Brisbane Powerhouse – a pre-war industrial building near the New Farm Park precinct – is an example: home to theatre, comedy and music performances, visual arts exhibitions, and riverside bars and restaurants.
- If you can’t get enough of the view from the walkway, why not try the Story Bridge Adventure Climb to see Brisbane how the birds see it.
- Riverlife at Kangaroo Point taps into your adventurous side – from rock climbing the cliffs to kayaking the river and rollerblading through South Bank.
