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A key section of Brisbane’s Riverwalk has reopened, marking a milestone for the city and the revitalisation of the flood-prone CBD stretch.
With the backdrop of the Story Bridge, the ribbon was cut on Tuesday by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and representatives of Dexus to officially open the Riverwalk following a three-year, $42 million transformation.
The 256-metre stretch from Charlotte Street to Alice Street creates a continuous walking and cycling route from the Story Bridge at Howard Smith Wharves to the Botanic Gardens.
“You couldn’t imagine Brisbane without the Riverwalk, just like you couldn’t imagine Brisbane without the CityCats and the Story Bridge,” Schrinner said.
He said the council contributed $22 million to the project to upgrade it from a narrow section of path to the wide, flood-resilient promenade, but the “lion’s share” came from Dexus.
“This is the section that I have no doubt tourists in 2032 will be flocking to as this whole precinct is activated. This is about making sure that Brisbane embraces its river,” Schrinner said.
He said ratepayers were getting “bang for their buck” through the funding partnership with Dexus, and that paying for the project in full would have cost the council tens of millions of dollars.
The section has been fenced off since 2023, while work was done at the multibillion-dollar Waterfront Brisbane site, which will boast retail tenancies.
The entire project was scheduled to open in 2027, but was delayed last year owing to construction complexities and bad weather.
“For [Dexus] to keep ploughing ahead and delivering this great outcome against the odds is a fantastic outcome,” Schrinner said.
“I’m more interested in what it does for the community rather than whether there [were] a few delays suffered.
“For generations to come, people will forget about the extra few months it took, and they’ll remember the great outcome that’s been delivered.”
Locals Wayne and Cathy Jeffries were among the first pedestrians to walk along the new path.
“I think after the floods they had to do something to bring it back, and looking forward, we’ve got the Olympic Games coming up, so you’ve got to make it look impressive for all the overseas guests,” Wayne said.
“It’s great to see Brisbane progress and the new Kangaroo Point Bridge as well, and lovely new restaurants around the city, Queen’s Wharf … it is the place to be,” Cathy added.
The passage has been rebuilt with new paths and banisters, and three local street artists painted a Brisbane-themed mural at the start of the walkway in three days.
“It’s a great aquatic theme, which is appropriate for a river city and a city based on Moreton Bay,” Schrinner said.
Waterfront Brisbane will eventually comprise two new office towers, shops, restaurants and public space.
It is expected to be ready in late 2028, with construction costs totalling an estimated $2.5 billion.
With William Davis
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