Other Networks : Intro

 Brisbane Is Big ...

... and has its very own Gold Coast.

The population of the city us approx 1.6 million with the greater urban area taking the total up to 2.4 million.

It's origins are, as is so often in Australia, in a convict colony at Moreton Bay.

Convicts' work was demeaning and cruel ...

... whilst discipline was vicious and unrelenting.

It is not surprising that colonial Britain has left a nasty taste in the mouths of indigenous Australians and the descendants of the very unwilling immigrants.

The colony was later named after the River Brisbane which, in turn, was given the name of an earlier Governor of New South Wales ...

... scotsman Sir Thomas Brisbane.

Queensland was, inevitably, named after the second longest reigning monarch of GB. She also lent her name to a main river crossing in central Brisbane.

The Foundation Stone was laid with much ceremony in 1824.

A temporary toll bridge for pedestrians was laid on the scaffolding for the main build. Sadly, the whole bridge project collapsed, as, inevitably, did the temporary structure. Ferries continued to provide the link.

A more successful crossing opened in 1874 ...

... seen above with horse tram.

This was replaced in 1897 with a much bigger structure offering better clearance for river traffic.

Note the two porticos emphasising the quality and strength of the new bridge. Here it is busy with traffic in the 1960s.

Then, even this splendid structure was replaced (and subsequently demolished) with the opening of a brand new Victoria bridge in 1969.

The most recent change came in 2021 when, amazingly, the bridge was closed to all motor traffic except buses. With buses only on the main carriage ways, there is a cycle way in one flank ...

... and foot way on the other.

The bridge is now part of one of Brisbane's network of dedicated busways with enhanced facilities at most stops.

One delight is that one of those porticos has been retained and a reminder of the previous bridge.

It make a fitting memorial to a great thoroughfare.

In case you are worried about driving your car across the river, Note there are other bridges including a shiny new one not far away.

Brisbane began, as we saw above, with horse trams which begat the usual electric, but spindly four wheelers.

Trams came to an end in the late sixties.

Some, much to the horror of todays Health and Safety fanatics, had open sides with enhanced opportunities to hop off, hop on, or even fall off!

In case you wondered, they really were open!

Tram stops were equally basic ...

... with hopelessly inadequate protection from errant traffic and extremes of weather. Folk must have been tougher and braver back then.

But the tram network was large ...

... with Roma Street station and ...

... Victoria Bridge being notable city centre landmarks.

Brisbane had trolleybuses ...

... which arrived in 1951 ...

... and only lasted until 1969.

There were buses as well ...

... which looked like this as the trams disappeared.

Leyland nationals from the UK ....

... some with route branding ...

... gave way to something less "colonial".

Trams and buses were run by the City authorities ...

... and they still are, but nowadays under the umbrella of Translink.

More to follow in due course.

  Next Variety blog : Saturday 7th March