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 

A Tale Of Two Networks (4)

 Kuranda Kaleidoscope

The Skyrail (with not a sliver of a rail anywhere in sight) is a cable car (Skycable???) that starts from Kuranda. To find it is very easy. You leave the station using the steps and footway ...

... walk up a short slope opposite that sign ...

... and there is the terminal ...

... such are the joys of integrated tourist transport.

The cable cars are small by Switzerland's standards ...

... seating just six persons. The ride is a little over 5 miles in length with a terminus at Smithfield, a location we met top left on the Cairns road map.

Here we see a car ascending from Smithfield ...

.. and crossing the River Burrow at Kuranda.

Spot the Kuranda terminal at the far end of the grassy avenue in the trees on the left.

Between the two s rail forest all the way.

You see the falls

... and, simply, enjoy the ride.

Many visitors travel one way by train and back to the start by Skyrail.

The above package also includes a tour by an army duck.

Duck??

Actually an ex US army DUKW! The letters are translated as follows.

D - built in 1946

U - Utility

K - all wheels driven

W - double rear axle

Because the acronym was unpronounceable (Duck-wuh?), it was shortened to 'Duck'.

The rain forest experience is well created ...

The duck's amphibiosity is also demonstrated.

Train, cableway and duck; such are the joys of fully integrated tourist transport.

Although not part of the particular package as above, another transport mode available at Kuranda.

A river trip.

All Expensive but All Exciting, All Exhilarating!

A Tough Travel Trudge!

Queensland Rail has another "heritage" railway ...

... but it is disconnected from any other railway with only a three-days-a-week bus link from Cairns.

Because it doesn't quite reach the sea at Normanton ...

... the train is called the ...

Gulflander runs across low lying land between Croydon and ...

... Normanton, neither if which locations have any obvious link with their UK namesakes.

The country is beautiful, brown and flat.

The ride s long at XXX miles and there us no day return option.

You start at Normanton at 0830 on Wednesdays arriving Croydon at 1330.

The return train leaves Crotdon at 0830 on Thursdays!

Not surprisingly the only realistic way to access this line is by car

Croydon us 350 miles by car from Cairns

The powered railcar ...

... hauls two coaches, not too much of a challenge as the route us flat.

fbb will aim to look more closely at this intriguing railway in a future blog.

For Bus Spotters!

Skyrail branded vehicles used for transfers to and from Cairns, for example, are seen at the Smithfield terminal.

I'llBut a hearty Ozzy boo to Skyrail for obscuring the windows on this vehicle. Tourists do not need contravision dots before the eyes; the cableway is scary enough!

Tomorrow, we explore Queensland's real networks, used by locals to get to places where they need to go.

  Next "Other Networks" blog : Friday 6th Mar