Neville Bonner Pedestrian Bridge from South Bank to Star Casino

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The new Neville Bonner walking bridge that goes from South Bank from the Wheel of Brisbane across the Brisbane River to the Star Casino is the latest and, for many, the most convenient way now to walk across from the City Centre to South Bank. Yes, on the city side, it ends at the casino, but ends at the walkway outside of the casino.



About Neville Bonner

As the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to the Australian Parliament, an activist for Indigenous rights, and of the Ugarapul people of the Logan and Albert Rivers area and the Yaggera people who inhabited a region stretching from Moreton Bay out to the foothills of Toowoomba, and of course Brisbane in between, it is fitting that he is being honoured. Also, the fact that they demolished the Neville Bonner Building for the Queen's Wharf and casino development meant that they needed to new location to honour him.



About the Bridge

The simple and elegant design of the cable stay bridge features a suspended 320-metre walkway. To me it feels like a compromise between the arch design of the Goodwill Bridge and the multiple-mast, cable-stay tensegrity design of the Kurilpa Bridge, creating a sense of continuity across the 3 green bridges of the area.



It is expected that 10,000 people will cross this bridge daily. It should prove popular as it goes to the centre of South Bank and is close to the heart of the city. Plus, unlike Victoria Bridge, it has some shade. The other 2 pedestrian bridges are a bit out of the way for most people's needs.



You can't cycle or ride scooters across the bridge, but you can of course walk them across. Mobility devices, such as motorised wheelchairs are well accommodated, with a gentle ramp option at South Bank, plus elevators at the Star Casino.



In the middle of the bridge are 2 viewing platforms. They are not covered, but have seating and give a vantage point for views up and down the river.



The bridge ends at the Star Casino. It doesn't go into the casino but ends at a walkway around the outside, and you exit via the escalators or walk through the casino, past shops and restaurants and exit via the main entrance.



How the Bridge will benefit locals & Visitors

Other than being a more convenient way to go from the city to South Bank, it should increase traffic between these 2 areas. Yes, it is designed to bring tourist foot traffic from South Bank into the Casino, which could have a negative impact on the number of people visiting restaurants in South Bank, but it could have the opposite effect, with people going to the casino and then cross the river to find places to eat or relax.



The bridge creates a more integrated environment. You can find parking in South Bank and walk into the city during the week and on weekends you can park cheaply in the city and go to events in South Bank far more easily. Plus the bridge ends in Queen's Wharf, which is a historical location that few people visit. As you cross the bridge you are looking down on the historical buildings of this area. So in theory, it should increase visitors both in the city and South Bank, but we will have to see what happens.



Yes, the new casino is likely to become a focus of the city centre. Gambling will only be a small part of the space, which will include a hotel, restaurants, shops and bars, though gambling would be a major source of revenue. But it might bring new life to the city and South Bank.



Overall

The Neville Bonner Bridge is a good addition to the area and finally integrates the city centre and South Bank more effectively. There isn't really any great reason to just walk the bridge for the fun of it, but it is a nice way to walk around both South Bank and the city for both tourists and locals.

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