Tides of Brisbane Boat Tour

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Posted 2022-02-01 by May Cross ⇒ follow

Sun 03 Apr 2022 - Sun 10 Apr 2022

Ahoy me hearties!

The Museum of Brisbane has launched its new . This is the first-ever river tour for the Museum (MoB), following on from its many successful walking tour programmes. You are promised fun and fascinating facts about our Brisbane River's life!

History buffs and day-trippers can dip into the stories of Brisbane's past in this new historical tour, taking to the water for a feast of amazing facts, fantastic views and a pleasant pitstop ashore.

Did you know giant steamships were once deposited by floodwaters in the City Botanic Gardens? Or that the Brisbane River was the scene for a dramatic political incident that saw Parliament House almost in the line of fire for a cannonball? What better way to while away a summer day than hopping on board, catching some cooling river breezes and learning about the stories that have shaped our River City while cruising along it.

Starting from the lush oasis of City Botanic Gardens, the tour takes in the striking city skyline, meandering past convict-built structures, historic landmarks and incredible feats of engineering before landing at the beach (yes, the beach!) in the shadow of the Story Bridge (where you can have a cheese board at one of Brisbane's breweries). The Story Bridge was designed by John Bradfield who also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The building was a dangerous process that took five years to build, during which five lives were lost.

MoB Director and CEO, Renai Grace, said the tour was another way that The Museum of Brisbane was looking to push beyond the walls of City Hall and present Brisbane's rich history through a new lens. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase the stories of our city from one of its most iconic features, the river," Renai said.

I was fortunate to travel on "Leatherback" which is a sleek 38-seater boat and the fastest on the Bay according to the Skipper Andrew, but the capacity for these tours is capped at 20 passengers for comfort. I was assured by Robert Friedler, General Manager of River to Bay, that safety on the water is their prime consideration.

The tour guide is Brian Ogden from MoB who is a knowledgeable and entertaining historian. I actually thought I knew quite a bit about our beautiful river but I learnt lots of interesting facts and anecdotes, so I hope you do too. The river is all about connections and crossings. Our First Nations peoples lived and worked on the river and used it as a travel corridor and an important food source, especially fish. They also enjoyed swimming.

In 1864, the first Jacaranda tree (a native of Argentina) in Australia was planted in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, we were told as we sailed past. Who Knew where these ubiquitous trees came from? Also introduced to Brisbane in the 19th Century were the custard apple, pineapple and mango. If you want to read more about The Amazing Case of Dr Ward, who introduced many species to Australia, check out this delightful picture book.

Pass the Kangaroo Point cliffs, the dry dock of the Maritime Museum, and Southbank and be led through the centuries. Learn about Expo 1988 which had 8,000,000 visitors in six months. (Yes, 8 million, which was half the population of Australia at the time!)

The bridges of the Brisbane River obviously get lots of attention: such as the Story Bridge, the (new) Victoria Bridge, the Merivale Rail Bridge, and the wonderfully named Go Between Bridge to name a few. (Brisbane has Rode Road so why don't we have Bridgey Bridge?) My favourite span is the William Jolly Bridge which you have probably driven over, but have you ever sailed under it? You'll hear the history, see the incredible architecture and take some great photos of these iconic bridges.

So all-aboard Brisbane for a three-hour tour that is as entertaining as is it educational. Bookings are essential. Tickets are $120 per person for adults and $115 per person for concession holders. The tour runs on Wednesdays from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm and Sundays from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm from November 2021. The location for boarding is at the River Hub at City Botanic Gardens. This tour is suitable for most fitness levels but is not accessible for wheelchairs.