Adjacent to the much-loved and well-patronized New Farm Park, the Brisbane Powerhouse has always had a strong connection with the Brisbane River, both physically and historically.
That connection became even stronger thanks to the installation of one of the first River Hubs to be deployed by the Brisbane City Council.
Council is committed to improving access to the Brisbane River for residents and visitors.
They’re also interested in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
One of the ways they do that is by encouraging greater use of the city’s recreational facilities and enhancing the attraction offered by the Brisbane River as a recreational and tourist destination.
The New Farm Park River Hub is part of Council’s River Access Network.
The Network aims to encourage recreational and tourism activities on the river and to create new lifestyle and leisure opportunities.
The facility provides a way for tourists and residents to access New Farm Park, a popular recreational area, the Brisbane Powerhouse, and surrounding businesses.
The facility is able to accommodate a range of vessels and uses including:
- opportunities for tour boat operators to pick-up and drop-off passengers
- short-term use for recreational vessels
- short-term use for passive crafts such as kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards
- designated area for potential future water taxi pick-up and drop-off
The Brisbane Powerhouse sits on the Humbug Reach of the river.
But few people know the name.
Long before the Powerhouse was here this point on the river was significant to Indigenous people.
When the Powerhouse was built to power Brisbane’s then light rail system, the relationship to the river became critical because the coal to fuel the powerhouse was delivered on barges.
It’s designed to cope with flooding and all sorts of tidal events.
It withstood major floods in 1974 and 2011.
The River Hub, installed just in front of the Powerhouse, is one of the first River Hub pontoons on the waterfront.
It has three big piers.
One is for large tourism craft.
Visitors can board a boat from the Powerhouse and shoot out to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or the cruise ship terminal, or connect to island ferries too.
The second pier is for motorised private craft with the third pier for passive craft like canoes and kayaks.
Once more of these River Hubs are in place, as well as more private moorings, Brisbane will see river taxis or even river Uber help connect more people to the city, the river reaches, and further out to the bayside.
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