Long before Brisbane existed, the river did. The Turrbal and Jagera peoples called it Maiwar — and for at least 20,000 years they lived along its banks, fishing its waters, navigating its bends by bark canoe, and conducting ceremony at sites that remain sacred today.
Colonial Brisbane
In 1823, explorer John Oxley navigated upstream and recommended the site for a new penal settlement. The river became the gateway to the fledgling colony — its wharf at the foot of Queen Street the first point of arrival for supplies, settlers, and eventually free immigrants. By the gold rush era, the Brisbane River was Queensland's commercial highway, lined with wool stores and bond warehouses.
Story Bridge & The Modern River
The completion of Story Bridge in 1940 — the longest cantilever bridge in Australia — connected the city's north and south for the first time by road. The river has since witnessed devastating floods in 1893, 1974, and 2011, each reshaping Brisbane's relationship with the water. Today, 15 kilometres of the river wind through the CBD, lined with cultural precincts, ferry terminals, and the glittering venues of a confident modern city.
