Story Bridge, Brisbane

As Brisbane grew and continued to flourish in the early 20th century, it became apparent that there was a need for a bridge crossing the Brisbane River downstream of the CBD. Roger Hawken of the University of Queensland devised a plan for a series of bridges to relieve traffic congestion. In 1926 the site at Kangaroo Point was selected to connect with Fortitude Valley and it was fast tracked as an important public work in order to provide much needed employment during the Great Depression. Construction began in 1935 on the cantilever design and the bridge was officially opened in 1940. During construction it was known as the Jubilee Bridge in honor of King George V, however by 1940 it was decided that it should be named after John Douglas Story who had been a high level public servant that had campaigned strongly for the bridge’s construction.

To this day the Story Bridge remains the largest steel bridge to be designed and built in Australia, by Australians. Today, the Story Bridge is very much a landmark of Brisbane and provides beautiful views of the city’s CBD as you cross. These days in addition to hosting crossing traffic, it offers a bridge climb that is one of only three of its kind in the world. Views from the top of the bridge look out over the city and out towards Moreton Bay. You can also do an abseil climb down one of the pylons to Captain Burke Park on the Kangaroo Point side of the bridge – this is the only abseil climb of its kind in the world.