Brisbane River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brisbane River |
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Brisbane River from Kangaroo Point
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 Location of river mouth in Queensland
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| Native name | Maiwar |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | South-East Queensland |
| City | Brisbane |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Mount Stanley east of Nanango 213 m (699 ft) 26°39′S 152°22′E / 26.650°S 152.367°E |
| River mouth | Moreton Bay east of Brisbane 0 m (0 ft) 27°24′S 153°9′E / 27.400°S 153.150°E |
| Length | 344 km (214 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 13,600 km2 (5,300 sq mi)approx. |
| Tributaries |
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The Brisbane River, also called Maiwar by some Aboriginal people, is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia. It flows right through the city of Brisbane before reaching Moreton Bay and the Coral Sea. In 1823, John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after Sir Thomas Brisbane, who was the Governor of New South Wales at the time. The area later became the city of Brisbane.
The river is like an estuary (where a river meets the sea) and its water is a mix of fresh and salty water, called brackish water. This brackish water reaches far into the city, almost to the Mount Crosby Weir. The Brisbane River is wide and easy for boats to travel on throughout the city. It flows for 344 km (214 mi) from its source at Mount Stanley. The river is held back by the Wivenhoe Dam, which creates Lake Wivenhoe. This lake is Brisbane's main source of drinking water.
The Brisbane River is home to some special animals, like the rare Queensland lungfish and bull sharks. Sadly, the Brisbane River cod is now extinct. The river has seen many big floods, especially in 1974 and 2011. In the past, people used the river to travel between Brisbane and Ipswich before railways were built.
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Where the Brisbane River Flows
The Brisbane River starts in the Great Dividing Range, east of Kingaroy. It then flows south, past Mount Stanley, and towns like Moore and Toogoolawah. It is joined by the Stanley River just south of Somerset Dam.
From there, the river flows into Lake Wivenhoe, which was created by the Wivenhoe Dam. After the dam, the river turns east. It meets the Bremer River near Ipswich. Then it continues through Brisbane's western suburbs, including Jindalee, Indooroopilly, and Toowong.
The river eventually flows past wharves like Pinkenba Wharf and Portside Wharf. It goes through the Port of Brisbane and into Moreton Bay.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
On the southern side of the river, across from Gardens Point, you can see the Kangaroo Point Cliffs. These cliffs are made from a type of volcanic rock called Brisbane tuff, which formed about 220 million years ago. The cliffs were created by quarrying (cutting out stone) even before 1829. People used the stone to build early buildings in Brisbane.
River Branches and Creeks
Many smaller rivers and creeks flow into the Brisbane River. From the north, major ones include Breakfast Creek, Moggill Creek, and the Stanley River. From the south, you'll find Bulimba Creek, Norman Creek, Oxley Creek, Bremer River, and Lockyer Creek.
History of the Brisbane River
Before Europeans arrived, the Brisbane River was very important to the Aboriginal people of the Yugarapul language group. It was a spiritual place and a key source of food, especially fish.
Four European explorers, James Cook, Matthew Flinders, John Bingle, and William Edwardson, visited Moreton Bay but didn't find the river. Matthew Flinders spent 15 days in the area in 1799 but missed the river's mouth.
The first Europeans to discover the river were four convicts who were shipwrecked in 1823: Thomas Pamphlett, John Finnegan, Richard Parsons, and John Thompson. They were blown off course by a storm and landed on Moreton Island. They then walked north, thinking they were south of Sydney, and stumbled upon the river. They walked along its banks for almost a month before crossing it.
Later that year, John Oxley, the Surveyor General of New South Wales, was looking for a new place for a convict settlement. He was surprised to meet one of the shipwrecked men, Thomas Pamphlett, who hailed his ship in English. With Finnegan as a guide, Oxley explored the river as far as present-day Goodna. He noted how many fish there were and the tall pine trees. Early explorers were amazed by the river's natural beauty.
Reports from explorers like Allan Cunningham and Oxley suggest that rainforests once grew along the Brisbane River and its main creeks. The low-lying coastal areas had many Melaleuca woodlands.
In 1823, the river was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the Governor of New South Wales. In 1825, the Moreton Bay penal colony (a prison settlement) moved from Redcliffe to North Quay on the river.
The river's entrance was surveyed and marked with buoys in May 1825 to help ships navigate. The first small private wharves (docks) were built around 1848.
Since 1862, the Brisbane River has been dredged (its bottom cleared) to make it easier for ships to travel. For much of the 1900s, a lot of sand and gravel was taken from the river.
20th Century Changes
By 1928, the river's water quality had become poor because of Brisbane's growth. Some public swimming baths even stopped using river water. However, in the 1930s, the water was still clear enough that people could see the riverbed several meters below. Swimming was once popular at Oxley Point. As Brisbane grew, the river became more polluted, and its natural environment changed a lot.
The largest ship ever built on the river was the Robert Miller. In 1974, this huge 66,000-tonne ship broke free during a major flood. In 1987, the "Year of the River" was celebrated by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Sallyanne Atkinson.
Floods
The Brisbane River often floods, but the Wivenhoe Dam has helped reduce how often and how big these floods are. Before modern dredging, floods would deposit a lot of mud and sand, making it hard for ships to pass.
Since Europeans settled Brisbane, there have been several major floods. The highest flood level recorded was in 1841 (8.43 meters). Other big floods happened in February 1893, February 1931, and January 1974 (5.45 meters). More recently, there were significant floods in January 2011 (4.46 meters) and January 2013 (2.3 meters).
Flooding can be very damaging because the river's winding path means floodwaters from upstream can't quickly flow into Moreton Bay. When the river banks overflow, water spreads widely across the city.
Over the years, a lot of dredging and widening has been done to allow large ships to carry goods to and from Brisbane. Before the railway was built in 1875, the river was a very important route between Brisbane and Ipswich.
In the early 1820s, buoys were placed to mark safe paths for ships, and pilots were hired to guide vessels. In the 1930s, flying boats even used the river's waters in Pinkenba for flights.
The river's depth was increased, and narrow spots were widened for bigger ships. In 1965, the Seventeen Mile Rocks were completely removed because they were a danger to ships. The northern bank of the river's mouth has also been built up over the years, especially in Hamilton and Pinkenba. The Port of Brisbane now has large facilities on Fisherman's Island, which was created by reclaiming land from the bay.
Historically, the river's natural tidal limit was only 16 km (10 mi) upstream. But because of continuous dredging, the tide now reaches 85 km (53 mi) upstream.
River Crossings
The first bridge over the Brisbane River was the original timber Victoria Bridge, opened in 1865. It was built between Brisbane and South Brisbane. The current concrete Victoria Bridge is the fourth one on this spot. The first one collapsed, and the second was destroyed in the 1893 flood.
As of 2012, there are 16 major bridges crossing the Brisbane River. These include the famous 1940 Story Bridge and the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges (also known as the Gateway Bridge). There are also two other major bridges upstream of Brisbane. The Clem Jones Tunnel, opened in 2010, is the first underground road crossing of the river.
The Moggill Ferry still carries vehicles northeast of Ipswich.
The Albert Bridge was the first railway bridge over the river, opened in 1876. It was also destroyed in the 1893 flood and rebuilt. The Merivale Bridge, opened in 1978, connects the railway systems on both sides of the river in the city.
Four bridges are just for people walking and cycling: the Goodwill Bridge and Kurilpa Bridge in the city, and the Eleanor Schonell Bridge (which also carries buses) between Dutton Park and St Lucia. The Jack Pesch Bridge connects Indooroopilly and Chelmer. There are plans for another pedestrian and cycle bridge between Kangaroo Point and the city.
Brisbane Riverwalk
The Brisbane City Council has built a network of paths called the Riverwalk along the banks of the Brisbane River. The Riverwalk stretches along much of the inner-city riverfront. A long part runs between Newstead and Toowong. Another popular section is beneath the Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Some parts of the Riverwalk are built out over the river itself.
An interesting part is the floating walkway between the Story Bridge and Merthyr Street in New Farm. City planners often require new buildings along the river to include public access to the Riverwalk.
During the 2011 floods, a large section of the Riverwalk broke away and floated downstream. This caused worries that it could damage bridges. Tugboats and water police safely guided the floating sections under the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges and other structures. The damaged Riverwalk was rebuilt as a fixed structure and finished in September 2014.
Environmental Health
In the past, the river's surface was sometimes covered by a harmful plant called water hyacinth, which came from South America.
The river's environment is not in great condition. In 2000, the Brisbane River estuary did not meet national environmental standards. In 2008, the lower parts of the river received a very poor rating for water quality. The main problems are too many nutrients, chemicals, pesticides, and bacteria that wash into the river from the surrounding land. The river is also very murky, and it's not recommended to swim in it.
From the 1950s, the river was dredged to remove sand and gravel. This caused the water to become cloudy and led to erosion of the river banks. Environmentalists worried that the sediment was harming the seagrass beds in Moreton Bay, which are important feeding grounds for dugongs. Because of public concern, all commercial dredging stopped by 1998. However, dredging still happens to keep the river deep enough for boats.
In 2018, the Brisbane River's water quality did not meet many Queensland Government standards. Levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were too high, mainly because they wash into the river from farms upstream.
Recent research in 2019 suggested that the river's murky brown color is mostly caused by mud moving between the river channel and its banks. Scientists believe that planting certain plants, like Crinum pedunculatum, along the river could make the water much clearer and bluer.
River Life
Queensland Lungfish
The Queensland lungfish is a unique fish. In 1895–1896, it was only found in the Mary and Burnett river systems. To help the species survive, it was introduced to other Queensland waterways. Lungfish populations successfully grew in the Brisbane River, the Enoggera Reservoir, and the North Pine River.
Brisbane River Cod
The freshwater parts of the Brisbane River used to have a special type of cod fish called the Brisbane River cod. It was similar to the Murray cod. Sadly, this unique fish became extinct between the 1930s and 1950s due to damage to its habitat and too much fishing. Now, cod from the Mary River have been put into the Brisbane River.
Bull Sharks
The Brisbane River has a very large number of bull sharks. Because of this, swimming in the river is not advised. Bull sharks can be aggressive and grow very large, up to 3.5 meters long. They are unusual because they can live in brackish water (a mix of fresh and salt water). There have been four recorded deaths from shark attacks in the river (in 1862, 1880, 1901, and 1921), and many attacks on pets like dogs.
River Transport
The river is used by CityCat ferries and other ferries that travel through the city center.
Events on the River
The Brisbane River is a popular spot for many events. These include the Riverfestival, Riverfire, and the Brisbane River Classic fishing competition. Many schools and clubs use the river for rowing races. Sailing races are also held on different parts of the river.
Riverfestival started in 1998 and was a week-long celebration of the Brisbane River. In 2009, it joined with the Brisbane Festival. Riverfire, which happens at the end of the Brisbane Festival, is a big fireworks show. In 2009, Riverfire was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland because it's such an important event.
Named in its Honour
The electoral district of Maiwar, an area for voting in Queensland, was named after the river's Aboriginal name in 2017.
Images for kids
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New Brisbane Riverwalk in 2021
See also
In Spanish: Río Brisbane para niños
