Kangaroo Point is about to become the starting point for something genuinely never done before. The world’s first wheelchair-accessible flying fox, as described by its developers, will connect Kangaroo Point and the City Botanic Gardens across the Brisbane River.
Read: ‘World-first’ Wheelchair-accessible Flying Fox to Link Kangaroo Point and CBD before Brisbane 2032
The project, called Brisbane River Icons, was announced by well-known Brisbane tourism operator John “Sharpey” Sharpe, the man behind the Story Bridge Adventure Climb and the Powerhouse’s Vertigo restaurant, after securing $2.1 million in state funding.
Riders on the dual flying fox will travel one-way across the river, reaching speeds of up to 75km/h and peaking at around 30 metres above the water at the centre of the Brisbane River, before returning via the nearby pedestrian bridge. The 400-metre crossing is being touted as a world first for wheelchair accessibility by the project’s developers.
Mr Sharpe said the project would deliver landmark experiences connecting people with the Brisbane River while championing inclusivity and accessibility, and that he hoped the attraction would draw visitors from across Queensland and beyond, boosting the local economy and supporting jobs.
On ticket prices, Mr Sharpe flagged that locals could expect some relief. He pointed to a comparable 400-metre zipline over the Swan River in Perth as the pricing benchmark and indicated the team was aiming to come in under $100, with discounts on the table for those who live nearby.
More Than Just a Flying Fox
The flying fox is only part of the picture. The broader Brisbane River Icons project also includes an accessible high-line picnic experience at Kangaroo Point, with the possibility of a local catering partnership, as well as two custom wheelchair-accessible boats and upgraded river access infrastructure to support what the project describes as an eco-adventure network.
The $2.1 million was secured through the first round of Queensland’s $80 million Tourism Icons Investment Fund, a flagship initiative under its Destination 2045 strategy. Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said activating the Brisbane River was central to encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore more of the state, and that the global attention surrounding the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games was a rare opportunity that Queensland needed to capitalise on now.
Mr Sharpe said he would spend the next six months working through Brisbane City approvals and finalising detailed design plans. His target is to have both the flying fox and the high-line picnic experience operational ahead of the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup. The accessible boats could potentially be on the water even sooner.
Read: Public Divided Over Kangaroo Point Flying Fox Proposal
What is harder to argue with is the intent. An adventure experience designed from the ground up to be genuinely accessible, not as an afterthought but as its central feature, is a rarity in the tourism industry. If it gets built, Brisbane’s own backyard will be the place it happens first.
Published 7-May-2026
