John Douglas Story Archives - Kangaroo Point News

Calls for the Restoration of Story Bridge Faces as Centenary Approaches

The Story Bridge in Kangaroo Point, a beloved landmark and crucial artery in Brisbane’s transportation network, is facing a pivotal moment in its 84-year history. Recent revelations about its urgent need for restoration have sparked concern among Brisbane residents and officials alike.

Read: Progress Continues on Kangaroo Point Underpass Beneath Story Bridge

Story Bridge History

Constructed between 1935 and 1940, the Story Bridge was initially built as a toll bridge.

Named after prominent public servant John Douglas Story, it was transferred to the City Council in 1947 and has since become an integral part of Brisbane’s infrastructure, carrying an impressive 100,000 vehicles daily.

However, the bridge was designed with a 100-year lifespan in mind, a common practice for Australian bridges of its era. As it approaches its centenary, city officials are grappling with the challenge of extending its life beyond its original design parameters.

Toll booth, 1941 (Photo credit: Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 4053 ID label: 1249600)

Cr Adrian Schrinner has confirmed the need for a major restoration project. “A full restoration of the iconic Story Bridge will mean a whole new century of life for this critical piece of infrastructure,” Cr Schrinner stated, calling for support from all levels of government to protect this Brisbane icon.

Current Restoration Efforts

The Council has not been idle in maintaining the structure. Since 2020, restoration work has been ongoing on the southern approach to the bridge.

The current Stage 2 works, which began in mid-August 2021, focus on the below-deck steel between Wharf Street and Holman Street at Kangaroo Point. These efforts include the installation of scaffolding and encapsulation systems, recoating of steel members, and concrete repair and strengthening works.

However, the most significant and costly part of the restoration lies ahead – the sections spanning the Brisbane River. This presents a complex engineering challenge that will require substantial resources and expertise.

The Story Bridge’s importance extends beyond its practical function. Listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992, it represents a significant piece of the city’s history and identity. Its distinctive silhouette against the Brisbane skyline has become synonymous with the city itself.

As Brisbane continues to grow and evolve, the fate of the Story Bridge stands as a testament to the challenges faced by ageing infrastructure in rapidly developing urban centres. The coming years will be crucial in determining whether this iconic structure can indeed be granted a new lease on life, ensuring it continues to serve and inspire Brisbane for generations to come.

Read: Kangaroo Point Bridge Reaches 90% Completion, Newest Landmark Takes Shape in Brisbane

The restoration project not only highlights the engineering challenges of maintaining such a structure but also underscores the emotional and cultural significance of the bridge to Brisbane’s residents. As the city rallies to support this ambitious restoration, the Story Bridge saga serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing dialogue between a city’s past, present, and future.

Published 12-August-2024

The Story Behind Brisbane’s Iconic Bridge

Howard Smith Wharves and the Story Bridge seen from Kangaroo Point (Photo Credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons)

In a story that has spanned eight decades, Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge has helped shape the way of life of people in Queensland’s River City, particularly those in Kangaroo Point and New Farm.

The idea of constructing the bridge can be traced back to 1925 when the Cross River Commission assigned by the Greater Brisbane Council included the Story Bridge in their recommendation of major public works projects.

Before that, ferries ruled the day.

During the mid-1800s, people used horses and rowboats to ferry people or goods across the river.

In the 1860s, more ferries crossed the river and residents started to ride on steam ferry by the 1880s. The first steam ferry commenced operation between Charlotte Street and Kangaroo Point in 1883.

When the idea of a bridge was first broached, the State Government refused to fund it, finding it too expensive and frivolous.

Because of sectarian interests, the Story Bridge did not become a reality until after 10 more years.

The new Queensland Labor Government permitted the establishment of a Bridge Board in 1933 to plan a government-constructed toll bridge at Kangaroo Point.

Finally in 1935, the construction of the bridge commenced under consulting engineer Dr John Bradfield.

Dr Bradfield also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the largest bridge in Australia. Evans Deakin-Hornibrook Constructions, known for their works in bridge building and enterprise, signed for the construction of the bridge.

Design and Construction

Story Bridge during construction of Stage four (Photo credit: State Library of Queensland)

The design of the bridge was inspired by the Jacques Cartier Bridge, a steel truss cantilever bridge crossing the Saint Lawrence River from Montreal Island in Montreal. Mr Bradfield, dubbed as the most likely person to handle the project based on his experience, recommended a steel cantilever bridge.

The construction of Story Bridge took five years, a year longer than what was planned due to shortage in steel. It used 12,000 tonnes of structural steel, 1,650 tonnes of reinforcing steel, 8,200 truck loads of concrete, and 1.5 million rivets.

Majority of the materials were manufactured in Brisbane, except for the steel that came all the way from Newcastle. The contract for the project cost around £1,154,000.

The bridge was considered a massive employment-generating scheme because more than 400 local residents were employed to work on site, office, and in the workshops. There were four deaths during its construction.

Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, Governor of Queensland led the opening of the bridge on 6 July 1940. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by more than 37,000 people, equivalent to 10-percent of the entire Brisbane population at the time.

Behind the Name

Inspection of works by Bridge Board – Mr Story, Mr Brigden, Dr Bradfield, Mr Kemp and Mr Holt in 1936 (Photo credit: Queensland Government)

The bridge was first referred to as the Central Bridge during construction. Later, it became known as the Brisbane River Bridge, based on the tender documents for the project.

Before it was renamed Story Bridge, it was also known as the Jubilee Bridge for King George V. It was named after John Douglas Story, a public servant and one of the advocates of the bridge.

Story was born in Scotland and migrated to Queensland when he was a child. He worked for the establishment of the University of Queensland and was a government representative on the University senate. He was Under-Secretary for the Department of Education between 1906 and 1920.

A Heritage-Listed Bridge

In October 1992, the bridge became a part of the Queensland Heritage Register because of its significance to the Queensland community, as a symbol of Brisbane and as the largest steel bridge designed, fabricated and constructed in Australia by Australians.

Its association with the life of a particular person, namely its significance as a major work by Queensland contractors Evans, Deakin & Co. Ltd and Hornibrook Constructions Pty Ltd, was also deemed a significant aspect of its heritage listing.

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Today, the bridge is more than just a vehicle and pedestrian crossing. You can now enjoy the stunning panoramic views from the top by joining the Story Bridge Adventure Climb.

It’s a journey of almost a kilometre up over the bridge’s superstructure with a viewing platform 80-metres above the Brisbane River as it flows past the city heart.

The two-and-a-half hour climbing experience is a unique way to get to know more about the history of the Story Bridge and Brisbane’s transition from a 19th century penal settlement to a 21st century metropolis.

Story Bridge in the Present

Story Bridge at night, taken January 2019 (Photo credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons)

The bridge has undergone various restoration work most of which involves stripping old paint and cleaning it, scraping and blasting off the old paint and then completely repainting the bridge the same colour.

The five-year restoration of the bridge, currently ongoing, is expected to require more than 33,000 litres of paint, at a cost of around $80 million.

To this day, it remains a vital part of everyday life in Brisbane. Not bad for an 80-year-old.

Story Bridge to Get $80M Worth of Restoration

Photo credit: Kgbo/Wikimedia Commons

The Story Bridge has stood the test of time but as it approaches its 80th year in 2020, Brisbane City Council has initiated a 5-year, major restoration to continue to help residents get home quickly and safely.

With an aim to prolong the life of the 79-year-old bridge connecting Fortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point, BCC is planning to blast bare, paint and restore it.

Planning for the Story Bridge restoration began in February 2019, wherein the Council will discuss stripping old paint, cleaning it and giving it a 105,000-square-metre face lift.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the restoration will require more than 33,000 litres of paint. The Story Bridge’s steely-grey colour will be retained but they will scrape and blast off the old paint and then completely repaint the bridge the same colour.

Cr Quirk said it was vital that the Council continued to maintain the Story Bridge to ensure it continued to stand as an iconic figure on Brisbane’s skyline.

“Works are expected to commence after Riverfire and will be carried out in stages over a five-year period to ensure the Story Bridge can continue to be used by traffic and feature in some of our city’s favourite festivities,” Cr Quirk said.

The Story Bridge will not close during the paint job but some lanes will be closed during some stages.

Story Bridge History

The bridge’s construction, which lasted for more than five years, began in May 1935. The design for the bridge was based heavily on that of the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, completed in 1930. John Bradfield, the appointed consulting engineer to the Bureau of Industry, recommended a steel cantilever bridge.

Kangaroo Point during construction of the Story Bridge Brisbane, 1938 (Photo credit: slq.gov.au)

Back then, 400 people were employed to build the bridge at the height of the construction, making it one of Queensland’s main employment-generating projects during the 1930s Depression.

The bridge was named after John Douglas Story, a senior and influential public servant who had advocated strongly for the bridge’s construction.