South Bank Refresh Joins Brisbane’s Public Realm Tick List

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk officially reopened South Bank’s iconic Streets Beach and intersecting stream area this week.

The project which to date has received $1.71 million backing forms part of the public works that are taking shape across the city in the lead up to the G20.

As a premier lifestyle and cultural destination that features 17 hectares of parkland, the beach and surrounding stream and recreational areas have been critical to the reinvigoration of the precinct.

Tasked with the stream upgrade, leading planning and design firm PLACE Design Group have spent the last 8 months working on the design and construction of the stream and surrounding recreational facilities.

An emphasis on stream water quality and improving accessibility were the key criteria PLACE Design Group were provisioned with.

Stairs that lead directly into the streams and extra attention to shaded areas to capitalise on the precinct’s open air ambience were incorporated into the designs.

Additional seating has been provided to meet increased demand, especially for events such as the upcoming Brisbane Festival, the South Bank Markets and the highly anticipated G20, which is set to bring approximately 7,000 visitors to the area.

"The motivation behind the South Bank refresh is one that aims to focus on leisure visitors; enhancing their overall experience at the precinct. With this in mind we focussed on improving the quality of existing facets of stream whilst ensuring that new aspects would meet the growing needs of visitors," said Tony Mitchell, PLACE Design Group Landscape Architect.

In the lead up to the G20, Public Realm projects such as this are vital to economic growth of Brisbane.