South Bank Parklands - the World Expo '88 Site Transformed

The beautiful and tranquil Nepalese Peace Pagoda - the only remaining participant-made Pavilion from World Expo '88 remaining on the former Expo site - takes centre stage at the Clem Jones Boulevard, which runs along the Brisbane River South Bank foreshore - and faces the Brisbane City CBD - just a few hundred metres away. Click to enlarge The calming blue salt-water man-made beach at South Bank Parklands is a quick get-away for those in Town - and is just perfect for Brisbane's sub-tropical blue sky weather. Low-rise residential, and medium-rise office space and hotel space - including the 2006 opened Saville Luxury Hotel (image right), feature at the Parkland's western rail corridor. Click to enlarge The view from Brisbane's Highgate Hill of 2006 Brisbane. The Expo symbol tower 'Night Companion' has been moved several hundred metres from it's original South Bank of the Brisbane CBD Expo '88 location. It is now located at the far left of this image. The white curves partially visible in the centre of the image is the curved roof structure of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, formerly the site of 'World Expo Park' - a 'made to be permanent' fun park adjoining the Expo site. To the further right of this one can see a fawn coloured low-rise building, adjoined by a silver and colour loover low-rise building, and several other dark grey low-rise buildings. This is the western corridor of the former Expo site - the now popular South Bank Parklands, which also include Residential and Business components. Development at the Parklands Brisbane River foreshore is predominantly parkland. At opposite foreshore [R] is the Queensland Parliament Annex. *Click to enlarge* South Bank Parklands today stretches from the southern bank of the Brisbane River from the left side of this image, connecting with the Queensland Performing Arts Complex (intersected by the Victoria Bridge), and then re-connecting with the Queensland Museum, Art Gallery, State Library and new to be launched Queensland Gallery of Modern Art - on the right side of this image. Click to enlarge
	South Bank Parklands (Mark II) featured removing the artificial inland water canal, and replacing it with a back-bone structure running from one end of the site to the other - dubbed the Energex "Arbour Boulevard". A beautiful sight in summer or spring, the purple bouganvilleas that have taken root flower all the year-round, and cling naturally to their imaginatively desgned steel tendril supports. A curved roof follows the path (as in left image) for some of the way.

The Galleria Apartments (above image) have become another welcome medium-rise residential block at the Parklands, and front the southern end of the park, overlooking formal gardens and the Brisbane River.

In early 2001 an Imax Cinema complex, with several standard-size screens, was launched at South Bank, however, did not prove a financial success. The complex has now re-opened, and is booming, using the Imax screen for 'big-number' films, and charging admission and car-park fees the envy of the more established Brisbane Cinemas.

Low to medium density residential developments are a major feature of the periphery and railway corridor-edge of the Parklands, with riverfront views protected by park space at the Parkland's river front edge.

These developments also incorporate office space, gourmet restaurants, cafes, convenience stores and delicatessens, newsagencies, as well as the South Bank Cinema Complex. All apartments have river and CBD views, fronting onto prime CBD parkland.

The Arbour Boulevard, designed by Denton Corker Marshall, weaves a mysterious path through the site, intimately narrow at times, and othertimes not.

Without a doubt, the most popular feature of the Parklands for sun-loving Aussies is the man-made salt-water beach and rockpools. Once originally planned to go from one end of the site to the other, the beach pool feeds into several rock pools up and down the beach site, making it a wonderful haven for curious children who wish to explore.

The beach is also the place to meet for the New Year's Day and Australia Day (Jan. 26) annual fireworks.

With it's tropical palm-tree theme and real sand, this free inner-CBD beach is a mecca for all those near and far, or simply those who wish to get some sea-salt and sun in their office lunch break.

Queensland wasn't called the 'Sunshine State' for nothing!

(RIGHT)

A river-side view of the leafy parklands, the Brisbane River, and in the distance, the new 'Goodwill Bridge', named after Brisbane's role in the final "Goodwill Games" in 2001. This pedestrian-only 'green' bridge links the southern end of the South Bank Parklands with the inner CBD and City Botanic Gardens, on the other side. The 1970s established Captain Cook Bridge, linking the City with the Pacific Highway is visible at left.