Posted by: Debra Kolkka | July 29, 2012

Cross the bridge

The Story Bridge crosses the Brisbane River from Kangaroo Point to Fortitude Valley. It was designed by John Bradfield who was responsible for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Building commenced in July 1935 and the bridge opened in July 1940. It is 1,072 metres long and it is repainted every 7 years.

It is quite impressive.

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The city centre looks good from the bridge.

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There is an excellent walking path around the river in front of the city to the bridge, also offering excellent views.

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I wonder if they caught any fish.

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It is also possible to walk to the top of the bridge. You can see the steps in the photo below.

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If you are in Brisbane take the time to walk across, or to the top of the Story Bridge.

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I also took a ride on the City Cat in my quest to photograph the Story Bridge. A little bird came too.

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It was a beautiful winter day on the Brisbane River.

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From here we went under the bridge.

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I spotted a man who had decided not to use the bridge. The photo is taken into the sun, so please excuse the quality, but I knew you would want to see this.

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He is not really walking on water, there is a surfboard and a paddle there. It looks like hard work to me. I think I will use the bridge.


Responses

  1. Impressive photos of the bridge D! These are making my heart pang for my life once lived in Brisbane at this moment. Love the little bird and enjoy those big beautiful blue skies, M x

    • We have been having some glorious weather here lately. I love Brisbane in winter.

  2. Debra, these photos are amazing. Beautiful blue skies. The pictures are so clear. I have crossed the Story Bridge dozens of times and have never seen this much. Thank you

    • You should walk across the bridge one day, the views from there are great.

  3. Lovely Brisbane. My town. The bridge looks very handsome in your pictures Deb. Nice. x

    • I think the bridge is beautiful and so is the city.

  4. God, what a sparkling, clean, beautiful city! Looks like a different century and planet then the one occupied by Italy, doesn’t it? What sharp contrasts your life has in it. Do you love that? I love going back and forth b/w Italy and the US. Makes me feel doubly grounded somehow.

    • I absolutely love spending 6 months in each place. I love them both for different reasons and the time away makes me appreciate both.

  5. Brisbane is looking very impressive Debra. I haven’t been back for years now. That sky in July is enough reason!! 😉

    • You should come up for some sunshine.

      • 😉 Melbourne is living up to her reputation this year!

  6. It is a beautiful bridge, strong and elegant at the same time and it blends in perfectly with Brisbane’s eclectic architecture. Great photos, Debra!

    • Thanks, I think Brisbane is a beautiful city.

  7. It’s fascinating to see your ‘other life’, what a contrast to here in Bagni di Lucca!

    • Yes, it is very different. I live quite close to the city and I love to walk around this area.

  8. Gorgeous!

    • Brisbane is a great looking city.

  9. It does like like a copy of Sydney Harbour Bridge including the walkway over the top. We walked under the Sydney Harbour Bridge several times along a path to Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House. They complement each other, both impressive designs and construction, with picturesque Sydney Harbour in the background.

    • The bridges are a different shape and of course, the Sydney Harbour bridge is over that gorgeous harbour.

  10. Such a beautiful city! It’s been ages since I’ve been to Brissie..

    • You should come up to see us.

  11. Wow, that really is impressive. Hope you’ve had an equally–if not impressive–at least, wonderful weekend.
    Hugs,
    Kathy

    • We have had perfect winter weather here on the weekend. I went to a wonderful food event in the park.

  12. Now that’s an impressive feat of engineering. The building along the river look really good against those lovely clear blue skies.

    • Blue skies make for lovely photos…too easy really.

  13. Makes me very happy to see that your pictures have beautifully captured our city of Brisbane and the Story bridge in particular. I look at it every day and wonder at its magnificence. I will proudly send the link on to friends far and wide so they can see the city we love to live in.

    • You get to look at the bridge every day from your place…great view.

  14. A beautiful day showcasing a beautiful city.
    Do the locals often walk across the bridge, or is it more of a tourist thing to do?

    • Locals use the bridge all the time, it links 2 busy inner city suburbs.

  15. Terrific photos. The close-ups in the first half of the post do look like the most fantastic meccano construction. The city looks so polished up and beautiful doesn’t it. Much as I pour myself into your Italian photos I can really appreciate our City especially in our beautiful winter.

    • I think the city looks wonderful. I love the 6 months I spend in a small Italian village, but I also love city life and Brisbane is a great city to live in.

  16. The views in opposite direction from the bridge are quite the contrast. Plus a bit different from Ponte di Diavolo.

    • The Devil’s bridge is more than 800 years older than the Story bridge. I wonder if they will both be around in another 800 years.

      • I’ll bet on Diavolo.

      • Me too!

      • Of course, I mentioned it in order to tease you from your absence.

  17. The last time I walked over the Story Bridge was on a hot summer night with my grandmother and my sister in the 1950s. We could feel the bridge shudder under the weight of cars crossing over. The views were lovely at night. Of course, there were not many skyscrapers then and the Brisbane City Hall was the most prominent building in those days. When I was working in Brisbane during the 60s, I would get the bus over the Bridge. I loved looking at the Brisbane River sparkling like diamonds in the mornings and spy the historic old Customs building still standing as a sentinel of the shipping past. Today, there are sleek skyscrapers piercing the Brisbane sky, but the river and the bridge still remain the same. Thanks, Deb, for bringing the Story Bridge alive for me!

    • I can report that the bridge still shudders, you would feel right at home.It has been fun to wander around the bridge and see it from all angles.

  18. I always try to rush across bridges-I know it’s irrational but I can’t help thinking that they might collapse! Silly I know 😛

  19. Such a wonderful looking bridge. And the view from the bridge is wonderful too! 🙂

  20. Many years ago I received a book on Brisbane as a gift from a childhood sweetheart. This bridge was on the front cover but somehow I never did find out its name! Now I know thanks to this post, and what a beautiful name it is. Brisbane looks so gorgeous and sunny from your photos, Debra!

    • We are having one of our perfect winters….I love it.

  21. What a lovely bridge! Your photos do it justice Debra. love the little birdie 🙂

    • Brisbane is a beautiful city…particularly on gorgeous days like we are having right now.

  22. Repainted every 7 years!!! It must take months to paint that thing.

    • I’m sure it takes several months to paint the whole bridge.

  23. […] looked great in the winter sunshine in […]


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