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Brisbane River Facts

Brisbane River Facts
The Brisbane River is located in Australia's state of Queensland. The Brisbane River was first discovered by convicts on a timber expedition. A storm resulted in them being lost and the few that survived settled with natives. In 1823 John Oxley, the Surveyor General to New South Wales set off to find the convicts' settlement under Sir Thomas Brisbane's orders. After locating the convicts and further exploration, a penal colony was established. The river was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane. The river became an important transportation route as the region became more established by settlers. The Brisbane River floods occasionally, resulting in a lot of damage along its shores. The Brisbane River flows from the Great Dividing Range approximately 214 miles and empties into Moreton Bay.
Interesting Brisbane River Facts:
Brisbane River's main tributaries include Stanley River, Moggill Creek, Breakfast Creek, Lockyer Creek, Bremer River, Oxley Creek, Norman Creek, and Bulimba Creek.
The Brisbane River flows through Brisbane before reaching Moreton Bay. The Brisbane River is Brisbane's main water source.
Prior to the European settlement of the Brisbane River region the Aboriginal Turrbal nation relied heavily on the river for its food source. It was also important spiritually to the people. As the region was settled the river became polluted and by the early 1900s it was comparable to a sewer. The condition of the Brisbane River today is still environmentally polluted with hydrocarbons, pesticides, bacteria, and other contaminants and it is not suitable for swimming.
Brisbane River was once home to the Brisbane River Cod but the species became extinct by the 1950s due to overfishing and pollution.
In 1857 shark-proof baths were built in Brisbane River at Kangaroo Point. Bull sharks thrive in Brisbane River making swimming a dangerous sport, even if the river wasn't polluted.
Prior to the construction of bridges across Brisbane River, people crossed by ferry. They were not allowed to bring their dogs on board and if they wanted their dogs to come along the dogs had to swim. Because of the bull shark population (considered to be one of the world's most dangerous shark species), it was common for the dogs to disappear en route.
Many bridges have been built to cross the Brisbane River including the Victoria Bridge (1865), the William Jolly Bridge in 1932, the Story Bridge (1940), The Captain Cook Bridge (1972), the Gateway Bridge (1986), the Goodwill Bridge (2001), and a duplicate of the Gateway Bridge (2010).
The Clem Jones Tunnel was the first underground road built to cross the Brisbane River. It was constructed in 2010.
The Eleanor Schonell Bridge was built exclusively for pedestrians, cyclists and buses, in 2006. It is not open to motorists.
The Brisbane River is home to a variety of fish species. It is also home to the Queensland lungfish, a rare species.
The Brisbane River is home to many events such as sailing regattas, festivals, rowing regattas and other types of festivities.
Flooding of the Brisbane River has occurred at various times, resulting in damage and deaths in some cases. Major flooding took place in 1841, 1890, 1893, 1931, 1974, and 2011.


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