Green Bridges

The Management Committee and members of the South Brisbane Sailing Club are concerned about the potential impact of proposed ‘Green Bridges ’ on the safety of sailing, rowing and other watersports on the Milton and St Lucia reaches of the Brisbane River.

Details of Green Bridges proposed by the Brisbane City Council can be found here: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/roads-infrastructure-and-bikeways/green-bridges

Our view is that ‘Green Bridges’ can present significant risks to the safety of sailors on the Milton and St. Lucia Reaches of the Brisbane River including loss of life or serious injury via vessel-to-vessel impact or vessel-to-pier impact and entrapment.

Other potential impacts include:

• Significant potential impact to the sport of sailing as a result of reputational consequences
• Significant potential economic impact to commercial charter and CityCat ferry services as a result of negative reputational consequences
• Significant potential tourism and cultural impact risks to the City of Brisbane as a result of negative reputational consequences

These moderate to high risks can be reduced to acceptable levels provided BCC proposed bridge designs (Nov 2021) incorporates conclusions of detailed studies and analysis of safety impacts, and provided additional risk management solutions are implemented, such as reduced speed controls for powered vessels. 

SBSC concerns regarding proposed Green Bridge designs are reflected in two reports compiled by an Expert Panel on Maritime Safety Impacts of Green Bridges on Sailing, Rowing and Paddling, chaired by Robert Preston  (President of the South Brisbane Sailing Club), Ian Holzberger (CEO Rowing Queensland), Ben Callard, (Regional Manager Queensland, Australian Sailing), Stephen McDonald (West End Canoe Club) and John Price (Senior Sailing Instructor and Commodore of South Brisbane Sailing Club).

Copies of SBSC submissions and these two reports are available for download below.