Brisbane River and inner city, 1895

Brisbane River and inner city, 1895. This map, sheet eight of ‘McKellar’s Official Map of Brisbane and Suburbs’, shows the meanders of Brisbane River which divided the city. To overcome this, ferry crossings were located at Hockings Street and Park Road, North Quay, South Brisbane, Garden Point, Kangaroo Point and between Merthyr and Ferry Streets. Two steam ferry crossings were at ‘Town Reach’. The Victoria Bridge had tram lines along it and connected South Brisbane to the central business district. The map shows wharves lining the river bank, however, the presence of a public baths near South Bank shows that people’s engagement with the river was not restricted to commerce but included pleasure. As Brisbane’s heritage as a river port has been gradually erased by waterside development, this map reveals a very different and distinct city landscape. Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland, the University of Queensland