A team of national infrastructure experts has been assembled to ensure Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge can play a pivotal role during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The 84-year-old bridge is rapidly approaching end of life and is going to need significant investment to ensure it can continue serving Brisbane residents for another 100 years.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner assembled the Story Bridge Restoration Committee to develop a roadmap to restore the Australian icon.
The Story Bridge Restoration Committee will be chaired by prominent Queenslander Nigel Chamier AM, who is known for his leadership in the restorations of Brisbane City Hall and ANZAC Square.
The Committee includes independent advisors with expertise in heritage infrastructure, asset management, and finance, including contributions to works on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Story Bridge Restoration Committee includes:
- Nigel Chamier AM – Chair of the Committee and renowned for overseeing landmark restorations in Brisbane.
- Peter Burnton – Structural engineering expert with significant contributions to heritage and river infrastructure.
- John T. Hardwick – Asset management specialist, instrumental in major transport networks across NSW.
- Graham McHugh – Finance and Accounts executive specialising in infrastructure investment and complex asset management.
The roadmap will examine the restorations of historic bridges across the globe, including funding strategies, and the scope of works required for a full restoration of the Story Bridge.
Brisbane City Council has invested around $78 million in maintenance and upgrades to the Story Bridge since 2019, however, more complexities were found as more work was undertaken.
The extensive repairs, which involved progressively stripping back old paint and applying new protective coatings, revealed major complexities that can only be addressed with a comprehensive restoration.
Some examples of the work that is required on the Story Bridge includes replacing rusted steel plates and rivets, and addressing damage caused by salt air corrosion and ageing of the 84-year-old structure.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge played a key role in the 2000 Olympic Games, particularly during the closing ceremony when the Olympic Rings and firework display were beamed from the bridge into homes across the globe.
The works required to give the Story Bridge another century of life and a pivotal role in Brisbane’s 2032 Games can only be delivered through funding partnership between all levels of government.
Across the globe, bridges similar to the Story Bridge in terms of age, size and scale have undergone major restorations at the expense of Federal Governments or through a partnership arrangement between all levels of government, including:
- Jacques Cartier Bridge (Quebec, Canada)
- Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney, Australia)
- Auckland Harbour Bridge (Auckland, New Zealand)
- Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, USA).
Story Bridge Restoration Committee Chair, Nigel Chamier AM, is highly regarded for his role as Chair of the City Hall restoration committee from 2008 to 2013 and more recently oversaw the refurbishment of ANZAC Square.
The restoration of Brisbane City Hall was supported by Brisbane City Council and the Federal Government, as well as corporate donors and Brisbane residents.
The Story Bridge is a crucial part of Brisbane’s road network, with more than 100,000 vehicles crossing the Story Bridge every day and over 40 per cent of these starting their journey outside Brisbane.
Council is seeking $4.5 million from the Australian Government to complete the detailed business case for the Story Bridge restoration.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:
“The Story Bridge is an Australian icon and, just like the Sydney Harbour Bridge was in 2000, we want our Story Bridge to be a focal point during the Brisbane 2032 Games.
“Our Council has already put a lot of work into the Story Bridge but it’s clear there’s significantly more work required to ensure it continues to keep Brisbane moving in the future.
“We’ve been a steward of the Story Bridge since 1947, but the work ahead is beyond the means of local government alone.
“It’s going to take a team effort from all levels of government to ensure the Story Bridge is fit and ready by 2032.
“State and National governments have invested in the restoration of other historic bridges across the world, and we need our own State and Federal governments, which collect 97 cents in every tax dollar, to do the same.”
Quotes attributable to Story Bridge Restoration Committee Chair, Nigel Chamier AM:
“A restoration of this scale requires infrastructure experts and our Story Bridge Steering Committee have worked on bridge restoration and major infrastructure projects across Australia.
“Now we’re progressing a detailed roadmap to outline what is required and how to fund the work required to extend the Story Bridge’s life for another generation.
“It’s a privilege to be trusted with the responsibility of preserving another national icon.
“I look forward to working with Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner to map out the next chapter of one of Australia’s most iconic bridges.”
Estimated cost of similar global bridge restoration projects undertaken since the 2000’s:
| Similar bridge | Year opened | Restoration investment (AUD equivalent) | Financial contributors | Owned by |
| Sydney Harbour Bridge | 1932 | About $105 million | NSW Government | State Government |
| Jacques Cartier Bridge | 1930 | More than $400 million | Government of Canada (the smaller lighting installation was co-funded with the City of Montreal) | Federal Government |
| Auckland Harbour Bridge | 1959 | About $185 million | New Zealand Government | Federal Government |
| Golden Gate Bridge | 1937 | More than $400 million
(The next phase of restoration works are commencing in 2025 and expected to cost about $1.5 billion) |
Co-funded by federal, state and regional bodies | State Government |
The table highlights estimated costs and funding strategies for significant international bridge restorations. These examples underscore the substantial investment required to preserve iconic structures, with costs varying based on complexity, age, and scope of the work. The figures provided do not capture all ongoing maintenance costs, associated infrastructure projects, or other expenses that may not be publicly disclosed.
Story Bridge Fast facts:
- Construction started in 1935
- Officially opened 6 July 1940
- Transferred to Brisbane City Council in 1947
- Placed on Queensland Heritage Register in 1992
- Overall length: 1071 metres
- Height: 80 metres above the river
- 25 million steel rivets
- 41,000 cubic metres of concrete
- 17,500 litres of paint required to cover 105,000m2 of metal.
