Queen's Wharf will have more gaming machines than Treasury Casino

The new casino in the heart of the Queen's Wharf development would have 2500 gaming machines, 800 more than the existing Treasury Casino, Star Queensland’s managing director Geoff Hogg confirmed on Wednesday.

Mr Hogg said Star’s licensing agreement with the Queensland government allowed it to have the additional gaming machines when it opened in late 2022. All 2500 machines might not be immediately online when the casino opened.

An artist's impression of the new work planned for the Brisbane River's edge at Queen's Wharf.

Brisbane would still have one casino because the existing Treasury Casino would close and be transformed into a high-end department store about 2023.

"There has been no change to the casino’s licensing conditions, so Brisbane will still be having only the one casino," Mr Hogg said.

"So when new Queen's Wharf development opens, the existing casino will close and the new casino will open."

On Wednesday Mr Hogg, Queen's Wharf project director Simon Crooks and ProBuild general manager Jeff Wellburn showed journalists the cement base for The Landing, two semi-circular gardens which will butt 50 metres out into the Brisbane River.

Destination Brisbane project director Simon Crooks, Probuild managing director Jeff Wellburn and Star Casino’s Geoff Hogg walk through the concrete base of The Landing, which will become two landscaped parklands reaching 50 metres out into the Brisbane River.Credit: Tony Moore

The two cement bases of The Landing would support 6500 square metres of landscaped, riverside gardens facing South Bank and let the Brisbane River flow underneath.

"That park will be river’s edge seating, its parklands and you will be able to flow down from William Street and the city and just use this area for enjoyment," Mr Crooks said.

"The cafes will be closer to Queen's Wharf (off the river’s edge) and closer to William and George streets.

"You’ve got to remember that this is a flood zone so we don’t want permanent cafes and things here. There will be 'pop-ups' (casual cafes), but nothing permanent."

Mr Wellburn said they drilled pilings 26 metres into bedrock so The Landing would survive a riverside collision with a vessel in a future flood.

It is the third section of the city’s new Brisbane River’s edge to be unveiled after the Waterline Park and mangrove walk in October 2019.

Mr Crooks said this work would make Queen's Wharf stand apart from South Bank on the opposite side of the river.

"Generally, is in my view South Bank is somewhere for families first and adults second," he said.

"The integrated resort - with all of the things here - is probably the flipside.

"Families can use this, but this is entertainment for adults as well."

The multiple buildings - hotels, gaming rooms and newer retail centres - now under construction between George and William Street would be about 20 metres above ground level by Christmas time, Mr Hogg said.

Early site investigations for the Neville Bonner Bridge were under way at South Bank in front of the ferris wheel.

The pedestrian bridge would span from South Bank to the plaza level of the Queen's Wharf development.

Recent river diggings for the bridge have revealed some small relics of a fire on the old wharves, Mr Crooks said.

"We think there are three pieces that are interesting and they are more around the history of the wharves," he said.

"There was a fire on one of the wharves in the 1800s and we’ve found some timbers which may have been part of that and some partially melted glass that might have been from there.

"All of that will probably go to the Queensland Museum."