Brisbane tour operators say city is falling behind on river attractions

Artificial intelligence has helped visualise the Brisbane River’s future, as struggling operators hail a plan for water taxis and floating venues. SEE THE IMAGES

The Brisbane River could be supercharged into a premium destination featuring party boats, floating restaurants, jet skis and water taxis. Image: AI

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Struggling Brisbane River-based businesses have hailed a plan to open up council’s pontoons to tourism as visionary, saying the city was lagging behind regional Queensland towns in promoting its waterfront.

Natural Resources Minister Dale Last was due to meet Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner next week to discuss his plan, announced on Tuesday, to offer secure commercial leases at council’s eight river pontoons.

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A spokesman for Mr Last said no commitment could be made until they saw details of the proposal, which would require the government amending so-called “wet leases’’ covering activities above the riverbed.

But tourism experts have backed the plan, saying Brisbane lacked the facilities to make best use of its iconic river.

It had the potential to leapfrog over interstate capitals like Perth for river-based tourism drawcards, they said.

Ben Gambling and Sophie Glover enjoying a picnic on a GoBoat near Brisbane Powerhouse. The company says it will jump at any chance to open a second outlet in the City Botanic Gardens. Picture: Liam Kidston

Two operators using council’s City Botanic Gardens pontoon, Jet Ski Brisbane and Prawnster, said they were operating there on an insecure, “informal’’ basis.

The lack of proper long-term leases was holding them back on vital investment, they said.

Martin Brennan, owner of floating seafood restaurant Prawnster, said he was prepared to invest to give the gardens pontoon area a “facelift’’ in return for a secure lease.

He said similar floating restaurants had proved a huge success on the Gold Coast, Mooloolaba and Cairns waterfronts.

“Even little old Townsville is planning a big wharf area to host these sort of businesses, yet Brisbane has many more tourists,’’ Mr Brennan said.

“We have to show our best face to the world at the Olympics, not just during the two weeks of the Games, but before and after.

“People will need time to bed down their investment. This is a visionary idea and the time is right.’’

Griffith University tourism expert Professor Daniel Gschwind, CEO of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council from 2001 to 2022, also hailed the idea.

“We have all been clamouring for more river activation. The river is one of the great iconic Brisbane attractions _ we use it in promotions and we call ourselves the river city,’’ he said.

“But we won’t deliver on the promise it has until we bring it to life.’’

He also said there could be a spin-off with better traffic flow if river taxis took off.

There has been innovation overseas in recent years with fast river transport modes which could be replicated in Brisbane.

Breakfast Creek-based electric hire company GoBoat said it would not hesitate to expand to the botanic gardens as well if given the chance of a longterm lease.

“When we were at Dockside (Kangaroo Point) and could get to the Story Bridge in half an hour we were booked up to five weeks ahead,’’ he said.

“At the moment it takes us three hours to get there and back, so we’ve had to re-do our whole marketing.

“Our preference is the City Botanic Gardens because it’s close to hotels and has the foot traffic. We just need power and water, we have few infrastructure needs.’’

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner wants to open up the river to more commercial uses. Picture: Liam Kidston

The uncertainty at the gardens pontoon was highlighted last week when Jet Ski Brisbane was slapped with a noncompliance order by a council officer. It has been contacted for comment.

A council spokeswoman said they had already started talks with Prawnster and Jet Ski Brisbane.

Council would fast track an expressions-of-interest process before offering a new form of licence or permit to allow operators to use the pontoons on an ongoing basis.

Wet lease arrangements were needed to provide the licences or permits.

New pontoon infrastructure could include power, storage and waste disposal, but would depend on the needs of the successful operators. They might deliver some of that themselves, she said.

The Brisbane River could be supercharged into a premium destination featuring party boats, floating restaurants, jet skis and water taxis. Image: AI

The Brisbane River could be supercharged into a premium destination featuring party boats, floating restaurants, jet skis and water taxis. Image: AI