Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s legacy everywhere to be seen across the city

From subterranean motorways and plans for a new Metro system to a dazzling colour- and light-filled cityscape and a surge in new luxury hotels, outgoing Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk is leaving quite a legacy behind him.

Among the legacies left by departing Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk are the Legacy Way Tunnel, the lighting of the Story Bridge, assisting the increase in high-end hotels and getting the Brisbane Metro off the ground.

From subterranean motorways and plans for a new Metro system to a colour- and light-filled cityscape and a surge in new luxury hotels, outgoing Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk is leaving quite a legacy behind him.

When he leaves the job on April 7 after exactly eight years in the top job and more than three decades in local government, Cr Quirk says he will do so proud of the work he and his team have accomplished.

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Reflecting on his time in the top job, Cr Quirk said his proudest achievement was creating a more inclusive and harmonious city.

“These are things that you can’t necessarily in all cases touch and feel and will not be obvious to all people,” he said.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk inside the Legacy Way tunnel. Pic Darren England.

“But for those where it does have an effect, it’s extremely important to them.”

Under his leadership, the council has delivered landmark infrastructure projects, including the Legacy Way Tunnel, which along with the Clem 7, Airport Link and Go Between Bridge, collectively take more than 120,000 vehicles away from surface streets every day.

The Nautilus Pool Bar at the Westin Brisbane, one of a number of 4 and 5-star hotels that have opened in Brisbane following a reduction of infrastructure charges.

He has also aimed to make the city more accessible, rolling out 40 all-abilities playgrounds and making Brisbane’s fleet of buses fully accessible.

More recently, the Quirk administration secured crucial funding to get its Brisbane Metro project off the ground, which is expected to improve travel times for commuters by up to 50 per cent when it launches in 2023.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner look at plans for the Brisbane Metro. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Cr Quirk also pointed to his City of Lights program, which included the LED lighting of the Story and Victoria Bridges, as a way the city had matured under his Lord Mayoralty.

He also played a crucial role as the head of the South East Queensland Council of Mayors in attracting State and Federal Government support for a City Deal agreement to provide vital infrastructure.

And a feasibility study commissioned by the Council of Mayors has paved the way for a possible bid to host the Olympic Games.

But the Mt Coot-tha zip line project has attracted substantial community criticism in recent months.