Riverwalk pontoons find new life after floods

Hundreds of Riverwalk pontoons that broke free in the 2011 floods and floated down the Brisbane River, threatening the safety of the Gateway Motorway, have been repurposed. Find out where they ended up.

Riverwalk pontoons broke free and floated down the Brisbane River in the 2011 floods. Picture: Peter Wallis

HUNDREDS of Riverwalk pontoons that broke free in the 2011 floods and floated down the Brisbane River have been repurposed.

They have found new life as jetties and trawler berths, a floating office, restaurant or pump station, a fuel dock and even a cattle loading facility.

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The recycling project has been spearheaded by Andrew Hooper-Nguyen, co-owner of Spinnaker Sound Marina in Sandstone Point, who is passionate about marinas and recycling.

The public jetty at Sandstone Point Hotel includes pontoons from the original Brisbane Riverwalk. Picture: Sean Strecker

“I know a thing or two about pontoons, and these are the very best of the best in Queensland,” the Sandgate resident said.

“The Riverwalk pontoons are super heavy duty, each weighing about 14 tonnes. They were designed for 100 years of use.”

Spinnaker Sound Marina bought about 150 of the Riverwalk pontoons after Brisbane City Council offered them for sale by public tender in mid 2013.

Andrew Hooper-Nguyen

“The Brisbane Riverwalk was an 870 metre structure made up of 273 pontoons. The floods carried the pontoons down the Brisbane River at estimated speeds of 12 to 14 knots, during which many were damaged beyond repair.

“The damaged pontoons were crushed and sent to landfill.

“While we did not have a plan for the pontoons we bought, we appreciated their build quality and, as marina operators, recognised their suitability for alternative marine projects. I was pretty sure they could – and should – be repurposed.

“It’s been a really challenging and fun project, working with customers across Australia to employ the Riverwalk pontoons in their second lives.”

Bribie Island Boat Charters has five of the pontoons under their floating office at Spinnaker Sound Marina.

Bribie Island Boat Charters built their office on three pontoons from the original Brisbane Riverwalk. Picture: Bribie Island Boat Charters

Co-owner Brendon Read said when Mr Hooper-Nguyen told him about the Riverwalk pontoons about six years ago he thought “how wonderful”.

“We needed to upgrade our office and the pontoons they were on … and these are brilliant,” he said.

“Even though council didn’t want them any more there was nothing wrong with them. I like the idea of reusing them; it’s recycling.”

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Mr Read and wife Robyn bought 20 of the pontoons from Andrew and loaned one to another marina user who set up a small bar with a roof over it.

Others have made their way to Glen Innis and the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, and Flinders Island in Tasmania.

Gold Coast Helitours used 16 Riverwalk pontoons for a double-story office with helipads on the roof. Picture: Gold Coast Helitours

Mr Hooper-Nguyen said he was amazed by the diversity of purpose for the pontoons in their ‘second life’.

He said the most surprising use was by Gold Coast Helitours, which joined 16 Riverwalk pontoons together as a base for their helicopter terminal.

There are about 35 pontoons left at Spinnaker Sound Marina.

“I am very proud that we managed to rescue so many of the Riverwalk pontoons and that they have been successfully recycled into new uses,” Mr Hooper-Nguyen said.

“Some may even see through their planned 100 year life.”

WHERE ARE THE RIVERWALK PONTOONS NOW:

■ Sandstone Point Hotel public jetty

■ Gold Coast Helitours floating terminal

■ Cooktown Kiosk trawler jetty

■ Lake Macquarie (NSW) floating restaurant

■ Bribie Island Boat Charters floating office

■ Port Douglas Marina fuel dock

■ New England (NSW) floating pump station

■ Flinders Island (Tasmania) cattle loading facility

■ Gladstone private trawler berths