Flood-wrecked Toowong restaurant off bikeway, future still in doubt

The derelict hulk of a riverfront Brisbane restaurant has finally been hauled off Queensland’s busiest bikeway after it was dumped there in February’s flood. But its long-term future is unclear.

The long-term future of Drift restaurant is still unclear after it was hauled off Queensland’s busiest bikeway, where it was unceremoniously dumped in the February flood.

Two cranes had been working for weeks to remove the structure from the Bicentennial Bikeway at Toowong before it was finally removed last week.

A lane on adjacent Coronation Drive was closed last night (Sunday April 18) after a turning lane was earlier shut, and the speed limit was dropped to 40kmh, to allow cyclists to get past the blockage.

A Council spokesman said today (Monday, April 19) a team would carry out night works this week to restore all lanes on the busy arterial road, allowing the speed limit to go back to 60kmh.

Drift owner Ken Allsop, who said just before the flood that he planned to reopen last month, was contacted for comment on his plans for the restaurant.

About 75,000 motorists use Coronation Drive every day and about 5000 people use the bikeway, which sustained worse damage than first thought but was able to reopen late on Thursday after a safety inspection.

It's off! Two cranes finally managed to lift Drift off the Bicentennial bikeway last week.

The restaurant is now clear of the bikeway.

Civic Transport chair, Councillor Ryan Murphy, said the “innovative’’ solution had minimised disruption to motorists.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey, a keen cyclist, said every effort had been made to get the bikeway reopened as quickly as possible but it had been a complex job.

“The crews (did) an incredible job on what is a highly unstable and dangerous site,’’ he said recently.

The operation has created a rift between the Government and Council, which loaned two of the cranes it was using to build the Kangaroo Point green bridge further downstream.

Drift restaurant at Milton before it was removed. Picture: Brad Fleet

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey at the Drift site. Picture: Adam Head

Mr Allsop is meanwhile caught up in a stoush with the Government over his Dockside marina at Kangaroo Point, has been contacted several times for comment.

The Department of Resources earlier this year ordered commercial boat and floating business operators using Dockside to leave because their operations breached a seabed lease, but has granted an extension due to flood damage at Dockside.