This was published 1 year ago
All aboard: Last two CityCat terminals reopen after flood repairs
By Tony Moore
Brisbane’s final two CityCat terminals will reopen on Monday, virtually 12 months to the day after torrential rain caused massive flood damage in 177 Brisbane suburbs.
And their reopening will come three years faster than CityCat repairs following the 2011 floods.
Brisbane’s last two CityCat stops – Regatta and North Quay – will reopen on Monday.Credit: Tony Moore
North Quay and Regatta are the last two CityCat wharves to reopen with pre-flood timetable frequency after last year’s floods caused $660 million in damage to Brisbane City Council assets.
The others opened progressively last year, with the first three CityCat terminals opened just three months after the floods.
“It is an important milestone,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.
“The river bore the brunt of the impact of the floods, as did many of the suburbs along the river, and our river infrastructure suffered significantly.”
Schrinner said design changes to CityCat terminals after the 2011 floods enabled faster repairs in 2022.
“After the 2011 floods, it took four years to rebuild all of the terminals,” he said, adding that seven terminals were washed away at the time.
“This weekend marks the 12-month period, and on Monday morning, the entire ferry network will be back up and running.”
The Regatta and North Quay terminals suffered more extensive damage than the other 19 stops as both were struck by heavy pontoons floating downstream.
Floodwaters were also more turbulent around those terminals, Schrinner said.
“Gangways had to be lifted off, taken offsite, adjustments made, then reinstalled,” he said.
Schrinner said changes were made to the gangways connecting the terminals to the shore.
“Specialist marine contractors lowered the gangway release mechanisms by 500 millimetres so they swing open sooner in the event of another river flood disaster,” he said.
The entire CityCat network, from Hamilton Northshore to the University of Queensland, will be open from Monday morning.
The repairs were part of council’s $16 million ferry terminal restoration program.