Goodwill Bridge

This is an entire massive bridge just for pedestrians and bikes. It leads from one park to another, making a great tourist conveyance. Overhead shades run the length of it, separate lanes are delineated for pedestrians and bikes, and periodic platforms serve as rest stops. It may seem banal, but imagine trying to live in Brisbane if some of these bridges weren’t here. We don’t do pedestrian bridges of this scale in the U.S.

This bridge was a great step in the right direction by BCC. For starters, it’s actually in a well used location. For anybody studying at QUT and living in Woolloongabba, West End or anywhere that side of the river it cuts heaps of cycle or walking time off the trip.
It’s also a great connection between the family and visitor friendly spaces of Southbank and the Botanic Gardens.
It’s functional, not stylish, which when you consider the price tag of other ‘arty’ footbridges is a good thing (yes, I’m looking at you Kurilpa). All in all a bloody good addition to Brisbane.

Most of the time I forget that the Goodwill Bridge even exists. I have only walked across this pedestrian Bridge on a few occasions. It does make access from Southbank to QUT and the River Stage a lot more convenient and is a step in the right direction to encourage walking and cycling as transport options in the city.
The bridge is not very pretty but it is not an eyesore like Kurilpa. It lacks any real stand out qualities, mainly focusing on function more than style. It is covered which is good when the sun is blaring but nothing on earth can save you from sideways rain, which, face it, always happens with the wind over the Brisbane River.
This bridge is a great vantage point for fireworks, whether New Years Eve or the Brisbane Riverfire. You get a nice view of the city and Southbank on one side and spin around and you can just glimpse the Story Bridge. Goodwill is good enough.

This bridge doesn’t look like anything much. It’s no spectacle like some of the other bridges just around the river bend. However, it is incredibly handy. QUT and Southbank are both heavily populated areas and so building the Goodwill Bridge meant easier access and a shortcut for people having to regularly cross the river. The Goodwill Bridge was the first pedestrian bridge built in Brisbane, and marked the first official step towards making Brisbane easier to explore by foot. In past years, certain festivals have been held there too. Because it’s at the eastern end of the cityscape, it’s makes for a unique lookout point. Take in Southbank, the multiple other bridges that connect north and south, as well as Brisbane city. On the other side, you’ll get a pretty view of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs (especially if you go at sunset), the Botanical Gardens, and just a hint of the Story Bridge. There are plenty of places to stop, and there’s even a coffee station there as well. Voila!