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Story Bridge Brisbane Facts & Worksheets

Story Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge that crosses the Brisbane River.

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The Story Bridge, a steel cantilever bridge, crosses the Brisbane River in Queensland, Australia. The Bradfield Highway connects Kangaroo Point and Fortitude Valley through this bridge. It opened for business in 1940, five years after construction began, and is named after a well-known public official, John Douglas Story.

See the fact file below for more information on Story Bridge, or you can download our 26-page Story Bridge worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • The people of Kangaroo Point had long sought a bridge between Kangaroo Point and Brisbane CBD. Even when Victoria Bridge was erected between South Brisbane and North Brisbane, the locals continued campaigning for another passageway to be created from Customs House to Kangaroo Point.
  • The Queensland Government commissioned John Bradfield to design a new bridge in Brisbane in 1932. And in 1933, they appointed Bradfield as the building engineer. 
  • After five years of construction, Brisbane’s most famous bridge opened in 1940 (to 37,000 people) as the seventh biggest in the world and second in Australia after the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
  • The opening of Story Bridge happened five years after its construction began and fourteen years after the original proposals for a Kangaroo Point river crossing.
  • The Story Bridge was one of the government’s three major public works projects, providing years of work for many workers throughout the Great Depression. 
  • The Story Bridge is Australia’s giant steel bridge, designed, made, and built entirely by Australians.
  • The similarities between Story Bridge and the Sydney Bridge stem from having the same chief consulting engineer, Dr. John Bradfield, who took over at age 66. 
  • Dr. John Bradfield, a Brisbane native, best recognized as the lead engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, designed the bridge in 1934. However, Bradfield drew mainly on the style and utility of the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal, Canada, for inspiration for the Story Bridge. 
  • Bradfield leverages local building giants Evans Deakin (which has operated out of its Salisbury factories for decades) and in cooperation with Hornibrook Contractors, a Queensland construction company liable for massive projects.
  • The only difference between the Sydney and Brisbane bridges is that the Sydney bridge is constructed of British steel, whereas the Brisbane bridge is nearly wholly composed of local materials.
  • The bridge was initially known as Jubilee Bridge, but they renamed it after Douglas Story in honor of the man who passionately lobbied for construction.
  • He joined the public service at 16 and oversaw establishing the department in charge of building the bridge.
  • Upon ‘retirement’ at 69, when the bridge opened, he began a vice chancellorship at the University of Queensland, which he held until his death at 91 without receiving any pay.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

  • Bradfield’s Story Bridge retains a cantilevered length of more than 282m, making it the country’s longest cantilevered bridge.
  • Over 12,000 tonnes of steel were utilized in the building, with most frames and trusses made in a Rocklea facility more than 10 kilometers away. 
  • Large portions of the bridge were assembled at the workshop to verify that each piece fit correctly before being disassembled for shipping.
  • Over 400 individuals were involved in the bridge’s construction at its busiest phase. Because the foundations were excavated more than 30 meters below the river’s surface, those working on them wore customized deep-sea diver suits.
  • A toll booth was set up on one side to recoup construction costs, with a levy of five cents for each car. These tolls were dropped far sooner than officials intended, primarily because of the increased traffic by United States army personnel during World War Two (the city was the Allied Forces’ headquarters for the South West Pacific campaign).

ATTRACTIONS

  • The bridge is a popular tourist destination in the area, attracting thousands of tourists each year. 
  • The only time you’d have to pay to cross the bridge these days would be if you did a Story Bridge Climb. This high-altitude adventure, popular with locals and visitors, will undoubtedly get your heart beating and is the most spectacular vantage point from which to observe the city skyline.
  • The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is one of the world’s only three bridge climbs. 
  • A typical climb begins with an alcohol test since you cannot climb while drinking. Following that, you are briefed for 30 minutes and hooked to a static line. 
  • Climbing starts at road level and progresses slowly as you gain height. The journey to the top usually takes around 2 hours, and once there, you may enjoy uninterrupted 360-degree views of the river, Brisbane City, Moreton Bay Islands, and nearby mountain ranges.
  • The Kangaroo Point Hotel, the former hotel on the site, was built in 1885 for James Darragh and initially opened as the Kangaroo Point Hotel. 
  • Its placement on a significant road made it an ideal site to attract customers. Once the Story Bridge was built in the 1930s, it was renamed the Story Bridge Hotel to capitalize on its closeness to the local icon. 
  • Since the 1920s, the hotel has undergone a variety of extensions and renovations, although they fully restored it in the late 1980s. 
  • Richard Gailey, a well-known Brisbane architect, created the hotel in the elaborate Victorian Filigree style.
  • When you reach the Story Bridge hotel, you may get a drink and dine on award-winning food. This renowned hotel is constructed around the iconic bridge’s towers and is one of Brisbane’s top drinking establishments. 
  • Because of its closeness to the Brisbane Cricket Ground, popularly known as the Gabba, the hotel attracts ardent climbers, visitors, and Australian cricket fans. 
  • Apart from climbing the Story Bridge and resting at the Bridge Hotel, you can enjoy live entertainment at the Brisbane Jazz Club, browse for souvenirs at the fabulous gift store, or rappel from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.

RENOVATION AND MAINTENANCE

  • Story Bridge is an iconic Brisbane landmark that is a part of the city’s heart, and soul as the Sydney Opera House is to Sydney.
  • The heritage-listed Story Bridge is a vital link in Brisbane’s traffic network, bringing about 100,000 cars across the Brisbane River daily.
  • The bridge is renovated every seven years using 17,500 gallons of paint. There are about 105,000 square meters of painted steel surfaces.
  • The bridge has undergone regular maintenance, including ad hoc spot painting and occasional washdowns. However, this is the first thorough, whole-of-structure examination and repair in its history.
  • The Wharf Street metered parking lot is still closed since it is being utilized as a temporary lay-down location for the restoration work.

Stage 2

  • The rehabilitation of the below-deck steel on the southern approach to the Story Bridge, between Wharf Street and Holman Street at Kangaroo Point, began in mid-August 2021.
  • Work between Wharf Street and the bridge pier behind Radio 4EB began in mid-August 2021 and is scheduled to be finished in mid-2022.
  • The construction will proceed towards Holman Street, with all Stage 2 locations expected to be completed by late 2024.

Story Bridge Brisbane Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Story Bridge across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Story Bridge, a steel cantilever bridge that crosses the Brisbane River.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Story Bridge (Brisbane) Facts
  2. Define It!
  3. Crossword
  4. Bridge Type
  5. Which is Which?
  6. Fun Facts
  7. Cantilever Bridges
  8. What’s that?
  9. Story Bridge turns 83
  10. sTOry bridgE
  11. My Brisbane Scrapbook

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Story Bridge?

The Story Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge located in Brisbane, Australia. It spans the Brisbane River and connects the neighborhoods of Kangaroo Point and Fortitude Valley. It was opened in 1940 and is considered a major landmark of Brisbane.

What is the history of the Story Bridge?

The Story Bridge was designed by John Bradfield, the chief engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and was opened in 1940. It was built to provide an additional crossing of the Brisbane River and to relieve congestion on the Victoria Bridge. It was named the “Story Bridge” to honor the public servant and politician, Alfred James Story.

How long is the Story Bridge?

The Story Bridge is 2,628 feet (801 meters) long and has a main span of 1,029 feet (314 meters)

Can you climb the Story Bridge?

Yes, you can climb the Story Bridge. It’s a popular tourist activity and offers a panoramic view of the city. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is a guided climb that takes you to the top of the bridge and provides safety equipment and training for the climb.

How much does it cost to cross the Story Bridge?

There is no cost to cross the Story Bridge by car, bus, or bike, but there is a toll for motorcycles and heavy vehicles. The toll cost changes depending on the type of vehicle and the time of day. Tolls can be paid in cash or electronically via the toll operator’s website or app.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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