19/06/2026
My love of the cross-river ferries began on Christmas Eve, 1974, back when I was a clerk in the Department of Harbours and Marine on the corner of Margaret and Edward Streets, Brisbane, alongside the river. Brisbane was so beautiful in those days.
That day, one of our guys suggested we all hop on a ferry for a short trip to Kangaroo Point and back. Seven or eight of us piled on.
After the '74 flood which had inundated our workplace, the elegant Port Office, the river was much cleaner-looking than before. I can still remember the garfish that followed us to Kangaroo Point, enjoying the free ride in our wake, while perhaps basking in the warmth of the exhaust from the throbbing diesel.
Since that time, I've enjoyed many a ferry trip, but somehow there were never enough. The Brisbane City Council declared the ferries unfit for service, and withdrew them in 2020, despite assurances to the contrary.
A good number of the ferries have been restored by private owners. One gives scenic outings on the Mooloolah River :
https://www.mooloolabaferry.com.au/
I guess opinions were divided as to their usefulness!
I love painting the Brisbane River. I love that river. It's so abused and misunderstood. Some people say it's never blue. Well, that's not true. Viewed from the correct angle, so it reflects the sky, ANY body of water can look blue.
Due to the high level of sediment, and no doubt a certain amount of pollution, it offers the artist some wonderful colours to identify and depict. Pollution is a beautiful thing! No, not really.
Anyway let's ridicule the river for the way it looks. That works.
Finished today, this oil on wood panel, 16x20 inches. One of the old ferries on the Brisbane River.
