St Lucia Ferry Terminal

The St Lucia area, earlier known as Short Pocket, developed as a farming district with the first farm established by John Carmody in 1853. The district gradually developed as a sugar producing area with a sugar mill operated by William Dart on the north bank of the river (a little downstream from the present University of Queensland rowing sheds) established in 1865.

The district was slow to progress from a farming community to a suburban area, however the proximity of the land to the river and the river views from elevated parts of the district made it an attractive prospect for land speculators despite its distance from Brisbane Town. In 1877 architect Richard Gailey subdivided his estate on the town side of Indooroopilly. Further subdivisions took place in the area during the 1880s. The idea of a bridge from West End to St Lucia was mooted at this time. By 1889 there was sufficient demand to establish a free ferry service between Montague Road, South Brisbane and St Lucia Road (later Coronation Drive). Elevated land continued to attract prosperous settlers who established a number of estates with substantial residences in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The St Lucia/West End Ferry Service commenced operation 27 October 1920 travelling across river between St Lucia and West End. Initially, the operating hours were 6.20am to 11.40pm. In 1974 the hours were altered - Monday to Saturday operating between 5.30am and 11.30pm and Sunday crossings between 8am and 8pm. The ferry terminal shelter shed was standing by 1931. The gangway and pontoon were rebuilt after being sunk in the 1931 flood.

During the 1920s land at St Lucia continued to be subdivided and sold. The establishment of the University of Queensland at the St Lucia campus accelerated settlement of the area through the 1930s to 1950s. Speculation about the building of a bridge linking St Lucia and West End continued including the proposal to link the newly founded St Lucia campus by bridge to Boundary Street, West End.

The use of the University site as an Army base during the Second World War increased traffic across the river to the extent that three boats were required to meet the demand and the connecting tram services ran every ten minutes. 

The opening and expansion of the University of Queensland and the attendant development of the suburb generally saw patronage remain at high levels during the 1950s and 1960s. From the 1970s ferry services generally experienced declines in patronage and many services were gradually withdrawn.

The St Lucia/West End service provided a convenient link across river, especially when there were fewer bridges spanning the river. The St Lucia/West End ferry service was particularly welcomed by students and staff of the University of Queensland. However, in 1994 a report into ferry operations recommended that a more popular, efficient service would be provided by a fast catamaran service operating over the 19 kilometres of the river between Hamilton and the St Lucia campus. The infrastructure for the Citycats was completed and the service began operating in November 1996 and the ferry terminal at St Lucia was made redundant as the cross river ferry service was replaced by this new Citycat service.

The St Lucia Ferry Shed is a small freestanding singleskinned timber pavilion terminating the road reserve at the north end of Laurence Street. Clad in weatherboards and sheltered by a pyramid roof sheeted in corrugated metal, the shed has openings to the north and south and accommodates timber slat bench seats to the east and west. The shed stands on a concrete slab which has a tarmac surface between the seats. The exterior weatherboards are painted blue and the fascias and gutters are yellow. 

A long flight of timber stairs with an intermediate landing climbs down the river edge to the pontoon below. A flight of concrete stairs west of the shed links the shed to the grassed river edge. 

The shed, framed by ornamental jacarandas and poincianas, terminates the vista to the north along Laurence Street. A large mature jacaranda stands west of the shed.

The terminal is no longer used for river ferries. The timber stairs and pontoon are sealed off by a locked security gate and are not accessible. A brief visual inspection reveals that shed is in a satisfactory condition. Paint is flaking from gutters and fascias. No adequate termite protection is in place for the timber structure, which sits onto the slab.

1. Brisbane City Council - City Assets Branch Conservation Management Study Stage 1 Report. November 2002