Goodwill Bridge Brisbane: Walking, Riding and Getting There

The Goodwill Bridge is a free pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Brisbane River, linking South Bank Parklands with Gardens Point and the CBD. It is just under 500 metres long, carries no cars, and is one of the easiest ways to get between the two sides of the river on foot.

It is also a destination in its own right: a short riverside walk with public art, seating bays and views of South Bank and the river.

What the Goodwill Bridge is

The bridge was completed in 2001 and named for the Goodwill Games, which were held in Brisbane that year. It was opened on 21 October 2001. The architects were Cox Rayner and the design engineers were Ove Arup and Partners.

The structure is a steel arch with a pavilion in the river holding up one end of it. The design is deliberately asymmetrical, which is why it looks so different from the other Brisbane River bridges. It is about 6.5 metres wide.

It connects the Queensland Maritime Museum at South Bank with Gardens Point, where the QUT campus sits, and it joins the South East Bikeway. The Queensland Government has said more than 10,000 cyclists, runners and pedestrians use it every day, so expect company at commuting times.

Walking across the Goodwill Bridge

Walkers keep to the outer edges, which are surfaced in maroon. The centre is the cycling lane, marked grey with large green bicycle symbols. There are several seating bays along the bridge if you want to stop and look at the river.

Public art installations run along the length of the bridge, and the seating bays are a good place to stop and look at the river and the city.

The bridge is part of a bigger loop if you want one: cross here, then come back over the river on the Kurilpa Bridge or the Kangaroo Point Bridge.

Riding across the Goodwill Bridge

This is one of the main cycle links between the city and South Bank. The deck was resurfaced in 2018 with a slip-resistant surface, and the central section is set aside for bikes.

The bridge is part of the South East Bikeway, so it suits a longer ride as well as a quick crossing between South Bank and the city.

Things to do near the Goodwill Bridge

The South Bank end drops you beside the Queensland Maritime Museum, and a few minutes further on is South Bank Parklands with Streets Beach, playgrounds and BBQs. The big museums and galleries of the Cultural Centre are also nearby, including the Queensland Museum and the State Library of Queensland.

On the north side, the bridge comes out at Gardens Point beside the QUT campus, close to the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. Across the river in the other direction, West End has its own food and markets, and the Story Bridge is further along the river.

Planning your visit

• Cost: Free.
• Length: Just under 500 metres, a short walk. Visit Brisbane describes it as just under 500 metres; some other sources round it to 450 to 500 metres.
• Accessibility: Visit Brisbane lists disabled access as available and asks you to contact the operator for details.
• Vehicles: None. Pedestrians and cyclists only.
• Busy times: More than 10,000 people a day use the bridge, so it is busiest when people travel to and from work and study.

Getting to the Goodwill Bridge and parking

By train, South Bank station on Grey Street is the closest to the bridge, the Maritime Museum and the Parklands. By bus, South Bank Busway station is also the closest. CityCats stop at the South Bank terminal on Clem Jones Promenade. Check the Translink journey planner for times.

South Bank Parklands has an underground car park with more than 800 spaces, entered from Tribune Street or Glenelg Street on Little Stanley Street, with a 2.1 metre height limit. When it is full, nearby options include the Convention Centre, QPAC, the Art Gallery, the Museum, the State Library, SW1 and Southpoint. On-street parking is managed by Brisbane City Council. See the South Bank getting there page for the current details.

The bridge is about 10 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, but on foot or by bike is the better way in.

Nearby

• South Bank Parklands – Streets Beach, playgrounds and BBQs at the south end of the bridge.
• Queensland Maritime Museum – right beside the south end.
• Kurilpa Bridge – another river crossing for a loop walk.
• Brisbane City Botanic Gardens – a short way from the Gardens Point end.
• More landmarks in the history and landmarks category and across Brisbane.

You might also like

• Point Danger (Coolangatta)
• The Big Pelican (Noosaville)
• South Brisbane Memorial Park

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