Queensland Walks – Feedback to Cultural Precinct Master Plan
Queensland Walks is a volunteer community group that encourages and promotes
walking as a healthy, sustainable and equitable form of transport and recreational
activity. We aim to help improve conditions for walking in Queensland through action
plans, education and working with government agencies.
QW believes that providing for walking throughout the cultural precinct is vital as
walking is an inclusive and democratic mode of transport. It enables those who do not
drive a car (children, students, local and international visitors, elderly) to access
culture, which is an important aspect of life for people of all ages, abilities and
interests.
We agree with the aims of the master plan to create
 A finer grain or urban morphology enables people to more easily access
 A more permeable streetscape
 More active frontages as well as an enlarged evening economy
 More and better quality public spaces.
 Legibility and wayfinding
These factors are likely to lead to a safer and more walkable environment for all.
Recommendations
C1 Cultural Heart
QW appreciates the wider vision of cultural sites and experiences in the inner city
beyond this precinct, as illustrated on p 27. While this may be beyond the scope of
this planning document, QW suggests that these sites be connected by quality walking
environments.
Queensland
QueenslandWalks
Walks
Slightly related to this is access from the William Jolly Bridge. The lack of direct
footpath connections to GOMA, means that people create their own desire paths
through the gardens. We note that this may be addressed with a future structure that
connects directly to the William Jolly Bridge. However, it would be useful to
reconsider this access point before this occurs.
C3 Public Realm Strategy
QW fully supports the intent of this strategy, which aims to encourage walking and
provide a more comfortable area to walk and sit in the area. More specifically:
 04 – Agree with the need to improve the pedestrian quality of and access from
Melbourne St.
 05 – Agree with the need for a wider boardwalk along the river, to ensure easy
use by both people on bike and on foot. We emphasise the need to ensure
sufficient shade along this area, preferably through larger trees. Also,
removing the barriers between the river bank and the boardwalk is a priority; a
seamless connection at this point is highly desirable.
 06 – Agree that removing bus layover area on Stanley Place will improve the
pedestrian realm in this area and provide for more people-friendly outcomes.
 07 – Agree that Grey St (behind the Museum) is not an ideal pedestrian
location, and that improvements (such as removing the bus layover area and
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planting trees) will improve the pedestrian realm. It would also be useful to
provide connections to the re-energised Fish Lane to the south.
09 – Agree with injecting life and activity to Kurilpa Point, which is often
perceived as an unsafe area. QW acknowledges that a future development of
the Parmalat factory site can help facilitate this.
11 – Agree that a the city side of Victoria Bridge could encourage walking
across
River’s Edge - Agree with providing increased access, as well as improved
lighting to encourage walking after dark. Also agree with food and beverage
tenancies to encourage casual surveillance.
Way finding – support all these aspects, especially the pedestrian hierarchy
Engaging with Children – agree with encouraging children to engage with the
public realm.
QW would like to ensure that significant vegetation remains and is planned,
especially in areas where there are significant amounts of hard, reflective
surfaces. These include the Cultural Forecourt, the QAG Embankment, the
Cultural Heart, Stanley Place, and Kuripla Point.
C4 Public Space Activation
 Support the increased use of public space to encourage a more welcoming and
vibrant walking environment, especially night time activities.
Queensland Walks
C5 Built Form Strategy
 Support the intent to activate edges to enliven the public realm
 Support improved shade and shelter for people
 Melbourne St Forecourt – Support the lowering of this area to street level to
encourage more activity and public interaction.
C6 Access and Mobility Strategy
 Support the hierarchy of pedestrian and cycle mobility to and within the
precinct and agree that this network requires further integration.
 Support increased access to public transport services.
 QW does not generally support increased car parking, except in the case of the
construction of an additional facility. The areas is well served by walking,
cycling and public transport facilities, and the cultural precinct already has a
significant amount of parking, not including the nearby Southbank carpark
(holding 800 cars). Providing car parking encourages people to drive, rather
than walk, ride or catch public transport (of which there are many services
close by), and increased car traffic reduces the quality of the walking
environment.
Cycling
 QW notes a lack of visible cycle parking throughout the precinct. To
encourage cycling as well as walking, cycle parking should be prevalent as
well as visible throughout the precinct.
 QW wants to ensure that people who choose to walk or ride bikes are
permitted to do so without obstructing each other. Therefore, we want to
ensure that boardwalks and other accesses along river are sufficiently wide to
permit plenty of space for both groups to do so with significant comfort.
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We note that many people on bikes use the ramp from Victoria Bridge, which
is planned to be removed. We trust that a sufficient or better replacement is
proposed.
Queensland Walks believes that this draft master plan provides many valuable ideas
to this vital heart of Brisbane’s (and Queensland’s) cultural life, where many people
visit for cultural and recreational experiences. We welcome further opportunities to
consult on the recommendations stated as desired.
Regards
Queensland Walks