Queen's visit to Brisbane 24th October 2011

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Queen's visit a royal headache for transport

Queen's visit a royal headache for transport
Katherine Feeney
October 20, 2011 - 1:05PM

The Queen may not touch down in Brisbane until Monday, but her presence will be felt earlier with the closures of some CityCat and ferry terminals come the weekend.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman confirmed South Bank terminals one and two, along with the Bretts Wharf terminal, will be closed from midday to 2pm on Sunday in preparation of the Queen's cruise along the Brisbane River.

Monday will see the same inner-city terminals closed between 10am and 1.30pm as the visiting royal couple, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, boat from Ascot to the Cultural Centre and Parklands.

But a Translink spokesman said timetables would continue as usual, with minor adjustments made to account for the terminal closures; craft scheduled to dock at the affected stops would bypass them during the closure.

It will be a different story for motorists, with several road closures during the royal couple's procession through the city expected to cause significant delays.

Little Stanley Street between Glenelg and Tribune streets will be closed from 1am Monday, followed by South Brisbane's Grey Street, between Peel and Glenelg streets, at 11am.

Both streets will reopen at 4pm, with detours via Cordelia and Merivale streets in place.

On the northside, sections of Kingsford Smith Drive and the Inner City Bypass will be closed between 11am and 12 noon.

Motorists are advised to use Sandgate, East-West Arterial and Nudgee roads as detour routes, with police and traffic controllers in attendance to assist motorists, buses and pedestrians.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority confirmed there will also be some temporary airspace restrictions in place over the skies of Brisbane for the Queen's visit, though Matthew Wardell of Airservices, the nation's air traffic providers, did not expect any significant impact on regularly scheduled flights.

"Although there may be some minor delays around the time of the Queen's arrival and departure," Mr Wardell said.

Brisbane harbour master Richard Johnson has issued a direction that the Brisbane River between Hamilton and the Kurilpa Bridge be closed between 10am and 1pm Monday.

A Marine Safety Queensland spokesman said the order did not apply to vessels operated by the Queensland Police Service, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol, the Brisbane City Council and the volunteer marine or Emergency Services Queensland lifesaving craft.

The MSQ directive outlined boat owners intending to anchor in the parts of the River affected by the closure must do so before 10am, Monday, or face a penalty of up to $100,000.

But there will still be more than one Queen on the river at the start of next week.

Kookaburra River Queens owner Jim Kelly said the MV Lady Brisbane had secured approval to offer spectator cruises on the day.

"We'll start upstream ahead of the procession, then come down and pass, and fall into line behind the Queen's craft, the police and other official craft in the party," Mr Kelly said.

"I remember the last time the Queen was here for Expo 88 – she was on Britannia and it was bigger than Ben Hur.

"We had hundreds of boats on the River and everyone was eager to get a look – but these days, with terrorism and all that, it's become a bit of a security threat, hence the closure."

The Queen last visited Queensland to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Coolum in 2002.

After landing in Brisbane on Monday morning, she will proceed along the Brisbane River by boat, disembarking at the Cultural Forecourt for a brief public stroll to a private reception with the Premier Anna Bligh at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

The Queen is then expected to open a water recycling facility at South Bank, more than 20 years after she officially opened the parklands for Expo 1988, and depart shortly after back to her Canberra base before visiting Melbourne and attending CHOGM in Perth.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queens-visit-a-royal-headache-for-transport-20111020-1m9j9.html

[ozbob]

http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/events/royal-visit.aspx

[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh
23/10/2011

QUEENSLAND TO WELCOME THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TO BRISBANE

Queensland is getting set to welcome Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to Brisbane tomorrow, Premier Anna Bligh announced today.

"It's my absolute pleasure to welcome The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to Brisbane for one day on behalf of all Queenslanders," Ms Bligh said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing as many Queenslanders as possible lining the banks of the Brisbane River and congregating at South Bank to offer The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh a warm welcome."

The Royal Visit to Brisbane program is as follows:

11.10am  Arrival at Hawker Pacific, Boronia Road, Brisbane Airport
11.30am Brisbane River Cruise from Bretts Wharf to South Bank
12.20pm Public Walk along Cultural Forecourt to Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)
12.35pm Queensland Government Reception for those affected by the natural disasters during the summer of 2010/11 (private event)
1.05pm Motorcade through Arbour, South Bank to Rain Bank, South Bank
1.10pm Rainforest Walk to Rainforest Green, South Bank
1.15pm Official opening of Rain Bank, Rainforest Green, South Bank
1.30pm Luncheon hosted by the Governor of Queensland (private event).
3.30pm Arrival at Hawker Pacific, Boronia Road, Brisbane Airport for departure to Canberra

The Premier encouraged Queenslanders to get down to one of the designated public viewing areas along the Brisbane River or pay a visit to South Bank to send a warm Queensland welcome to our Head of State.

Public viewing opportunities will be available during the Brisbane River Cruise along the banks of the Brisbane River at the following points:
- Bretts Wharf to Breakfast Creek
- Bulimba Riverside Park and adjacent anchorage points
- Eagle Street Pier to South Bank.

People will also be able to gather in the designated areas at South Bank - along the Cultural Forecourt and near the Wheel of Brisbane, Rain Bank and Rainforest Green - ready for the public walk which is scheduled to commence at 12.20pm.

"Following the reception I am hosting at QPAC to acknowledge the emergency personnel, volunteers, and those affected by the summer's natural disasters," Ms Bligh said.

"Queenslanders have had a tough year with two major natural disasters.

"This visit from the reigning monarch will lift our spirits as we press ahead with the recovery."

The proceedings at South Bank will also be broadcast live to public viewing screens positioned at the Cultural Forecourt and Rainforest Green so that Queenslanders are able to be a part of all activities spread across the Parklands.

On the day of the visit there will be some restricted pedestrian access within the Parklands and some road closures. People are encouraged to use public transport.

Visitors should arrive in plenty of time and bring food, water, hat and sunscreen. Access to food outlets maybe limited depending on large crowd numbers.

A map of the public viewing opportunities at South Bank is now available at www.premiers.qld.gov.au/events/royal-visit.aspx.

[ozbob]

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/bulletin/1319003183

Bretts Wharf and South Bank 1&2 terminal closure

The Bretts Wharf and South Bank 1 and 2 CityCat terminals will be temporarily closed on the following dates:

    Sunday 23 October, 12pm to 2pm
    Monday 24 October, 10am to 1.30pm.

This closure is to allow for the preparation for, and cruise by of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on the Brisbane River.

We appreciate your patience.

All other CityCat and CityFerry terminals will remain open.
Alternative services - South Bank 1 and 2

Customers travelling to South Bank can transfer to the Inner City Ferry service at North Quay and cross the river to South Bank ferry terminal 3.

Customers can also disembark at North Quay and walk over the Victoria Bridge, or disembark at QUT Gardens Point and walk over the Goodwill Bridge.

Cultural Centre busway station is about 500 metres from the South Bank 1&2 ferry terminals and a number of high frequency buses service this station, such as routes 111, 120, 130, 140, 150, 196, 199, 200, 222, 333, 345, 385, 444 and CityGlider.

[ozbob]

Good pax loads inbound and outbound rail (9.30am ex Corinda, 1.30pm ex Central).













Photographs R Dow 24th October 2011

[Fares_Fair]

I wonder if Her Majesty bought a go card for the river trip (correction journey) ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[colinw]

... and did she incur a fixed fare?

[ozbob]

Highlights of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's special visit to Brisbane on October 24, 2011.

[ozbob]

It was a great day for Brisbane yesterday.  I think though that if the City Cat Spirit of Brisbane had been used to convey Her Majesty up the river that would have been a golden touch.



Photograph R Dow 24th October 2011

Would have been a great way to encourage patronage on the Cats as well.  'A ride fit for a Queen'  

Melbourne has no such qualms, the tram 'The Royal Tram'  to be used to convey the Queen --> http://tdu.to/29173.att

[Set in train]

It was a great day for Brisbane yesterday.  I think though that if the City Cat Spirit of Brisbane had been used to convey Her Majesty up the river that would have been a golden touch.

I agree Bob, the Cats are a locally built success, modern, quality; but no shaded outdoor deck. The MV Pure Adrenalin could've been a boat anywhere.

[colinw]

Nah, they should've used the S.S. Forceful.



The engine room in that thing is poetry in motion.

[ozbob]

    

For interest ...

From ABC News click here!

Special tram unveiled for royal visit

Special tram unveiled for royal visit
By Stephanie Corsetti

Updated October 25, 2011 14:25:26
The special tram will remain in service after the visit.


The Victorian Government has unveiled the custom-designed royal tram which will transport the Queen to Government House in Melbourne tomorrow.

The freshly-painted and refurbished red and white tram will take the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh down Swanston Street to a state reception at Government House.

Victorian Transport Minister Terry Mulder says the Z-class tram was specifically chosen by the palace.

"The tram's 31-years-old, there's a 114 of these in fleet," he said.

"It's got new seating, new lower windows, it's had a deep clean, a paint job and of course the wrapping that's been put around it to celebrate her arrival in Melbourne."

Passengers will be able to ride the royal tram for 12 months after the Queen's visit on a number of tram routes including Airport West, Carnegie, Camberwell and East Brighton.

Joyleen Smith has been selected to drive the tram.

Ms Smith says she is privileged to have been given the royal tram duties.

"I'm very very nervous." she said.

"Friday when they told me, my heart was just about jumping out of my chest and I was almost totally overwhelmed. It's a wonderful experience, very humbling as well."

Mr Mulder says he will be disappointed if Occupy Melbourne activists disrupt the royal visit.

Protesters are yet to decide whether they will hold demonstrations in Melbourne tomorrow.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Not the Rolls or Bentley, but a commoner's conveyance gives Her Majesty a royal ride