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Expo '88 was a World's Fair held in Brisbane,
Queensland,
Australia
between April 30
and October 30,
1988. The theme of the
Expo was "Leisure in the Age of Technology" and at a cost of AUD$625
million, Expo '88 was the largest event of the 1988 Bicentennial celebrations of the British
settlement of Australia.
The first bid to bring an exposition to Brisbane
in 1988 began with James Maccormick, the architect who had designed the
Australian pavilions at Montreal
1967, Osaka 1970, and Spokane
1974. The Australian Bicentennial Authority (ABA), under John Reid, wanted an
Universal Exposition in Australia
as part of Bicentennial in 1988, and the Federal Government was prepared to
fund half of the cost of an exposition in Melbourne or Sydney. However, when
these states turned the offer down in 1981, Reid approached the Queensland
Government with a proposal for a cheaper International Exposition. In late 1981
the State Cabinet funded a study that identified South Brisbane
as the preferred site. The State Cabinet approved the study on the condition
that the Federal Government share the capital costs, but Prime Minister Malcolm
Fraser rejected this notion in December 1981. After much to-ing and fro-ing and
further negotiations, there was a renewed bid by the Qld
State
Government in 1982 who offerd to would lend money to a statutory authority,
which would be tasked with buying and developing the land, and managing the
exposition. Brisbane's application
was approved in June 1983.
The Brisbane Exposition and South Bank Redevelopment Authority (BESBRA) BESBRA was
established in February 1984 by an Act of the Queensland Parliament. Sir
Llewellyn Edwards, the Deputy Premier, was appointed as Chairman. In April 1984
it was claimed that Expo 88 would require $180 million to produce, including
resumptions and development, and $90 million to run. It was hoped that gate
takings and sponsorship would cover the running costs, and that the development
cost would be recouped through selling off the site after Expo 88. Just
13 hectares of the Expo 88 site was private
land, with the remainder of the 40 hectares belonging to either the State
Government or the Brisbane City Council. The last resumption did not occur
until October 1984, as the owner of the heritage-listed residence "Collins
Place" fought a running legal battle with the Expo
88 Authority.
Construction Work on Expo '88 BeginsGrey and Stanley Streets were closed to traffic in July 1985, and demolition
work began. Construction of the pavilions started in January 1986. Landscaping
began in March 1987. A monorail was constructed to take visitors quickly around the
Expo site. The monorail cost AU$12 million and consisted of 2 stations at
either end of the site, 2.3 kilometers of track and 4 nine-carriage trains.
Following Expo, the monorail became part of the Sea World
monorail system. Massive sun-sails also graced the Exposition site, giving
shade from the Queensland sun and
became iconic features of the Exposition and the South Brisbane
skyline, beong removed at its conclusion.
Two thousand kilometres of telephone wire were used in the construction of
the site and $25 million Australian dollars were spent on commissioning,
purchasing and loaning some 100 works of sculpture for the Exposition. By
January 1988, $90 million of the $136.8 million construction budget had been
spent, and 7.8 million visitors were expected.
Brisbane Expo '88 in Full SwingExpo '88 ran for seven days a week, between the hours of 10am-10pm, for six months. Between its opening on 30 April,
attended by Queen Elizabeth II, and 30
October 1988, the Expo attracted 15,760,447 visitors, the majority
of these being Australians. Most of the international visitors were Japanese,
but 100,000 came from the United Kingdom
and Europe, with 150,000 visitors from the United
States. A total of 36 nations, two
international organisations, 14 state and regional governments, and 34
corporations had exhibits. The exposition averaged 100,000 visitors a day, with
highest day of attendance being 184,000 visitors on October 29, 1988 - the last day before the
Closing Ceremony.
At the Closing Ceremony of Expo '88, there were fireworks and a concert,
with the famous Australian pop-folk group, The Seekers,
singing one of their most famous songs "The Carnival is Over" at the very end
of the celebrations, in what has become an Australian tradition. As Judith
Durham was not available to join the other Seekers for the Expo '88 Closing
Ceremony celebrations, popular Australian soprano Julie Anthony joined the group as
the lead vocalist in her stead.
After Expo '88Expo 88 was in part intended to start Brisbane
on a modernisation process, and towards becoming a "global" city. The urban
renewal of South Brisbane was just one aspect. In April
1984 Sir Llew stated that Queensland
would never be the same again after Expo 88, and Brisbane would develop an
image as a centre of trade, culture and entertainment. In April 1988 the
Courier Mail claimed that Expo 88 was "bridging the yawning gap from a hayseed
State to an urbane, international
future". Sir Llew also claimed in April 1988 that the aim was for Expo 88 to be
a catalyst for a change in lifestyle. Queenslanders had experienced extended
opening hours and outdoor cafe dining, and had liked it.
While the crowds enjoyed Expo 88, controversy continued regarding future
plans for the site. In June 1988 it was decided to restore this land as
parkland. The Southbank Development Corporation was set up February 1989, with
Vic Pullar as the Chairman. Approximately $200 million had been spent on
developing the Expo site, and this money had to be recouped. The South Bank
Corporation Act was passed in May 1989, and the the Southbank Corporation was
tasked with managing a new parkland precinct. In June 1989 submissions were
sought from five architectural firms, and in August the "Media Five" concept of
a mixed residential, commercial, and parkland development was chosen. Wwhen the
Southbank Corporation's Draft Development Plan was released in November 1989,
it proposed to only keep the facades of the historic buildings. After protests
by the National Trust, the State Government overruled the Southbank
Corporation.
The Development of South BankThe proposed redevelopment included a waterway through the park, and a large
lagoon, which was later downsized. In March 1990 the Final Plan was presented,
after public submissions, and site redevelopment started in July 1990. The official
Southbank Parklands opening occurred on 20
June 1992. The Waterway was later filled in and replaced with the
Energex Arbour, which was officially opened in March 2000.
After the end of Expo '88, various contingency plans were mooted as to
possible future developments. One proposal was for a 'second' CBD-area to be
developed, however this proposal was rejected. A second proposal, incorporating
extensive parklands, boutique retail, as well as low-medium residential
development, was later accepted, and four years after the closure of Expo 88,
the site was reopened as the South Bank Parklands.
The only remaining traces of the Exposition on the former site are: the
Nepalese Pavilion, a traditional three-storey hand-made wooden replica of a
famous Pagoda in Kathmandu, the board walk at the South end of the parklands,
and two (since renovated) Pubs. On April 30,
2004, sixteen years
after the Expo's official opening, a commemorative foundation for the
Exposition was launched, named Foundation Expo '88.
Update 10/4/2007
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Brisbane Shopping
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Here you will find a directory listing of the Harvey Norman stores in
Brisbane. For the most up to date list you can visit their website.
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Fun Stuff
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When looking to dine out in Brisbane, it is helpful to understand the different
precincts for
restaurants in Brisbane.
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