Howard Smith Wharves Archives

AFL and NRL Finals Set to Light Up Howard Smith Wharves

Photo Credit: Howard Smith Wharves/Facebook

Brisbane is gearing up for one of the city’s biggest sporting weekends, with locals expected to pack into Howard Smith Wharves to cheer on the Brisbane Lions in the AFL Grand Final and the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL double header.

AFL and NRL Grand Final screenings at the Wharves

On Saturday, 27 September, the AFL Grand Final will be shown live from 2:30 p.m. across multiple venues at Howard Smith Wharves, including Felons Barrel Hall, Felons Fish & Chipper Lawn, the Rivergarden, and Felons Beer Garden. The Lions, who secured their spot after a strong season, are chasing back-to-back premiership glory.

The celebrations continue on Sunday, 28 September, with the Brisbane Broncos’ men’s and women’s sides both in contention for NRL Grand Final spots. The women’s match kicks off at 1:15 p.m., followed by the men at 4:05 p.m. on the big screens at the same locations.

For fans without tickets to the matches at Suncorp Stadium, the precinct provides a free and open-air setting to watch the action unfold, with Felons Brewing Co supplying game-day food and drinks.

Community atmosphere along the river

Howard Smith Wharves management noted that the precinct has become a gathering place for Brisbane residents during major sporting events, with walk-ins welcome at the outdoor seating areas. Live bands and DJs will also take to the stage on Saturday night after the AFL Grand Final, ensuring that the party continues regardless of the result.

The riverfront venue, situated beneath the Story Bridge, has established itself as Brisbane’s cultural hub, boasting more than a dozen restaurants, bars, and spaces where fans can come together to celebrate. The precinct is highlighting the area’s growing connection to sport and community life, with organisers expecting large crowds across the weekend.

Sporting pride for Brisbane

The Brisbane Lions’ official club site has confirmed the team’s preparations for the clash, while the NRL and Broncos have detailed match times and ticketing updates for their preliminary finals. Suncorp Stadium’s event listings also reflect the packed schedule, with both codes drawing strong support across the city.

This weekend at Howard Smith Wharves offers the chance to share in the finals experience, no matter the scorelines on the field.

AFL Grand Final
Date: 27th September 2025
Time: 2:30PM
Location: Felons Barrel Hall, Felons Fish & Chipper Lawn, Rivergarden, Felons Beer Garden, Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000

NRL Grand Final
Date: 28th September 2025
Time: 1:15PM (NRLW) and 4:05PM (NRL)
Location: Felons Barrel Hall, Felons Fish & Chipper Lawn, Rivergarden, Felons Beer Garden, Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000

Published 26-Sept-2025

New Design for Howard Smith Wharves Includes Grand Stair, More Green Space

The proposed redevelopment of Howard Smith Wharves has taken a new turn, as developers respond to concerns raised by the city’s local planning officials over the original architectural and engineering proposals.

Read: CityCat Services Arrive at Howard Smith Wharves Ferry Terminal

In fresh documents lodged with BCC this week, planners working on behalf of Artemus, the firm behind the multimillion-dollar transformation, have offered revised designs and justifications in a bid to secure approval for the high-profile project.

Planning consultancy Urbis, on behalf of the developer, said the changes aim to clarify the project’s intent while preserving its significance to Brisbane’s future.

Planners emphasised the importance of recognising the significance of the Howard Smith Wharves redevelopment before any formal response to Brisbane’s local planning officials. They noted that the precinct plays a vital role in regional tourism and suggested that continued development would only strengthen that role, particularly as Brisbane prepares for major events leading up to 2032 and beyond.

New Vision for Howard Smith Wharves

Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online (A006618899)

Central to the amended proposal is a 77-room hotel and entertainment complex that would rise to the top of the cliffs, offering sweeping views across the Brisbane River. While the core concept remains intact, key design elements have been reworked in response to community and council concerns. The hotel’s upper levels will now incorporate “organic landscaped stone and planted forms,” aiming to better integrate the structure with its surrounding parkland.

The hotel’s colonnade arches—a key feature along the public pathway—have been widened to improve pedestrian flow through the site. This change addresses concerns about the shared pathway running through the hotel, a plan that had raised red flags among cycling and active transport groups worried about congestion.

In defence of the shared path, planners pointed to the low number of incidents recorded since the precinct reopened in 2018, revealing that only 14 reportable incidents have occurred along the shared pathway in that time, six of which involved interactions between pedestrians and cyclists or scooters.

A Shift Away from the River Barge

The previously approved barge, Felon’s barge, which is in front of the hotel has been removed and replaced with a broad, landscaped stairway and amphitheatre known as the Grand River Stair.

Brisbane’s local planning officials had also questioned whether the proposed hotel design would clash with surrounding heritage structures. In response, Urbis reaffirmed that the building’s red-brown brickwork pays tribute to the city’s traditional architecture. The material choice was carefully selected not to compete visually with the Story Bridge’s bold steel structure.

Capacity, Access, and Traffic Management

According to documents from Colliers Engineering and Design, the site’s total venue capacity is expected to nearly double, from 3,870 to 7,280 people. To support this growth, the revised plans include two new lifts, vehicle standing areas on Bowen Terrace in New Farm, and improved pedestrian circulation.

Concerns about traffic have also been addressed, with the developers assuring that the increase in vehicle movements is within manageable limits.

What’s Next for Howard Smith Wharves?

Despite the scale and sensitivity of the redevelopment, the team behind the project remains confident. They argue that the updated design achieves a better balance between tourism, heritage, public space, and infrastructure.

The overwater pool and entertainment deck, a standout feature of the original proposal, will still go ahead—albeit in a slightly revised form with upgraded pylons and assurances regarding clearance for river transport.

Read: Hamilton Northshore and St Lucia to Get Ferry Connection to Future Howard Smith Wharves Terminal

As Brisbane eyes major events in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic Games, Howard Smith Wharves continues to evolve. Its next phase, if approved, promises to blend iconic architecture with active public space—positioning the precinct not just as a riverside escape, but as a defining symbol of Brisbane’s future.

Published 16-May-2025

Hamilton Northshore and St Lucia to Get Ferry Connection to Future Howard Smith Wharves Terminal

A ferry terminal will be built at Howard Smith Wharves, linking the Hamilton Northshore and UQ St Lucia terminals to the much-anticipated riverfront destination.

Brisbane City Council made the announcement as Howard Smith Wharves closes in on the opening date. The ferry terminal will be jointly funded by Howard Smith Wharves and the council. Howard Smith Wharves will contribute $3 million to the $12-million project.

Proposed site of the Howard Smith Wharves ferry terminal. (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner believes that building a terminal at Howard Smith Wharves makes perfect sense. After a $110-million revitalisation effort, Howard Smith Wharves is poised to become a world-class lifestyle and public entertainment riverfront precinct.

“With its river’s edge location, public parkland, hotel, dining and bars, Howard Smith Wharves is the ideal location for the city’s next ferry terminal,” the deputy mayor said.

“With regular events planned at Howard Smith Wharves’ exhibition centre, as well as the restaurants, bars and public parkland expected to attract large crowds, the terminal will provide convenient public transport to the site.”

The addition of the terminal is the first expansion to the river ferry network since 2015.

Howard Smith Wharves Consortium Chief Executive Officer Luke Fraser is happy about the proposed terminal.

“With our unique position beneath the Story Bridge, there will be no better way to get to Howard Smith Wharves than on the river, which is at the heart of the city’s transformation into a New World City,” Mr Fraser said.

The Howard Smith Wharves terminal is scheduled to open in 2020.

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