Queensland Rail’s historic South Brisbane station has reached another milestone in its restoration and renovation journey with the Grey Street plaza reopening to the public. Chief Project Delivery Officer Kevin Wright said the upgraded plaza gives the station an attractive, pedestrian-friendly frontage on Grey Street.

“It’s been designed to complement not only the appearance of our 120 year old heritage-listed station building but also the surrounding area,” said Mr Wright.

“We’ve planted mature trees and installed signage that incorporates Braille, new lighting to improve safety and highlight the historical building, and the station’s iconic exterior clock that sits over the main entrance is being repaired.
“Finishes such as seating and paving have been selected in consultation with South Bank Corporation to ensure visual harmony in the precinct.”

The plaza is now a dedicated pedestrian zone which means vehicles will no longer have access to the area.
“To ensure a safe, pedestrian-friendly meeting place we’ve removed the drive-through access,” said Mr Wright.

The plaza reopening is a major milestone in the project with the remaining works including tiling of the stairs, painting, brickwork restoration, roofing and lifts maintenance, expected to wrap up by December.
“The South Brisbane station upgrade has provided some unique challenges, not only because it’s one of our major stations but also due to its iconic status and listing on the state heritage register.”

“The complexity of the project has demanded careful planning and specialist advice in many areas including accessibility, history, heritage architecture, and alternative transport.”
“Queensland Rail is grateful for the patience of our customers and the local community during construction and we look forward to delivering the completed station in the second half of 2012,” said Mr Wright.