Look up! See that grand archway? That’s Dornoch Terrace Bridge, a piece of Brisbane’s history, standing tall and proud over Boundary Street. It was built in 1941, a time when the city dreamt of a bridge that would connect West End to the new University of Queensland campus in St Lucia.
The bridge is really a remnant of a grand plan from a different era. It was part of a scheme to make the city less hilly and more accessible. The excavation of Boundary Street was a big undertaking, and it was supported by these magnificent retaining walls. Those walls are made of Brisbane Tuff, a type of volcanic rock, and they are a real work of art. These walls have a special significance – they are the only visible evidence of what was a really ambitious project that was never finished.
Dornoch Terrace Bridge is also a key link in a network of roads that lead up to the highest point of Boundary Street. From the base of the bridge, you can see the Kurilpa Library clock tower, a landmark in the West End area, all the way to the Brisbane River.
Today, that bridge is a busy crossroads. People walk and drive over it. Pedestrians use it to get to the shops on Boundary Street, while drivers can reach the restaurants at Hill End. The bridge is a reminder that while the city is always changing, some things, like this sturdy bridge, stand strong for generations to come.