Stoked by quiet revival

Visitors to Brisbane's revitalised South Bank precinct will soon be invited to trample on the past. The wooden boardwalk that was a striking feature of Expo 88 has been torn up and recycled.

``Expo lives on,'' says Malcolm Snow, chief executive of the South Bank Corporation. The new developments have enlivened South Bank's southern end, traditionally its ``quiet end'' beside the Goodwill Bridge and the Maritime Museum.

``Over the years all the energy seemed to move north to the GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) end,'' says Snow. ``We knew we could make it so much more attractive; now we have thanks to Arkhefield (architects). It's a much more sophisticated destination."

'A relaxed sophistication, perhaps, in a no-bull Queensland style that has overtaken the giddy, vulgar theme-park glamour of Sydney and the stuffy self-importance of Melbourne. By mid-September there will be five new restaurants embracing the river at the ``quiet end'' of South Bank. They have an airy, pavilion feel. A prime spot will be occupied by the Stokehouse, a major new restaurant with a spectacular entry and perhaps the best river and city views in Brisbane. There is a mezzanine level and outdoor decks over mangroves. Stokehouse will sit 180. It is the sister restaurant to the famous Stokehouse restaurant by the water at St Kilda, in Melbourne.

Source: The Courier Mail