Following two years of construction, the final deck of the 320-metre pedestrian bridge was installed on Monday (February 27) and is set to become a new landmark in the Queensland city. 

The Neville Bonner Bridge, designed by Grimshaw with WSP, is named after Australia’s first Federal Indigenous Parliamentarian.

It has already become an important cross-river connection linking the South Bank arts precinct with the future AUD$3.6 billion (£2 billion/$2.4 billion/€2.3 billion) Queen's Wharf development, which, when it is completed later this year, is expected to be home to several five-star hotels that will house Brisbane 2032 visitors.

The Bridge itself is likely to fully open around July or August following the installation of lights, pavers and shades.

The sweeping Bridge, designed to be "lightweight yet dramatic", peaks at 75 metres above the river and is made from more than 1,000 tonnes of fabricated structural steel.

Grimshaw revealed the design was influenced by the surrounding parklands context, with the structure engineered to create an "elegant and efficient outcome".

"Shaped as an elegant and sinuous ribbon reaching out from South Bank towards the city centre of Brisbane, the carefully composed hybrid mast and arch design achieves a lightweight yet dramatic form which serves as an elegant landmark for the Neville Bonner Bridge," said Grimshaw partner Neil Stonell.

A suspended deck is designed to offer views over the river, city and parkland while providing protection from the subtropical sun.

Consortium partner Star Entertainment has forecast the bridge will accommodate 10,000 pedestrian crossings per day when it opens to the public as part of the precinct-wide staged opening later this year.