Lores Bonney Riverwalk
In December 2018, the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade celebrated a major milestone with the opening of the new 1.2 kilometre riverwalk, stretching from Bretts Wharf in the east to Cameron Rocks in the west.
Following consultation with the Zonta Club of Brisbane and the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, Brisbane City Council is pleased to announce the new Kingsford Smith Drive riverside promenade and cycle path has been named the Lores Bonney Riverwalk.
The riverwalk name has been selected in honour of Maude 'Lores' Bonney to acknowledge the significant impact she had upon the nation's aviation industry, in an era that was typically dominated by her male counterparts. Find out more about Maude 'Lores' Bonney.
About the riverwalk
The Lores Bonney Riverwalk is a standout feature of the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade and a new landmark for Brisbane. It provides a great place to walk, run and cycle, while taking in the beautiful views.
The Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade is much more than just a road project. As a major gateway to the city for tourists, visitors and residents, Kingsford Smith Drive is being transformed into a vibrant urban corridor that maximises public access to the river and reinforces Brisbane's identity as a new world city.
Constructed along the Brisbane River at Hamilton, the Lores Bonney Riverwalk provides a dedicated two-metre-wide riverside pedestrian path separated from a three-metre-wide, two-way off-road cycle path.
More than 5800 cubic metres of concrete was used in piling for the new structure, which is enough to fill more than two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Nearly 120 pre-cast concrete panels have been used to cantilever the riverwalk over the water.
The Lores Bonney Riverwalk is the latest addition to the city's world-class active transport network, offering users unique views of the iconic Brisbane River and Central Business District (CBD), and enabling residents and visitors to explore the area's vibrant dining, boutique shopping and retail precincts.
Maude 'Lores' Bonney
In the late 1920s and 1930s Australia produced a number of internationally acknowledged pioneers of early aviation, such as the Kingsford Smith Drive's namesake, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.
A lesser known, but no less accomplished, aviatrix is Australia's 'Lady of the Sky', Maude 'Lores' Bonney.
After moving to Brisbane in 1917 with her husband, leather goods manufacturer, Harry Bonney, she learnt to fly at Eagle Farm airport in a de Havilland DH-60G Gipsy Moth biplane.
Bonney created aviation history throughout the 1930s with the longest one-day flight by an airwoman at 1600 kilometres in 1931.
She was the first woman to circumnavigate Australia by air in 1932, the first woman to fly from Australia to England in 193 and made the first flight from Australia to South Africa in 1937.
For her Australia-England flight, Bonney was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire by King George V.
The Bonney Trophy, which she presented in England, is still awarded annually to an outstanding British female pilot. World War Two interrupted her flying and Bonny relinquished her licence in 1948.
Lores Bonney died on 24 February 1994, aged 96. Tributes to the aviatrix flowed with The Royal Queensland Aero Club mounting a fly-past and Parliament of Australia acknowledging her role in the development of Australian and international aviation.
Lores Bonney Riverwalk video
Take a look at the new Lores Bonney Riverwalk. Now open, the new landmark is creating new lifestyle and leisure opportunities for Brisbane residents. You can also view this video on Council’s YouTube channel.
Time lapse video
Council has released two time lapse videos showing construction of the new Lores Bonney Riverwalk from June 2016 to December 2018 and footage of a cyclist travelling along the route from Bretts Wharf to Cameron Rocks Reserve. You can also view this time lapse footage on Council’s YouTube channel.