STORY BRIDGE ADVENTURE CLIMB

Elevate Your Urban Adventure 

Elevate your urban adventure by scaling Brisbane’s most iconic structure with the professional, inclusive and fun-loving team at Story Bridge Adventure Climb. 

This thrilling activity takes climbers on an exhilarating journey over Brisbane’s celebrated Story Bridge, offering unprecedented panoramas across the city skyline, stretching from the majestic Glass House Mountains to the captivating expanse of Moreton Bay, and further south to the undulating mountains of the Scenic Rim. This climb is more than an attraction; it’s an immersion into the heart of Brisbane from a perspective few have the privilege to experience. As one of only three such bridge climbs in the world, it promises to be an adventure packed with excitement, educational insights, and an unmatched sense of achievement high above the buzzing Brisbane city centre.

This inclusive, sky-high adventure is designed to be accessible and enjoyed by people with a range of abilities, from 6 to 96 years of age. The team of exceptional and experienced climb leaders are there every step of the way to ensure your safety, offer encouragement and provide guidance. Their expert commentary further enriches your experience with rare insights about this iconic landmark and the history and culture of the city it spans. Their boundless positivity and contagious enthusiasm will make this experience truly unforgettable – elevating your spirits and leaving you with the euphoric feeling of being on top of the world!

 Whether you’re a family searching for a memorable outdoor adventure, a couple seeking a thrilling bonding experience over the city skyline, or a thrill-seeker chasing a natural urban high – Story Bridge Adventure Climb takes your Brisbane city experience to new heights!

Getting Here and Gearing Up 

The Story Bridge Adventure Climb headquarters is nestled beneath the southern end of the bridge itself, in the vibrant inner-city suburb of Kangaroo Point. As you arrive, the rhythmic hum of urban life mingles with the distinctive thrum of traffic crossing the bridge above, echoing Brisbane’s lively spirit.

A ramped entry leads to the reception area, where you’ll find warm and welcoming staff standing by to greet you behind a counter to your right. Here you’ll complete a brief check-in process, before being directed to the next room ahead and slightly to your right, where you’ll gear up for your imminent adventure. 

As you enter this next room, you’ll find yourself in a large, relatively open space with metal lockers to your left and comfortable seating in the centre. Within these walls the atmosphere shifts, and you can feel the anticipation building as you listen to the excited chatter of your fellow climbers. This is not merely a waiting area; it’s a prelude to the exhilarating climb, setting the perfect mood for what promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Soon your expert climb leader will introduce themselves, reassuring you with their enthusiasm, professionalism and expertise. They will provide an audible overview of what to expect, the climb route and safety guidelines, and will instruct you to place all belongings into the provided lockers for safekeeping during the climb. They’ll conduct a routine breath test for adult climbers, ensuring everyone’s safety before the ascent. Then it’s time to gear up in your truly trendy climb suit (think grey and blue zip-up onesie), before stepping into your harness. Your climb leader will provide clear and methodical audible and visual instructions, while personally assisting each climber to carefully fit their safety gear. This process is accompanied by the reassuring sounds of click and clink as harnesses and straps are meticulously adjusted, ensuring every component is safely secured. 

The Climb Route 

Before you step out to conquer the bridge, let’s do a quick run through of the climb route, to whet your appetite for the adventure ahead. 

The heritage-listed Story Bridge spans the mighty Brisbane River, providing traffic and pedestrians with convenient connectivity between the city’s northern and southern suburbs. This large cantilever construction features two roughly triangular-shaped latticed steel trusses extending upwards from its northern and southern piers somewhat like bat ears, creating its distinctive silhouette on the city skyline. Each of these triangular frames feature an eastern and western peak, connected to each other by a flat section of decking, traversing about 50 metres above the roadway. 

On your epic bridge climb adventure, you’ll ascend around 392 steps to reach the eastern peak, where you’ll enjoy spectacular city views and experience the pulse-pounding excitement of standing high above Brisbane. After capturing some happy snaps to celebrate your progress, you’ll then descend another 272 steps to the flat section that crosses above the bustling highway. Once you’ve experienced the liberating freedom of ambling overhead countless city commuters, you’ll make another ascent to the twin western peak – offering unsurpassed photo opportunities with the captivating city skyline as your backdrop. From here, you’ll make your final descent back down to ground level, where you and your group can collectively celebrate the outstanding achievement of conquering the awe-inspiring heights of the iconic Story Bridge. 

Along the journey, your knowledgeable climb leaders will regale you with fascinating facts and local insights into the history, construction and ongoing upkeep of one of Brisbane’s most prized and recognised landmarks. They will also offer audio commentary about the city’s rich cultural, heritage and natural features, with your adventure offering a unique and highly sought-after perspective of the city from above. 

Now you have a tantalising taste of what’s in store, it’s time to step out for your unforgettable adventure!

The Exhilarating Ascent to the Southern Peak 

As you depart the office, you’ll be guided on a leisurely and relatively flat walk of approximately 200 metres to the commencement of the climb. Here, you’ll take a brief pause for an orientation before embarking on the exhilarating ascent to the eastern peak of the southern pier. 

You’ll enter a tunnel of scaffolding featuring eight flights of stairs. Midway up these entry stairs your climb leader will pause to share interesting insights into the bridge’s five-year construction.  As you continue your climb, the semi-enclosed space echoes with the sound of shifting gear, the group’s footsteps and the pounding of your pulse as your adrenaline kicks in. At the top of the scaffolding, a cool water bubbler offers hydration, before you connect to the safety line, marking the official start of the climb route. 

As you emerge at the base of the bridge, the world seems to open up around you. This first section of stairs is a short, sharp ascent, leading you to the flagpole. As your climb leader pauses here to check in on everyone, there’s a sudden rush of realisation that you’re now high above the city streets. The wind tousles your hair and invigorates your senses, as the urban soundscape gradually fades beneath your feet. You’ll then continue your slightly easier ascent upwards, where the steps widen, and the gradient lessens. Before reaching the eastern peak, there’s another rest stop to enjoy the view and relax before the final push to the top. 

The peak of the climb, 80 meters above ground, offers unparalleled panoramas of the Brisbane city skyline and beyond. From this vantage point, the expansive view becomes more than an epic backdrop – it’s an intricate mosaic of history, urban culture and natural beauty. Depending on the time of your climb, the ambience and vista will vary – from the calm stillness of the city streets before dawn to the glittering splendour of the evening sky illuminated in dazzling display of lights. By day, the city skyline is reflected in the waters of the Brisbane River, and the view stretches to the horizon. 

Spanning History and Time 

The Story Bridge stands not just as a marvel of engineering but as a historic testament to Brisbane's resilience and ingenuity. 

Named in honour of John Douglas Story, a respected public servant and University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor, the bridge connects Brisbane’s past with its present.

Construction began during the Great Depression, offering much-needed employment to hundreds of workers and symbolizing hope and progress. Designed by Dr. John Bradfield, renowned for his work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this cantilever bridge took five years to complete. To get this mammoth structure completed as quickly as possible, work sometimes continued 24 hours a day during the construction phase. At the peak of construction in 1938, it was one of the largest employers in Brisbane at the time.  It was officially opened on July 6, 1940. The bridge’s grand opening was celebrated by over 37,000 people, highlighting its importance to the city’s growing population.

The Story Bridge isn't merely a crossing; it's a living and enduring emblem of Brisbane’s proud heritage. 

Story Bridge Fun Facts 

The Story Bridge is incredibly sturdy and strong – in fact, it’s the largest steel bridge designed, fabricated and constructed in Australia - a source of immense pride for its residents. The foundations of the southern pier on which you stand are buried 40 metres into the earth, and no major structural upgrades have been required to the bridge since its opening – a remarkable testament to the care with which it was built. It Is built using some 12,000 tonnes of structural steel and 1600 tonnes of reinforcing steel, held together by 1.25 million rivets. 

The John Bradfield Highway which spans the length of the bridge is Australia’s shortest highway at just 1071 metres in length. But while it may be brief it’s certainly busy, with more than 30 million vehicles crossing the bridge each year. 

If you’re climbing in the evening or at twilight, you may notice the bridge’s distinctive trusses are illuminated in a spectacular frosting of coloured lights. The colour of these lights often changes to reflect special occasions or raise awareness of social causes. If you’re climbing at the end of the day, ask your climb leader about tonight’s colour choice.

Your expert climb guide possesses a wealth of knowledge that will fascinate and astound you, as you gain new insights into the history behind Queensland’s cosmopolitan capital and its most iconic bridge. As you ascend and descend over 1,000 stairs, each step forges a deeper connection with Brisbane’s incredible people, its rich history, and the remarkable architecture of the bridge itself. 

Bridging The Gap 

After you’ve taken a moment to appreciate your surroundings, it’s time to descend another 272 steps to the flat roadway overpass connecting the eastern and western sides of the southern peak. 

Before beginning this flat portion of the climb, your leader will check-in to ensure everyone is feeling comfortable. Then you’ll step out over the traffic. It’s an exhilarating and slightly nerve-wracking experience, as the cars zoom along the busy thoroughfare beneath your feet. Yet, as with all surfaces traversed on this climb, the structure feels surprisingly sturdy, instilling confidence in the integrity of this structure which has stood the test of time for over 80 years. 

Standing above the traffic, we take a moment to share some more stories and to bask in the liberating feeling of the sun on your skin and the breeze on your face. Some more photos capture this memorable moment, before we embark on the western ascent, which mirrors the climb path of its eastern counterpart.

The Western Peak + Coming Back Down To Earth 

The breathtaking view from the western peak is every bit as impressive as the eastern ascent, but with closer proximity to the iconic backdrop of the city heart skyline. The rooftops of towering skyrises sprawl before you, offering a birds-eye vista of this vibrant city in all its glory. Final photos are captured and the descent back down to earth begins. 

As you arrive back at the scaffolding at the base of the bridge, you are untethered from the safety line and are offered a well-earned drink at the bubbler before heading back down the tunnel. The atmosphere buzzes with exhilaration and the camaraderie that comes with achieving a shared ambition. 

After a short walk back to base, you are welcomed with cheers of celebration and heartfelt congratulations, before removing your harness and climb suit. Once you’ve collected your personal items from the locker, you can make your way back out to the reception area, where you’ll have the opportunity to purchase your photos or a selection of drinks and merchandise, before heading out, elated by the pleasant afterglow of your natural high. 

Accessibility 

The professional, supportive and inclusive team at Story Bridge Adventure Climb are passionate about accessibility and are committed to ensuring that the thrill and wonder of this experience can be shared with as many people as possible, irrespective of age or ability. Please note that children from 6 to 16 years of age must be accompanied on the climb by a parent or guardian. 

Personal items must be securely stowed in lockers, except for glasses, sunglasses and hats, which must be secured to your climb suit prior to your ascent. Please ensure you utilise the onsite bathroom facilities before suiting up, as there are no toilet facilities on the bridge. Standard and accessible bathrooms are available down a short corridor at the rear, right-hand side of the locker room. 

The total climb route is approximately one kilometre, incorporating over 1,000 stairs of varying width and gradient. The climb experience takes approximately 2 hours to complete, including your briefing, safety demonstration and the climb route itself. Your climb leader closely monitors the group’s wellbeing throughout the climb, taking regular rest stops when required and setting a steady pace so no one feels rushed. Please notify your climb leader if you need to pause by raising your hand. Hydration points are available at the base of the bridge on both ascent and descent to keep you refreshed. 

The climb leaders are trained to provide clear, articulate audio commentary, enhancing the experience for climbers who are blind or have low vision. Throughout the main section of the climb, you will remain connected to a safety rail, and will keep hold of sliding tether giving a constant point of contact with the bridge for added balance and stability. A second handrail can also be held during most of the climb if required. 

The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is proud to be making history as the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb, setting a new benchmark for inclusive adventure tourism.

Thanks to a specially-designed motorised stair climber wheelchair—custom built to the highest safety standards—wheelchair users and guests with accessibility requirements will soon be able to enjoy the thrill of scaling Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge. This innovative equipment allows for smooth movement over inclines, ergonomic comfort, and integrated safety features to ensure a safe and unforgettable climb. 

If you have specific accessibility needs, please notify Story Bridge Adventure Climb in advance so they can make appropriate accommodations wherever possible. This dedication to accessibility highlights Story Bridge Adventure Climb’s commitment to offering a universally enriching experience, making it a premier attraction that embodies the inclusive spirit of Brisbane.

The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is now based at 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City, located at Howard Smith Wharves. You'll find us directly in front of the precinct’s roundabout, where a ramp provides easy access from the footpath to our headquarters.

Street parking is available nearby, and ferry services operate approximately every 10 minutes to Howard Smith Wharves. For detailed public transport information and journey planning, please visit translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

Please note that the move from our previous location at Kangaroo Point to the north side of the river has brought a new meeting point and climb route.