Brisbane Walk - Flow

The map to the left was published in 1863 and shows the old path of Wheat Creek that starts near where the Brisbane Courts are now located and meanders its way to where it used to meet the Brisbane River (at Eagle Street Pier).

 

The following is an extract from the Heritage Listing for the Wheat Creek Culvert, which is now a feature that is located on the outbound platform of the King George Square bus station:

 

"In 1825 the penal settlement at Moreton Bay was moved from Redcliffe to Brisbane, where a reliable supply of water could be found. This was Wheat Creek or Big Creek that rose near the site of Brisbane Grammar School. The creek flowed through what was later the Roma Street railway yards, between George and Roma Streets, to the horse ponds on the site of City Hall. From here the creek flowed across the present Adelaide and Albert Street intersection between Queen and Adelaide Streets and entered the river at the end of the present Creek Street. In 1827 the first bridge was built across the Wheat Creek for a track to the windmill. This bridge was built from the intersection of Albert and Adelaide streets and was replaced in 1861. Under the direction of Captain Logan an earth dam was built across the creek between Roma and Little Roma streets in 1839. The water was carried from the dam through a pipeline made of hollow hardwood logs to the soldier's barracks near George and Queens Streets and then to the Commandant's house in Queens gardens. A convict-operated treadmill pumped water along the pipeline. In 1859 a large tank was built near the dam at Tank Street. This original water supply remained until 1866 when a dam was built on Enoggera Creek. Water was supplied to the city from the dam through a 200mm diameter cast iron pipe."

Wheat Creek History