A DETAILED research note drawing on contemporaneous Cabinet papers, parliamentary debates and official speeches has shed new light on how close Queensland once came to building a road bridge to North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah).
The material confirms that while the idea of a bridge periodically surfaced for decades, it reached its most advanced and serious phase between 1982 and 1985 — before collapsing abruptly on economic grounds.
AN IDEA THAT REFUSED TO DISAPPEAR
Discussion of a fixed link to North Stradbroke Island circulated at community, council, business and State Government levels from the late 1970s, with a brief re-emergence in the early 1990s that was swiftly dismissed by the newly elected Goss Labor Government.
Since then, the concept has lingered only as occasional speculation, never regaining momentum as a genuine infrastructure proposal.
According to the research, the idea gained its strongest political backing following the election of John Goleby as the National Party member for Redlands in 1974.
Goleby became the bridge’s most consistent advocate during his 11 years in Parliament.
CABINET SCRUTINY AND PRIVATE SECTOR INTEREST
The proposal intensified after Goleby’s promotion in 1982 to Minister for Water Services and Maritime Services, a role he held until his death in 1985.
During this period, the bridge was framed as both an access solution and an economic tourism opportunity, attracting significant private sector interest from developers.
Cabinet papers cited in the research show that in May 1982, the Coalition Cabinet considered an unsolicited private proposal to build a bridge to Russell Island and North Stradbroke Island in exchange for prime beachfront land on Stradbroke.
The estimated cost at the time was $45 million.
Cabinet rejected the offer but resolved instead to invite formal proposals and begin broader planning for island development.
Consultants Cameron McNamara were commissioned to prepare the North Stradbroke Island Development Strategy, delivered to the Premier’s Department in February 1983, with follow-up reports completed in 1984 and 1985.
ELEVEN BRIDGE PROPOSALS UNDER REVIEW
By August 1984, the project had reached a level of prominence reflected in the Queensland Governor’s opening speech to Parliament, which stated that “planning is also well advanced to improve access to North Stradbroke Island, with 11 proposals to build a bridge being appraised”.
Correspondence from the Coordinator-General in February 1985 further confirmed that assessments were actively progressing.
However, political support was far from unanimous.
The research highlights strong resistance within the Labor Party and parts of the Liberal Party, alongside growing community concern about environmental impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL OPPOSITION MOUNTS
Labor MP Patrick Comben delivered a forceful adjournment speech in October 1984, describing the bridge as an “unnecessary, uneconomic and environmentally damaging white elephant” and urging the Hawke Government to intervene under international environmental treaties.
Comben cited the Ramsar Convention on wetlands and the Japan–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement, warning that southern Moreton Bay’s wetlands, seagrass beds and dugong habitat would be “destroyed beyond repair”.
Opposition also emerged formally through Parliament.
In October 1984, the Clerk of the Parliament tabled petitions containing thousands of signatures — including one organised by Labor MP Tom Burns — calling on the Queensland Parliament to prevent construction of a bridge that would “destroy [Stradbroke Island’s] unique character”.
PREFERRED ROUTES AND SHIFTING POSITIONS
Despite this resistance, senior ministers continued to advance the project.
In November 1984, then Minister for Local Government, Main Roads and Racing Russell Hinze told Parliament the Government had long been committed to building a bridge, with routes considered via Russell Island, Peel Island and Macleay Island.
Hinze said Macleay Island was the preferred route “for economic and other reasons”, while acknowledging vocal opposition from boating groups and island residents depending on the alignment.
By January 1985, Cabinet announced a preferred route via Russell Island.
Then Redland Shire chairman Merv Genrich publicly described it as the best available option “if the bridge had to go ahead”.
Five tenders were received by the State Government, and in June 1985 Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen said the bridge would proceed provided the successful tenderer posed no financial risk to the State.
A DREAM ENDS ABRUPTLY
The project’s strongest champion, John Goleby, died on 10 September 1985.
During the condolence motion, Hinze told Parliament that at Goleby’s final Cabinet meeting, “we put the seal on construction of a bridge to North Stradbroke Island, which was one of his dreams”.
Within months, that momentum evaporated.
In February 1986, Premier Bjelke-Petersen announced the bridge would not proceed “for the foreseeable future”, citing a lack of commercial viability.
The research concludes that while the bridge proposal reached an advanced planning stage unprecedented before or since, it ultimately collapsed under economic, political and environmental pressure — leaving behind one of the most significant unbuilt infrastructure projects in Redlands and Moreton Bay history.
‘STRADDIE WOULD HAVE BECOME SUBURBAN’ WITHOUT BRIDGE, SAYS MP
Oodgeroo MP Amanda Stoker says North Stradbroke Island would be a very different place today had the bridge been built.
“While tourism investment was the objective, I think it would have meant Straddie developed a suburban character and population growth akin to the rest of the Redlands,” she said.
“Who could blame people for wanting to experience those beautiful beaches every day?”.
