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The sluggish, meandering Brisbane River is four hundred million years old, one of the world's most ancient waterways. It flows from above Lake Wivenhoe - 55km inland - past farmland, into quiet suburbs and through the city before emptying 150km downstream into Moreton Bay, behind Fisherman Island. Once an essential trade and transport link with the rest of Australia and the world, it now seems to do little but separate the main part of the city from South Brisbane; though it's superficially active around the city centre, with ferries and dredgers keeping it navigable, most of the old wharves and shipyards now lie derelict or buried under parkland. If the locals seem to have forgotten the river, it has a habit of reasserting its presence through flooding . In February 1893 cyclonic rains swelled the flow through downtown Brisbane, carrying off Victoria Bridge and scores of buildings: eyewitness accounts stated that "Debris of all descriptions - whole houses, trees, cattle and homes - went floating past". This has since been repeated many times, notably in January 1974 when rains from Cyclone Wanda completely swamped the centre, swelling the river to a width of 3km at one stage. Despite reminders of this in brass plaques marking the depths of the worst floods at Naldham House Polo Club (1 Eagle St, near the markets), some of Brisbane's poshest real estate flanks the river, with waterfront mansions at Yeerongpilly, Graceville and Chelmer. They're all banking on protection from artificial Lake Wivenhoe, completed in 1984, which should act as a buffer against future floods. Of the various ways to explore the river, the easiest is simply to take a return ride on the City Cat - such a popular, if unofficial, sightseeing trip that the service can be severely overcrowded during holidays. More stylish are the oddly-named Club Crocodile River Queens , three-tiered Mississippi-style paddleboats decked out in timber and brass, which leave daily from Eagle Street pier; it's a favourite Sunday excursion (several times daily from 12.15pm; $22-49, depending on level of refreshments), and there are additional evening cruises with full meals (Mon-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 6.30pm; $45 buffet or $60 for seafood); for bookings call tel 07/3221 1300.
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