With its windy ridgelines and steep hills sweeping down to low-lying valleys, Brisbane’s dramatic topography combined with its underlying geology create the ideal conditions for groundwater springs.

Like many other cities around the world, these watercourses are at the heart of our city’s story. Long before European settlement, the area’s First Nations people centred their lives around springs – they were places of fishing, hunting wildlife, gathering and sacred ceremony. Our First Nations communities were caretakers of Brisbane’s springs for thousands of years, ensuring the benefits of these life-sustaining systems were passed down for future generations.

For the early Europeans, the area’s abundant waterholes were among the key reasons this location was chosen to build a new town. Groundwater-fed springs in what is now known as Roma Street, Spring Hill, Milton and Victoria Park formed part of a critical chain of waterholes that nourished both the new settlers and the First Nations populations, while serving as a popular recreational activity. Clear and beautiful, they were an essential tourist attraction for people visiting the city at the time.

Sadly, most of the spring systems in Brisbane’s CBD are now consigned to the history books – their catchment sources and outlets filled, paved over and long forgotten - with the exception of Barrambin. This hydrological survivor is an invaluable remnant characteristic of what was once a stunning and unique feature of the city of Brisbane. It’s a key part of the tale of how this town came to be, holding special significance in our geological, cultural and historical identity. Once destroyed, we can never get it back.