World’s Strongest Crane Swings into Brisbane

A 20-storey tower crane has been assembled in the middle of the Brisbane River to do the heavy lifting on the next phase of the Kangaroo Point green bridge construction.

It’s the largest lifting capacity tower crane in the world and will be used to lift sections of the bridge into place from a barge. 

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the “iconic” Kangaroo Point bridge would be a key piece of infrastructure in moving people around the city ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“The biggest and best equipment is being used to build this bridge, which will not only deliver a new river crossing between Kangaroo Point and the CBD, but will also have an over-water restaurant and cafe,” Schrinner said.

“The heaviest lift this crane will do will be the 28m-tall masthead, which weighs 180 tonnes, the equivalent of around 13 council buses.

“In many cases the temporary works required to support the construction activities, including temporary piling, barging and preparation for concrete pours, are as extensive as the permanent works.

“This project has created more than 700 local jobs as we work to deliver this project and the construction environment is very challenging.”

The crane’s 114 separate pieces were assembled on site after being barged down the river, and it can reach up to 136m in height.

The tower crane will complete 14 major lifts to build the bridge, including putting parts of the 83m bridge mast in place, which will make the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge taller than the Story Bridge and the Gateway Bridge.

The bridge will be one of the longest cable-stayed bridges for pedestrians and cyclists in the world and is being delivered on behalf of the council by Connect Brisbane, a consortium led by BESIX Watpac.

The bridge is anticipated to be completed in 2024.