The Brisbane’s $645-million World Expo was part of Australia’s bicentennial celebrations. However, the idea was developed and arranged at the state level. The Queensland government’s backing for the project was accompanied by one condition: it had to be a “free-enterprise expo,” self-funded. Not surprising considering the history of significant events like expos or Olympic games, the project was successful.

Expo 88 was a success because the targets for the participating countries, corporations, and visitors were exceeded and because it was truly loved. The pavilions were well-loved by attendees, as was informal entertainment. They also enjoyed the riverfront setting, the animated pedestrian walkways, and the celebration ambiance.

An investigation conducted by an academic 15 years later found that the memories were strong and positive. One participant expressed the overall feeling: “I remember being happy.”

It’s difficult to find anyone in Brisbane with a negative review to make regarding Expo 88. Since most mega-events tend to cause controversy, this is a significant achievement.

Read more: Hosting major sporting events is a double-edged sword for cities.

Sustaining the spectacle

The expo helped establish a permanent, 40-ha recreation area on the south bank of the Brisbane River. Brisbane City Council/Wikimedia, CC BY

Expo 88 was a temporary event, but it transformed Brisbane physically and in terms of culture. It redefined Brisbane as a place geared towards entertainment and culture, transforming residents into cosmopolitan consumers. The expo also helped develop South Bank Parklands – a 40-hectare area currently the city’s most crowded recreational area.

But, the connection that exists between Expo 88 and South Bank is more complex than commonly believed.

The initial idea was to sell the riverside exhibition location to developers. They wanted to build tourist areas that resemble the ones that dominate today’s globe’s industrial waterfronts.

The expo did raise expectations and sparked a demand for the South Bank that could replicate the kind of social gathering enjoyed by the people in 1988. The expo became part of the city’s consciousness.

This compelled the (new) administration to modify the plans. A new master plan was devised by a firm specializing in theme park design. Half of the park remains as open space.

The attitudes, behaviors, and expectations generated from Expo 88 influenced the reconfiguration of the venue.

The expo was well-loved by the public enough that it prompted an alteration to the plan for South Bank. South Bank site. Brisbane City Council/Wikimedia, CC BY

The time is now to rethink the plan.

The South Bank Parklands precinct hosts playgrounds, picnic grounds, event spaces, paddling pools, urban beaches, and cafes. Andrew Smith

The parklands opened in 1992 proved to be a hit initially. Still, a few things that could have been improved with the overall plan, failure to draw a wide variety of people, and the absence of revenue from commercial ventures prompted a reconsideration. The development company responsible for the park opted for a different concept that modern cities must pay carefully to. The site was designed to attract locals and was well-integrated with the surrounding areas. Officials believed they would attract tourists. Drawn as well.

The new plan was successful. South Bank Parklands is now one of Brisbane’s most loved and frequented areas.

This is not a peaceful and tranquil place; it is not a place to get away from the city, as Central Park in New York offers. It is a place that has playgrounds, picnic lawns, and event spaces, as well as paddling pools, urban beaches, and cafes. This is Brisbane’s most popular playground, popular with visitors and locals, offering free fun in buckets.

Its Temporary Expo 88 site has become a playground for the city, used by residents and visitors. Andrew Smith

 

Behind the carnival mask

Before praising Expo 88 as an exemplar for future projects, it’s crucial to consider negative aspects that may be easily overlooked in simplified lessons in policy.

Like many other mega-events and waterfront developments, Brisbane’s South Bank’s development displaced low-income groups and “scruffy” industries, which were eliminated by a growth government that focused on building new property and investment.

The site was to be portrayed as a joke to justify the construction. It was described in the Expo 88 souvenir program described the place in terms of “an area of derelict dockyards, unacknowledged brothels and disreputable hotels.” It was only by portraying the South Bank as an area in decline, unworthy, depraved, and squatter that such a massive transformation could be justified.