Milestones for 2005

February

  • South Bank Corporation launched a local & national search for a new CEO.
  • CEO, Bill Grant announced his resignation after eight years as Chief Executive Officer at the Corporation.
  • CGU Building officially opened in Grey Street.

April

  • TV program A Current Affair named South Bank 5 Cinema the best value cinema in Australia.
  • Queensland Premier Peter Beattie announced an interactive waterplay park will be built at South Bank.
  • The Ship Inn re-opened after extensive renovation work.

July

  • South Bank Corporation appointed one of Australia's leading urban designers Malcolm Snow as its new CEO.

August

  • South Bank restaurant, Ahmet's Turkish Restaurant, won Best Entertainment Restaurant at the Brisbane Restaurant and Caterer's Awards.
  • The Formal Gardens were redesigned using Australian native plants.
  • In a remarkable world first, the International Union of Forest Research Organisations held its World Congress in Brisbane. As part of the congress a traditional tree planting ceremony was held to mark the opening and involved an extremely old and rare Wollemi Pine. Dating back over 200 million years the Wollemi Pine is one of the world's oldest trees and was thought to be extinct until 1994 when it was discovered outside Sydney. At this time, this was the only Wollemi Pine available for display in Brisbane.

September

  • South Bank was identified as part of the city centre in the Brisbane City Centre Draft Master Plan.
  • Botanical signage was installed throughout the South Bank Parklands.
  • Holden announced sponsorship of Australia Day celebrations at South Bank.
  • South Bank's reputation as a world class precinct continued to receive international recognition. The International Downtown Association announced that South Bank Corporation won a 2005 Merit Award in the Public Space category. The International Downtown Association is an American based organisation that recognises and supports vital and liveable urban centres throughout the world.