19th CityCat a tribute to the River City

The newest CityCat in the 19-strong fleet, ‘Spirit of Brisbane’ is decked out in vibrant colours and a montage of images from the January 2011 flood.



Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the new vessel is a floating reminder of the generosity, spirit and determination demonstrated by the people of Brisbane throughout one of its most trying times.

“Brisbane’s newest CityCat is a tribute to this great city, its people and their community spirit,” Cr Quirk said.
“It is especially dedicated to those people who rolled up their sleeves to help so many people affected by the flood.

“The colourful wrap represents the city’s vibrancy, while the inside walls of the vessel include a montage of iconic images from the flood peak to the recovery and flotilla to commemorate the return of Brisbane’s iconic CityCats and ferries.

“Spirit of Brisbane” is indicative of the commitment shown by so many people to get Brisbane back on its feet after one of its worst natural disasters.

“CityCats and CityFerries are Brisbane icons and it’s great to see them back in full swing.”

The Lord Mayor launched “The Spirit of Brisbane” on 4 October 2011 at West End terminal where it was christened by Red Cross Volunteer Julie Boucher.

The newest CityCat fulfils the Lord Mayor’s commitment to deliver 19 vessels by March 2012. It will carry up to 400,000 additional passengers per year.

The Spirit of Brisbane made her maiden passenger voyage on 24 October 2011, after appearing as one of the support vessels on the Brisbane River during The Queen's Royal visit to the River City.

‘Spirit of Brisbane’ is a third generation CityCat, which is more fuel efficient and emits fewer exhaust emissions, meaning a smaller carbon footprint which Council offsets fully.