Brisbane Airport's International Terminal marks 30 years today, celebrating three decades of connecting Queensland to the world. Since it opened in 1995, 118 million travellers have passed through the terminal, making it one of Australia's key international gateways.
Construction of the $240 million facility began in 1993, with a target opening two years later. In a rare feat for large-scale infrastructure projects, it was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget. On 5 September 1995, then Prime Minister Paul Keating officially opened the terminal to the public, with words that still resonate today.
"This building is a confident building. It says something about Australia and it says something about Queensland and I think the confidence that Australia has, Queensland has by the bucket. This is a very confident place." — Paul Keating, Prime Minister, 1995
The terminal set a new standard for international travel at Brisbane with 8 aerobridges giving passengers seamless boarding, unlike the old terminal where they boarded via the tarmac. The building featured 42,000 square metres of profiled steel decking and 55 hectares of landscaped gardens, a nod to Queensland's tropical beauty.
In 2008 a major expansion was revealed, with 33,000 additional square metres of space across the four floors of the Terminal, plus expanded and reconfigured airline processing, retail, customs, security and baggage areas.
The terminal now has 19 aerobridges servicing 26 airlines to 35 direct destinations.
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