World Expo 88 - Then & Now
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- čas přidán 28. 04. 2023
- World Expo 88 was a World's Fair held in Brisbane, Australia that ran from April to October 1988. The fair's success was instrumental in helping transform Brisbane and Queensland into an international tourism destination.
As soon as Expo was done, just about all of the sites were demolished and the Southbank Parklands were built in its place.
This mini-documentary presents a "then and now" of the former Expo location. This video will delve into the Southbank location's history and transformation, what sits in place of the Expo rides and pavilions as of 2023, and what artifacts survived after the end of the fair.
For more information on World Expo 88, please visit and support the following pages:
Celebrate 88
www.celeberate88.com
World Expo 88 CZcams Page
www.youtube.com/@mjjcollectab...
Legacy of World Expo 88 CZcams Page
/ foundationexpo88
IBIS Channel 32 acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands presented within this documentary, and we pay respects to Elders past and present.
What a sensational video! Thank you! I was expecting a quick snapshot of Expo and got an outstanding history of South Bank and the event and much more! It was great to see the locations then and now too! Thank you so much for the amount of work you put into this! AMAZING!
What an awesome video, so many memories ❤
Such an amazing expo, blew my mind as a kid. Good to see where things are now
WORLD EXPO 88 together we'll show the world.
Such a flashback. I loved getting my passport stamped at all the foreign pavilions. Great memories 🎉
The passport made it do much more exciting
I was 21 when my family and I attended. We travelled by cruise ship from Sydney to Brisbane which took a few days and nights and then we were bused to and from the Expo site each day. The ship was the ' Alexander Pushkin'. Thanks for this video, it was a great flashback to that experience.
Expo was great. We went up for the children's day, we did so much I can hardly remember each pavilion, but riding the monorail was the best, great video 👍
Fantastic memories. Thank you.
I was doing my midwifery training at the mater hospital at the time of expo it was very exciting when a baby was born during the fire works.
Brilliant. I remember Expo 88 .You go there today and its unrecognizable.
I enjoyed World Expo 88. So many things to see and experience. Thank you for this video showing the changes from World Expo 88 to now.
These world expos are a wonderfully enigmatic facet of human history
My parents never took us to Disneyland but they did take us to Expo 88 and I’d venture to say the atmosphere was something far superior to anything Disneyland could ever produce on account of it not just being a fun park with rides and entertainment shoes but also the addition of all the cultural shows, the street performers, the technology exhibitions, and the fact that you knew it wasn’t going to last. It was like a non-stop party for 6 months. The feeling in the air was such a happy vibe. It was a feast for the senses and my as a six year old child. Such a carefree and magical era. I am so grateful for expo 88. Filled my childhood with some of my fondest memories with my parents and brother along with all my extended family - who also performed in the Māori culture pavilion. A wonderful magical time❤
Disneyland is magical & not just rides & sideshows. Disney walks all over this expo. I can say that as I have been to both.
My friend worked in the New Zealand pavilion and met her husband there and now have 3 kids.😊
Went there with my Grandma I was 10 years old. It was a great experience.
Well, since everyone else here is sharing... I worked as the Stage Mgr at the River Stage for the British Pavillion. After 3 nights of varying concerts, I was lucky enough to get to go to the roof of the River Stage, lie down under the protective netting and watch the fireworks bursting directly over us. Best fireworks experience ever!
I would love to see another world expo come to our shores in my lifetime. I was only a little kid at expo, but boy was it magnificent.
Awesome video. I had a 6 month season pass that I still have to this day. This allowed me to attend expo whenever I wanted throughout the period of Expo. As a family we would watch the paper daily and make sure we knew what was happening on what day and at what time and ensure we could make it. There was world class entertainment and fireworks every night at the closing ceremony and made sure we got along to as much as we possibly could. Every pavilion was so well appointed and provided insight into each country’s culture. I remember there was something around every corner - a street performer or band or food. It was just such a wonderful event. And putting it into context - there were no computers, no mobiles and no internet - a simpler time - but the theme of the expo was ‘the future’ so it was amazing to see what was on display (sports cars, 3D screens, video phones etc - all very far fetched). Finally - the theme park was fantastic, however we all thought it was designed to fail after expo closed because it became very hard to get to, became very expensive and had weird opening times. It was no surprise to see it finally close and very quickly get turned into a convention center. As teenagers we of course thought it was very unfair at the time, but all these years later there is so much more value the outcome we have today. Thanks again for the video - excellent job and it brought back great memories.
I was on a painting crew that painted 6 of the pavillions
I was 16 and had a 6 month pass and passport for stamping. Managed to get them all! Also remember skipping a day or three of school and catching the train there lol. I still love going to Southbank and seeing the flowers bloom on parts of the old monorail and going to sit near the old Nepalese Peace Pagoda.
I often rabbit on to my kids about how Southbank used to be the World Expo site when we visit there. This brings back some great memories. Thank you :)
Great score.
Had to capture that 1988 aesthetic.
Wow, the memories this has brought back! My grandparents took me (then 10) from Victoria for the Expo. It is a memory I will always treasure, and it was very welcome since my grandmother (whom I have always been close to) is now suffering dementia. I will mention this when I speak to her and see if she remembers. It was a fantastic experience, and the thing that has always stood out in my memory was learning about the Magna Carta. History has always fascinated me, I guess. Thank you for sharing this!
Just wonderful. This should be shown on free to air tv as part of a special commemorating the 35th anniversary
We are bigger than Free to Air! We are IBIS TV!
(all ibis are free to the air last time I checked)
Australian tv channels hardly ever show anything historic about AUSTRALIA to begin with.. Far too many how to construct a house challange and how to decorate a Garden..But nothing about the past about Brisbane perhaps ? No wonder why most people dont even talk about the past anymore or people didn't realise there was a Expo 88 on site to begin with. Because the LACK of education in the entire australian tv networks.... Pretty sad to be honest. Its almost as if all Australians dont care about the past or ever even mentioned about the past of Brisbane such as World Expo 88 which was a very big deal thing for the entire Queesnland to begin with..... Go ask any australian living in australia perhaps someone from Melbourne who lives 40 years and ask them about Brisbane World expo 88.. and i bet you they dont no nothing about it or what Expo 88 is or what was it..
The entire LACK of understanding HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. It makes me so sad and upset because tv in australia all they care is current things far too much AMERICAN cops chasing the another series.. But hardly No documentry shows for a full on educational for all audience... I come from Europe in Italy the tv channels they always show documentries about the past and present of the towns and cities of ROMA..... We always talk about the history and even we remember (Fifa WORLD CUP italia 1990) Everyone knows about it. But Australia hardly doesnt no what Australia had before? Is it now lost and forgotten perhaps...
The entire LACK of educational in all Australian tv channels... Thank god for people like IBIS to tell us a documentry about Expo 88 that should not be forgotten and not just that but more things too... TV networks in australia they seem to care about current shows but a huge LACK of educational for all audience about history of australia weekly shows.. they think that shows like this will BORED everyone watching tv... this is BAD.... it should be change and educate everyone... Cant forget Expo 88. I remember it well and the 90s quite a lot.
@@IBISChannel32 yeah and in 2032 the Olympic games.... but then the LACK of educational for audience on all tv networks across australia... they never show and teach us anything.. its always current rubish shows and lost of American tv series cops changing the killer and so on and so on... I bet you as well.. once the Olympic end in brisbane no one will remember it after another 40 years after that. Exactly how people forgot about Expo 88...... The entire LACK of educational for all australians... Not suprised. But for you i thank you for making this documentry.. well done THANK YOU!
What a wonderful trip down memory lane. I was lucky enough to have a pass for the duration of expo. I still have the card! I had forgotten how much land space the expo actually took up. Crazy to see the before and after images. Southbank Parklands would definitely not exist without expo. My daughter was blown away when she watched it with me, and wishes she could travel back in time.
Some fantastic archive footage. I wish I still had my Expo Passport!
I wish I had my season pass. I did keep it but over the years it's gone AWOL
Wow. What a trip down memory lane. We went as a year ten school trip. Fantastic memories and experience
I went as a year 12 school trip from Adelaide. Such a shame I don’t remember much 🥺 I didn’t realise it was such a big deal till I got older. I do know I was super upset when my World Expo jumper went missing 😫
I loved the Japanese pavilion. The robot displays were really state-of-the-art for their time.
I worked for the fireworks and laser department at World Expo 88 as an animator for the nightly laser shows. There were three sites for the lasers - a "billboard" projected onto the QPAC building, the stage at the amphitheater and the river stage. Our office was in Media house at the Melbourne Street end of the site and I can still remember the sound of the monorail rumbling past. I have so many memories as I was there at five days a week and sometimes on weekends too. As an employee, I had free entry. Being in the laser/fireworks department, I sometimes had to work late at night, after the place was closed to the public. Because I started work before it opened, I was able to be first in line to many of the pavilions (New Zealand particularly) that suffered from long queues. I have heaps of memorabilia and photographs, including a world Expo mug which is my favourite mug. I've used it so much the pattern has now worn off!
I was doing my midwifery training at the mater hospital in 1988 and mums would love it when fireworks went off when their babies were born.
The flyover by the airforce on the last night was an amazing Roar.
I remember going to Expo.
It was so huge that in one day we saw less than a 10th. I think we managed 4 shows and 3 pavilions.
great job, really!
I was there, '88. 😎
Great video. I was 15 when our family went to expo 88. And visited the theme park a few times when Expo shut down. Great memories.
Great video mate! I was there heaps and loved world expo park
I went when I was 3 years old, with my parents. It was amazing!
The peak of Australia.
Being from the other end of the country I never got to go to Expo 88 but one of mates at school did and I remember being very jealous but also confused as to WTF it was actually all about! So many thanks for filling in the blanks, nearly 40 years later 😂
1988 was a helluva year. I do remember a tonne of Bicentennial celebrations, the Tall Ships, special medallions at school etc.
I too also had a mate that went.. I was jealous as he was gone for like 2 weeks.
Awesome video thank you ..during Expo i lived at Kangaroo point from which i would enjoy the nightly fireworks or could walk to Expo in about 5min.After closure they also kept some of the mini canals intact with small boats you could ride to various points through Southbank that ran on a rail system in the water then during 2nd stage Southbank redevelopment they pulled the boats out but kept some of the waterways intact which became part of the swim area.
I was 8 when expo opened. My mum was involved in The Samoan pavilion, which I can see in this video. We were lucky enough to get free tickets. As an 8yr old it was truly a wonder to behold..I wish I could go back in time.
My mother was a volunteer at an invalid centre in Fortitude Valley at the time. I remember being seconded into pushing an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair around the whole Expo site shortly after it opened. The elderly man was a former police detective, who recounted stories of his cases in 1940s and 1950s Brisbane. I became so engrossed in his stories as a wide eyed 21 year old, that I missed a lot of the exhibits!
i sat next to Danni Minogue on the roller coaster and had a normal convo with her, didnt realise who she was until my brother told me after the ride was over :/
Nice one mate
The Queensland pavilion is now the Gateway Baptist church at Mackenzie.
The Victorian pavilion is located at 77 Shore st West, Cleveland - called Redland trade centre.
Cheers for that!
Thankyou for posting this. It bought back awesome memories of my time at expo 88. Really appreciate it... good times
I was there every second weekend for 6 months. Trained down from Nambour. Always scared I'd fall asleep going home and end up in Maryborough!
Wow I was there, 16yrs old 3 day pass straight off Vulture street station a short walk to the front gates and had a ball.
🇦🇺 I Was There In1988 24 Years Old From Newcastle Worked At Coca-Cola Bottlers Newcastle Head Syrup Maker I Have A Expo 88 Pint Beer Glass 4 Sale Those Were The Days Wish We Could Turn Back Time 🙏🏻
I love this video my mum went to expo on a school trip when she was 8 but I came across expo videos such as this on CZcams on my own and am now an expert on Brisbane history and especially expo 88 keep up the good work I hope one day I see you grow in to a much bigger channel and gain more viewers and subscribers like me
I travelled from interstate and only had a single day ticket to Expo 88. Although I'll never forget that one day, I spent a lot of the time waiting in long queues to get into the pavilions so it was impossible to see more than about a quarter of them. Most theme parks nowdays have fast-pass options to jump queues but nothing like that existed. The Queensland Pavilion was the most memorable ride, never seen anything quite like it before or since.
I recently came into possession of some items from Expo 88.. Not a Queenslander so never had any knowledge of the event, but I'm just kindof amazed at how much effort (and no doubt cost) seemed to go into it. To purpose build, not just a venue, but an entire precinct for a single event .. And just how many people were shown to be visiting so enthusiastically .. And then to just bulldoze almost all of it after the fact! The way things have changed in the past 30-odd years, I don't know if you could do either of those things today. The cost to build something like this today would be astronomical and I think people today would get fatigued of such an event after just a few weeks (if they ever even cared at all), yet alone 6 months. While it sounds like this event did wonders for Brisbane, it's also sad to see the decline in Australia generally in more recent years. The 80's really seemed like our peak.
One goal achieved was to ski in Brisbane (in the Switzerland pavilion)!
I never had so many days off school 🍻 Awesome vid. 👊
I have a coffee mug from World Expo 88 sitting in the cardboard. 😂
Was18 was fun
Correction, the Piazza was built for Expo & was used for many performances day & night during Expo88.
Expo was the best thing to happen to Brisbane, it expanded our horizons & made Bribane a truly international city.I was in my early 20's at the time & had a season pass. It was a great venue after work & on weekends.The pavilions were excellent & the entertainment was first rate. The sky needle was a handly landmark, especially after a few drinks.
The Expo Piazza was demolished after the fair. It was also much further down than the Southbank Piazza's location.
@@IBISChannel32 Ah, okay, I didn't realise. Thanks
@@RARDingo Easy mistake to make. We thought it was the same one, too!
I sre enjoyes being at expo 88.
I worked at an elite high class fine dining restaurant in Brisbane, the boss had the catering for the Queensland pavilion at Expo 88. So, I worked a lot during Expo I have silver (not real) place mats that were put on the tables in the function room and 4 shot glasses from the German pub, it was a great experience and because I was staff, I could go in every pavilion for free.
I loved expo 88. I was 13/14 and it was a huge highlight. The silo in the city is still in my home town of Biloela. I should go check it out some day.
I remember going to Expo88 as a teen. Went with my father and younger brother (mum stayed home). We had a 3 day pass. The crowds were insane and it was hard to get into see all the food stuff. We stayed for the fire works the first night but then I rained. Next day it rained and rained and was miserable. Third day was still raining. We lined up to get in, and ended up getting soaked and not bothering. My dad gave away the tickets for our last day away to someone, and we went back to our accommodation, packed up early for the long drive home... I do remember having the best Satay sticks ever at the Thailand pavilion.
This was great! Lots of flash-backs. Thank you. I was 22, living in Surfers for a few years.
Travelled/experienced a lot, Expo is right up there as one of my best experiences, yet prob only seen 1/4 of the displays. Indigenous laser display was my fav, don't believe there'd be any vid, too dark in there for 80s VHS. Concerts were great also. I forgot all about Stefan, lol, he was like Warwick Capper of the hairdressing industry.
Great video, brings back memories of when I was 8yo. I meet the tallest man in the world, got blow away by invisible stamps and oh boy did the Korean pavilion smell bad lol
great video m8. i was only 5 when i went to expo. u have brought back many memories from when i was a young fella.
Thanks alot m8.
You're welcome m8!
Wagged school to go a couple of times. Remember the USA pavilion having the speed gun and a baseball pitching contest. Fixated on getting a good speed from memory.
The sky needle had a laser which swept around like a lighthouse. This could be seen at night across the greater Brisbane area.
There are some videos on the needle and the recent upgrading of the lights.
My parents went my mother and worked for one of the companies that did some of the construction for it.
I don't remember much of Expo 88 as I was only 4. But I know mum took us a few times and I remember always wanting to see the Knight Rider car.
I was born the night Expo opened. The obstetrician apparently had tickets to the opening ceremony... My bad.
This was really informative and interesting to watch. I didn't realise that the Arbour followed some of the original monorail track. Well done. 👍
My mum still has her Expo 88 season pass in almost mint condition
I remember my parents drinking all day then struggling to drive home at night
Great Doco.! here right now staying in Rydges with my family.
I was also here 35 years ago as a kid with my parents at expo88
I was just telling my eldest Daughter as we walked around Southbank.
Ironically I haven’t been back here since then but both my daughter and I first visit to south bank we were both exact same age 14 ! 😜
I was a bus-boy at the Munich Festhause, for the entire 6mths. A hairdresser apprentice during the day, finishing at 5:30. Then on the train from Toombul station, into Expo. I was exhausted, because but had an amazing time. I had a sign around my neck on the train, asking people to wake me when we got there ( only failed me once) you can only imagine, how many times I heard the Chicken Dance music 😂
Wonderful time!
Bryan Ferry refused to sing his hit song “Let’s stick together” on the final concert night . The crowd erupted in disbelief 😮and started chanting the words to encourage his return , but he left the stage and jumped in a boat up the river. If anyone was there that night leave a comment 😊
It was absolutely fantastic to experience. People representing their country/culture from all over the world were in one place. People were very happy, upbeat, and positive about the future; it was so good, you never wanted to leave!
Nowadays, it's the complete opposite.
Matthew 24:6-8 - _"...And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows."_ - Jesus
7:11 aahh yes the well known Plouh Inn, where a lot of Ploughing took place
Exactly!
The night entertainment was amazing and could be seen from my house in Petrie Terrace.
We went to expo with our expo passports. We didnt go to many pavillions because of the long queues. I remember the monorail and the peformers on stilts. Didnt the Japan pavillion have a robot? Those who lived in West End, how did the fireworks affect things?
I was 8 and allowed one item from the tourist gift shop, I picked a small tool kit with a adjustable spanner that actually worked, i work as a mechanic today, it had nothing to do with any culture or expo memorabilllia lol. My brother got arrested for stealing chocolate from the cadbury shop.
Still have my expo 88number plates on my hearse it's logo says together will show the world 🌎 and we did 👍👍🦘🦘🦘🦘rip Sir LEWELLYN EDWARDS 🕯️
Thank you for this video. I had a season pass and went many many times. I just watched with my 24 & 25 year old sons now I feel very old indeed 🙄
Awesome video, I reminisce of the Amusement Park and components of construction before and after. Just a note though, the buildings where not demolished in fact the construction of these buildings were ahead of the times and they were demountable (able to be removed from their position). Some businesses in Brisbane purchased these buildings and are still being used to this day.
Thanks! That I did discover much later after the release of this video. One of them was moved to an industrial area in Southside Brisbane, yeah?
That thing that says Australia is on thr sunshine coast now.
I'm guilty. Being from Sydney, I drove through Brisbane, heading north, without staying a single night back in 1988. "Why would anyone want to stay in Brisbane?" was my attitude. I've since visited several times and worked there in two stints, the longest being 18 months. I'm 61 years old now. The city grew up. Darwin next. 🙂
No many cities can say they have hosted an expo/worlds fair, an Olympics, Commonwealth games, Goodwill games and a G20 summit. You wonder if the Olympics will finally get the name up there with Sydney and Melbourne.
no
I forgot I went there. I only remember the monorail.
12:02 Did any of these end up at the Hyperdome?
Dunno about Logan, but definitely not Aspley
Still have mine and my wife's 6 month pass with photo.
Looks like the rollercoaster was sold to Wonderland Sydney and became the Demon, I think its now in Canada
India now as "Recoil"
Unfortunately, I only saw the destruction Expo '88 had on the surround communities and its people, both before, during and after Expo.
People forget that in anticipation of Expo (started preparation in 1976) the Government, developers and landlords were given the power by the 'Expo 88 Act' to "acquire, develop, improve and control" land/properties without the normal objection process (yet many many people protested many of their decisions). Basically, this gave the developers/landlords etc the right to demolish business, properties and evict whoever they wanted. Thousands of families were kicked out onto the literal street so they could rent to foreigners at a much higher rate, usually 2 to 3 times higher. Whole families reduced to living in their cars. The elderly losing their long term homes that some had lived in their entire life. Tenancy laws were not like they are today, so families got close to zero notice, couldn't fight it and the government didn't have anything in place to assist the overwhelming amount of people left homeless from Expo. All the government did was set up a Hotline to call to direct you to possible services that were already over capacity and unable to help. And they did not put any funding towards tackling the housing crisis Expo created. And this did not just happen to the areas close to the Expo. It expanded to other Brisbane suburbs, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, for years to come.
And South Brisbane and the West End areas were a hub for the aboriginal community and other ethnic groups, as most of the 'black' services were in that area. It was mostly working class to low income families in community housing, and it was also an 'alternative' suburb, full of punks, hippies, artists, social justice warriors and an array of wonderfully weird characters. It was a thriving community where everybody had a place. Expo didn't want these 'type' of persons around. So, with the power given to them by the 'Expo 88 Act', they could label something as "run-down" and in need of renewal. And that's when the gentrification began. Families lost everything, our wonderful aboriginal community lost their hub and place of gathering and support, cherished buildings/business/sculptures/art/public spaces etc etc were torn down, and people had no choice but to move, change jobs, or worse, live on the streets. Before the Expo West End and surrounding areas were so wonderfully diverse. With the property development and sky rocketed prices, whole communities were pushed out of the areas.
Then there was the general strain Expo had on traffic, parking, public transport, pollution particularly to our waterways next to Expo, over crowded hospitals, increased police presence (not great if you were a person of colour). Etc etc etc
Appreciate the comment. There is definitely a "dark side" to the Expo that nobody talks about.
Umm I'm pretty sure the piazza today is the same location as the piazza at Expo 88, and the riverside restaurants that were there in Expo88 are still the same buildings today. Nice effort on the video youngen but so much wrong information. The maritime museum was not a part of Expo 88. It was outside of Expo 88.
We matched everything that's currently on South Bank to scale with the Expo 88 map and the Expo 88 Piazza was much further down towards the Vulture Street Station end (you can also see that it's gone in the demolition photos). Those Riverside Restaurants from Expo have also since been demolished and different cafes are there currently. We also mention in the video that the Dry Dock was converted into the Maritime Museum in the 1960s (to be opened in 1971, which we didn't mention!), not for Expo 88. Its connection to Expo is also in the Pavilion of Promise building, which ultimately became the current Maritime Museum building.
@@IBISChannel32 The current Piazza is not the original nor on the same original site ... the original was attached to "Entertainment House" further south ... near the original boardwalk ...
David Hamilton was the piazza director & designer of the artwork on the floor ... he is now a professional Marionettist ...
@@Finke. That is true! And that's cool about David Hamilton... thank you for the info!
@@IBISChannel32 You're welcome ... David is the consummate gentleman ...
A bit of trivia regarding the current Piazza ... in the middle of the floor you will find a square plate some 10"/25.4 cm ... stand directly on this & clap your hands & you will hear the perfect acoustics ... step 1 inch/25mm outside the square & will hear deadened acoustics ... this is the perfect architecture credited to its designer ... happy clapping 😁...
That was the beginning of the end for brisbane, now homlessness is rampant and housing is out of reach for most, brisbane was so much better before expo 88 i know i grew in Brisbane..
I'm a NZ er , and was living in Brisbane at the time , I went to the expo , I cant say I was impressed, waiting in long queues in the hot sun , only to see pretty boring stuff . I remember one evening James Taylor was performing there , and we could hear him at our place in Paddington.
I still have my Expo 88 passport and badges. You could buy a $5 cricket bat from the Pakistan pavilion. They didn’t last long.
Daughter was 3 when we visited. Ive many photographs.
I got roped into a street theatre comedy show in front of a crowd.
So much fun❤
Still got the photos.
I was there - spent3 days getting soaked in torrential rain and lost 3 umbrellas =^)