This aerial view comes from the book Queensland, written in 1948 by Frank Hurley whose work we referenced here.
It's intriguing shot. Do click on it for a larger view
From this vantage point the city looks still, deserted - something that the Government and war strategists had considered five years earlier.
The Brisbane Line - all points north to be abandoned in case of a serious Japanese invasion from the north.
Dominating the shot is the city's iconic and graceful festoon of steel, The Story Bridge, completed in 1940s and whose history can be found here.
Scrolling down to the bottom quarter of the shot is the Brisbane City Hall, a lean and lovely elegant 1920s building, which its distinctive sandstone clock tower.
As you can see from the shot, Brisbane's CBD is a very tidily laid out district with long straight streets named, appropriately enough for Kings, Queens and Regents.
It's very easy to find your way through town as long as you remember that the 'Queens' run east-west and the 'Kings' are north-south.
The view to the top of the shot shows the Brisbane River wending its way into Moreton Bay out to the Harbour. Here's what the city looks like today (don't forget to click) from roughly the same vantage point.
The Story Bridge is the centre of the shot, below it is the strong, straight, uncompromising Captain Cook Bridge which brings south side residents and Gold Coasters directly into the city via the Riverside Expressway.
Brisbane is a beautiful capital city this will be the first of a series of Sunday Drives taking a look at Queensland's capital.
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