On 25 March 1941 , a USA goodwill flotilla arrived in the city docking at wharves along the River . The largest ship built on the river was the '' Robert Miller '' . Construction was near complete when the 66,000 tonne vessel became un-moored in the 1974 Brisbane flood . In 1977 , Queen Elizabeth II switched on the Jubilee Fountain positioned in front of the proposed Queensland Cultural Centre . The jets pushed the floodlit river water up to in the air . The floating fountain sank late on the 31 December 1984 . 1987 was proclaimed the " Year of the River " by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane at the time , Sallyanne Atkinson
1974 Brisbane flood
1974 Brisbane flood
Brisbane River