Riverland Is Relaunching with a Three-Tier Waterfront Deck and New Food Options After a $3.5-Million Revamp

When you live in the River City, knocking back drinks right by the water never gets old — but Eagle Street's Riverland wants to make that experience feel brand new again. Back in 2022, the Australian Venue Co-owned bar announced that it was undergoing a hefty revamp, spending $3.5 million to level-up its drinking and dining spaces and options. Come Monday, May 22, Brisbanites will be able to head in to lap up the results, including while kicking back on a new 800-square-metre deck extension.

Riverland's prime river frontage hasn't just scored a larger deck. That hangout space now sprawls across three tiers, and can accommodate 1000 people. Up top, there's the sky deck, which boasts uninterrupted views of the Story Bridge, plus a new container bar. Then there's the promenade deck with direct Eagle Street Pier access, as well as a space with a new live music stage, plus a large screen that'll show sports.

Expect a talented lineup to jump behind the microphone or on the decks from Wednesday–Sunday, giving Riverland's latest guise an acoustic and DJ-spun soundtrack. Expect an array of new food options to tuck into, too, with Riverland 2.0 also featuring two new kitchen concepts.

Given the name, it's no surprise that Sunshine State produce and dishes shine brightly at The Queenslander. Place your order here and you'll be tucking into pub fare such as chicken wings in a pineapple rum barbecue glaze, mango salad, cured Tin Can Bay cuttlefish paired with a brioche doughnut, Mooloolaba prawn san choy bow, fish and chips using Queensland seafood, and the usual burgers and parmigianas.

Anwyn Howarth

Over at The Traveller, the culinary range takes its cues from international street food. On a seasonally changing menu, the first stop is Mexican eats; think: fried tortillas with guacamole, roasted tortilla soup, jalapeño poppers, cured red emperor tostadas and a variety of soft-shell tacos — and churros for dessert.

Also changing at Riverland, which has been open since 2017 and remained trading through its renovations, is the beverage menu. Your new sips include spicy watermelon margaritas, a signature cocktail alongside the gin, lemon, apple and raspberry number that's called Burst My Bubble. There'll be more spirits-heavy concoctions, plus 16 beers and ciders on tap, and a sizeable wine list.

With its makeover, Riverland will now span seven different function spaces — adding plenty of areas for parties to an ever-changing Eagle Street, which has also welcomed seafood restaurant Tillerman and the combination that is Babylon and its outdoor bar Babylon Garden in the past year.

Riverland similarly joins the growing list of AVC sites getting a do-over, after The Wickham in Fortitude Valley unveiled its own revamp back in March, and Cleveland Sands Hotel, Salisbury Hotel, Koala Hotel, the Crown Hotel in Lutwyche and Bribie Island Hotel before that. Next, Nundah's The Royal is also getting the same treatment.

Find Riverland at 167 Eagle Street, Brisbane, relaunching from Monday, May 22 — operating from 11.30am–12am Sunday–Thursday and 11.30am–3am Friday–Saturday.