It's been more than two decades since Brisbane's CityCats first started powering up and down the Brisbane River — and now more than 21 vessels are in operation. Come late 2019, the city's fleet will get a new member, its first double-decker 'SuperCat'.

Brisbane City Council has announced that the $3.7 million catamaran will set sail by the end of next year, complete with 16 seats on its upper deck, clear viewing panes below the handrail so that you can get a better look at the scenery, and bigger windows in parts of the lower cabin for the same reason too. If you've ever wanted to lounge around on a CityCat, this one will also have table and lounge seating options. And, if you're running out of juice, it'll feature USB charging ports as well.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner compared the SuperCat to London's double-decker buses — they're not quite the same, but the council is clearly hoping that it'll become a tourist drawcard. "London is famous for its double-decker buses — what better way to see Brisbane than from our double-decker SuperCat," Schrinner said.

The new vessel isn't the only upcoming addition to the city's water transport network, with Brisbane also set to score a new inner-city terminal at the Howard Smith Wharves. While the precinct will begin to open in stages from next week, it'll boast its own $12 million CityCat stop from sometime in 2020. That'll bring the total number of places to hop on board between St Lucia's University of Queensland to Northshore Hamilton to 26.

The new SuperCat will launch onto the Brisbane River in late 2019. We'll let you know when it's ready to ride. 

Published on November 08, 2018 by Sarah Ward