Brisbane

Brisbane lies 920km north of Sydney on the east coast of Australia. It is a popular destination on the backpacker circuit as it’s an obvious stopover on the way to Cairns which is another 1700km north of Queensland’s capital city. The city is a friendly and lively place to visit with plenty tourist attractions, a vibrant nightlife and easy access to the beaches of both the Gold Coast to the south and Sunshine Coast to the north.

The most striking feature of the city for the first time visitor is the Brisbane River which winds its way around the city centre to the outer suburbs. City catamarans ferry passengers up and down the river all day long providing what is an ideal opportunity for visitors to get a great feel for the city from the water. Be sure to get off at the South Bank Parklands for a stroll around what was the site of the World Expo in 1988 which has been transformed into a leisure area where the highlight is a city beach with its own lifeguards which faces the skyscrapers of the central business district.

Accommodation and Getting Around

The CBD is home to many upmarket business hotels and a small selection of backpacker hostels although most budget accomodation tends to be a short distance from the centre. We’ve found serviced apartments to be a fine alternative to both hotels and hostels in Brisbane. They usually come fully equipped with their own kitchen and most have a shared swimming pool for guests. Getting around the city could hardly be easier because as well as the City Cats on the river there’s a first class bus system and being a strong proponent of environmental issues Brisbane city council has developed a very impressive network of walkways and cycle paths which covers more than 1000km. You can hire bikes or better still subscribe to City Cycle which allows you to collect and drop off bikes at designated cycle stations for very low fees.

Things to See and Do in Brisbane

On your catamaran trip along the river you’ll go under Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge which has become even more of a popular attraction since bridge climbs became available with the option to abseil back down. For the less adventurous you can head out to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where there’s a great selection of Australian wildlife on display. Sports fans can visit the Suncorp Stadium which is home to the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team and the Queensland Reds rugby union teams. Look out for major internationals in both codes which are frequently staged there. Suncorp is also home to the Brisbane Roar who are the city’s soccer team in the A-League. You can also watch the Brisbane Lions Aussie Rules team and cricket internationals at the Gabba.

The are some great old pubs in Queenslander buildings all around the city area and beer drinkers must head out to the Castlemaine brewery for its daily tour and tasting. Carnivores simply must pay a visit to the Breakfast Creek Hotel which is one of Australia’s best known pubs where you’ll get one of the best steaks you’ve ever tasted anywhere washed down with some beer ‘off the wood’. For more oriental cuisine head to Brisbane’s vibrant Chinatown off Brunswick Street in  Fortitude Valley.