Tips for Travellers Podcast 145: Brisbane Australia

by Gary Bembridge

City Hall Brisbane Australia

Gary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Brisbane in Australia.

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This show covers among other topics:

Observations

3rd largest city in Australia – over 2 million people – growing fast and projecting may overtake Melbourne – capital of Queensland.
Attractive city set around the curves of Brisbane River named after Sir Thomas Brisbane Governer of NSW in 1820s.
Compact and easy to get around with good transport infrastructure both road and on river – easily walkable.
Mix of modern glass buildings and grand old buildings like City Hall – Post Office – Treasury building (now a casino).
Lots of greenery and shade about – even the roads in the CBD has trees along both sides creating cover and playgrounds have covered play areas .
About hour drive to beaches and theme parks of Gold Coast.
Prone to major flooding at various times over history – big one 1974 – most recent in 2011 when CBD and suburbs badly affected.

History

Created to support the penal colony close by.
Growing fast for as commercial centre : mineral and agriculture resources , financial services , technology – busy port handling exports of things like grain, coal.
In WWII General MacArthur commanded to Pacific war effort from here for a time.
Hosted 1982 Commonwealth Games, World Expo 88

Getting there
Good airline connections within Australia and to parts of Asia
Cruise lines – big ships dock quite way from the city (30-45 mins transfer)

Best time to go
Summer : Dec – Feb
Winter: Jun – Aug

Getting around
Bus – tickets by zone
Rail – to suburbs
River – free and pay for services
Walking
Bike hire scheme (blue bikes)
Green tricycle taxis

Tips

Get information booklets from tourist information offices – free Brisbane Insider Guid.
Brisbane Greeter Service – 100 volunteers – 20 languages – two options (refer to information leaflet) – greeter’s choice or your choice – free
Hop-on Hop-off bus.

Things to do

River trips

Free red City Hopper – every 30 minutes – takes about 1.5 hours.
CityCat service – big catamarans go much further up and down river
Mississippi style paddle streamer – Kookaburra River Queens
Jet Ski or kayak
River City Cruises- 1,5 trip with commentary by Captain

South Bank Parklands

42-acre development on site of 1988 World Expo – very busy at weekends with locals to hang out- includes
Information centre
The Beach – Aquativity water park
Picnic areas
Restaurants
Weekend market
Wheel of Brisbane – 12 to 15 minute ride in aircon enclosed cabin
Queensland performing arts centre
Queensland museum & science centre
Queensland Art gallery
State library of Queesnsland
Gallery of Modern Art
Convention & Exhibition centre
Rainforest walk
Bougainvillea feature
Nepalese Pagoda

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

1927 – worlds first koala sanctuary – 130 koala and 90 other Aussie species – 11km away

Mount Coot-tha
Panoramic view from Mount Coot-tha – 8km outside city
Botanical garden – established 1824 as fruit & vegetable garden for nearby Moreton Bay penal settlement – 20 hectares flowers trees

Other
City Hall
Story Bridge Climb
ANZAC square memorial

Shopping
Queens street pedestrian mall – over 600 shops on 1 km
QueensPlaza

Gold Coast day trip
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