Brisbane

The 20^th Century

The advent of the 20^th century heralded a lengthy period of mixed fortune for Brisbane. The Australian Federation of 1901 saw Queensland as the nascent country’s fastest growing state with Brisbane its economic heart, culminating in 1924 with the incorporation of several surrounding towns to produce the City of Brisbane, at the time Australia’s largest local authority. The Great Depression of the early thirties severely dented the city’s pride and prosperity. The outbreak of World War Two saw nearly half a million American servicemen in the area, a period that severely tested Brisbane’s resources and the tempers of Australian soldiers serving alongside the Americans.

Peacetime brought a rapid growth in industry and immigration and Brisbane’s now ubiquitous suburbs began their march to the sea in one direction and the outback in the other.

1974 was a modern low point in the city’s history, floods devastated the city, many people lost their lives, and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage was caused. The subsequent re-birth of the city spawned two events that would forever dispel Brisbane’s Hicksville reputation in the south, the 1982 Commonwealth Games, and the 1988 World Expo, bringing with them a lasting infrastructure of sporting and cultural facilities.

Brisbane Today
Brisbane today has grown from its convict town origins into a vibrant, truly cosmopolitan city, a young and energetic place, now the envy of the two Swanky Sisters in the south.

It’s probably a climate thing but Brisbane is infectiously relaxing, to the point where the local inhabitants appear to have turned urban laid-backness into something of an art form. The city has an almost embarrassing share of Australia’s hedonistic delights with a calendar of events promoting the joys of both cultural and outdoor life.

But don’t be fooled by the city’s relaxed attitude, Brisbane in particular and Queensland in general have burgeoning economies, centred around agriculture, mining, tourism and the service industries. Brisbane is home to several multi-national corporations headquarters with interests in the Asia Pacific area.

What to do in Brisbane
Outdoors
First time visitors to Brisbane will be amazed at the amount of open space in and around the city, there are some 1700 parks and outdoor community areas covering an area of more than 10,000 hectares. Most are open every day and all of them are free.

One park not to be missed is The Brisbane Forest Park, a massive 280 sq km bushland reserve starting on the northern outskirts of the city. The Park has an excellent information centre at Walkabout Creek where visitors can familiarise themselves with the parks many cycle, horse riding and bush walking trails. The Centre also has a freshwater study area where it is possible to have close encounters with lizards, turtles, snakes and all manner of other local fauna. It is possible to camp overnight in park, check at the Walkabout Creek centre for details.

Back in the city the park not to miss is The Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, Queenslands oldest gardens, situated close to the Brisbane River. Apart from being a great place just to take a stroll, the gardens contain a comprehensive collection of Australian flora, a tree blessed by the Dalai Lama and the popular Mangrove walk. Guided tours are available.

A good way to relive the city’s rich history is to follow at your own pace one of Brisbane City Council’s excellent Heritage Trails. Follow the golden arrows set in the pavements for a leisurely stroll taking in some of the city’s finest buildings and scenery. Don’t miss the beautiful old buildings on Harris Terrace and George Street, the Old Windmill & Observatory on Wickham Terrace and the ornate old Treasury Building, now rather aptly converted into a casino.

Leaflets describing the various trails in detail are available from the Brisbane Tourist Office.

South Bank Parklands. This riverside expanse of tropical gardens and lagoons is just a few minute walk south of the CBD. Originally developed for Expo 88, the area has undergone a gradual change from a pleasant place to stroll to one of the city’s liveliest outdoor venues. The Denton Corker designed Grand Arbor, is one of the most visually impacting features of South Bank, a giant curved steel pole structure covered in magenta coloured bougainvillea snakes it way through the heart of the park. Children will love South Bank Beach, a swimming lagoon with imported sand and trained lifeguards.

South Bank is also home to an IMAX cinema and is close to the Queensland Performing Arts Complex, a world-class arts centre hosting a packed diary of events including drama, opera, dance and musical concerts.

There are numerous restaurants and cafes dotted around South Bank serving a wide range of local and international cuisines. At weekends the area hosts a popular craft market.

Brisbane’s greatest outdoor surprise is probably Roma Street Parkland, a magnificent 16-hectare sub tropical garden right in the heart of city adjacent to Roma Street railway station. This recently re developed area is now the world’s largest urban sub tropical garden and includes a labyrinth of boardwalks and pathways traversing waterfalls, rocky outcrops, themed gardens and a centrepiece lake.

The Arts and Culture
Brisbane’s cultural renaissance continues apace, it is now one of Australia’s most culturally and artistically innovative cities. Listed here for the sake of space are just a few of Brisbane’s cultural and artistic gems. The Powerhouse, sited on the banks of the Brisbane River at New Farm Peninsula hosts a year round calendar of, public art, theatre, arts workshops, concerts, lectures and conferences. The Brisbane Entertainment Centre plays host to some truly world class acts, from Bruce Springsteen to the Vienna Riding School. Modern and rock music is well catered for, check out the excellent Time Off website for up to the minute news of local bands and upcoming gigs. The Australia's Cultural Network website is a great resource covering all Brisbane and Queensland cultural events and venues.

Shopping in Brisbane
Don’t expect Paris, New York or Milan style shopping in Brisbane, its not there. What is there however is a huge range of shops, stores and malls selling a huge range of local, national and international products. Visitors to Brisbane from Europe and the United States will find prices for many products generally lower than their home countries. This is particularly true of clothes, especially Australia’s own top quality outdoor clothing brands such as Driza Bone and RM Williams.

Retail Brisbane serves a large urban population and a far flung rural and outback community, it is not unusual to find families doing a couple of days shopping in the city from places as far away as Cairns in the north and Mount Isa and Birdsville to the west.

The retail heart of the city is centred around Queen Street, The Queen Street Mall and The Brunswick Mall.

The Queen Street Mall is huge, more than 1,000 stores, dozens of cafes and restaurants attracting over half a million visitors a week, right in the heart of the city. The smaller boutique style Myers Centre has a very popular International Food Court.

For specialist and artisan shops head out to the inner suburbs such as China Town and Fortitude Valley. For fashionable boutiques check out the stores in Milton’s Park Road, and Paddington for antiques. Friday night is late shopping night in the City Centre; most shops stay open until 9.00pm. All other nights the shops are open until 5.30 pm, except Saturday when they close at 5.00pm and Sunday when they close at 4.00pm, but not all shops open on Sundays. Brisbane also has several interesting markets; The Saturday Fortitude Valley Market is in the Brunswick Street Mall and frequently has street entertainers performing. On Sunday you can visit Eagle Street where there are two markets. The Eagle Street Pier market, from 8.00am - 4.00pm and the Riverside Market, open from 7.00am - 4.00pm.

Eating and Drinking in Brisbane
“Truly cosmopolitan with an eccentric edge” was a recently heard phrase summing up dining in Brisbane, its a phrase that’s difficult to question. Like most other major cities Brisbane has the usual range of ritzy downtown business restaurants and fast food outlets, but it also has a great range of pub style eateries, many of which offer some form of entertainment. South Bank has several notable places to eat and is home to the ever-popular Plough Inn, a great place to take a refreshing beer and watch the world go by. But it is to the inner suburbs where Brisbane’s most interesting and varied dining can be found. China Town and nearby Fortitude Valley are home to many of the city’s best known Asian restaurants, whilst the restaurants of Paddington and Petrie Terrace often have a Bohemian feel to them.

Brisbane Useful Information

Arriving and Departing

Brisbane International Airport Information

Address: - Brisbane Airport, PO Box 61, Hamilton Central, Brisbane, QL 4007, Australia

Telephone: (0)7 3406 3000
Fax: (0)7 3406 3111

Website: www.brisbaneairport.com.au

Time: GMT + 10

Airport Map Website

Location: 13km (8 miles) from Brisbane's Central Business District.

Situated to the north of the city the airport offers rapid access to the Sunshine Coast in the north and the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales in the south via the Gateway Arterial highway.

Number of terminals 2.  An inter terminal shuttle operates between the domestic and international terminals, every 15 minutes in the morning and every 20 minutes in the afternoon. The service is free to airline ticket holders and A$2.70 to non-travellers. The shuttle train connects the terminals to Brisbane four times an hour and to the Gold Coast twice an hour.

Public Transport: Rail: Train: The Airtrain Rail Link provides services to Brisbane Central Business District (journey time: 22 minutes) and to the Gold Coast (journey time: 72 minutes). Trains depart approximately every 15 minutes to/from Brisbane Central Business District. Road: Taxi: Taxis are readily available from both the Domestic and International terminals. Limousine: Limousines are also available from both terminals. Bus: Airport buses are available from both terminals. Coach: The airport provides coach services (tel: (0)7 3236 1000) to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Information and help: There is a Travellers' Information Service desk (tel: (0)7 3406 3190) in Arrivals on level 2 of the International Terminal. For tourist information contact Brisbane Marketing (tel: (0)7 3006 6200) or visit their website at www.brisbanetourism.com.au

Airport Facilities: Money and communications: The International Terminal has bureaux de change facilities on levels 2 and 3. There are plenty of cafés, bars and a restaurant at the airport. Shopping: Duty-free shopping facilities are available at the airport for the use of international travellers. Other facilities: There is a first aid room on level 3 in the International Terminal.

Disabled Facilities: There is ramped and lift access to all floors, wheelchair-accessible toilets on level 4, and shops and dining areas designed for people with special needs in the International Terminal. Disabled car parking spaces are available in public car parks at the airport and there is access to the bus parking area via a ramp from arrivals level 2.

Conference and Business Facilities:  The airport has conference and meeting room facilities (tel): (0)7 3406 3000; e-mail: info@bne.com.au) for groups of 12-50 people.

Car Hire: Car hire companies include Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Thrifty.

Car Parking: Short-term and long-term parking (tel: (0)7 3406 3088) is available at both the International and Domestic terminals.

Airport Hotels: There are no hotels at the airport at present; however there are accommodation desks in both passenger terminals.

Driving Directions: The airport has a dedicated access road off a junction of the Gateway Arterial highway near Brisbane; it serves the Gold Coast, Northern New South Wales in the south and the Sunshine Coast in the north. The airport is strategically located on Moreton Bay and is just 13km (8 miles) from Brisbane's Central Business District.

Getting Around Brisbane Central Brisbane is relatively compact and most of the popular tourist spots can be reached on foot or a cheap taxi ride. The city has a comprehensive transport network, including, bus, commuter rail, ferry and taxis. For all public transport enquiries call TRANSINFO on 13 1230.

Bus Services:

Citybus (White & Yellow) operate regular services from the city centre to the furthest flung suburbs. Cityexpress offers a fast designated stop service to many parts of the city. If you want a cheap city tour, then hop on the Great Circle Line bus (White & Blue 333), this will give you a good view of many of the city’s landmarks such as the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens.

  Ferry:
Ferries link many downtown points to many riverside communities such as Kangaroo Point, Dockside and South Bank. CityCat Ferries offer fast links between Hamilton(Brett’s Wharf), downtown and St Lucia (University of Queensland).

 Rail:
Queensland Rail run the air-conditioned commuter Citytrain services from Roma Street and Central Station to most suburbs and beyond. Long distance trains, (The Great South Pacific Express) run to Sydney, in the south and to Cairns in the north.

Driving:  Renting a car is a wise option if you are planning to explore some of the great places around Brisbane. Roads are largely un-congested, (by UK and US standards anyway) and road safety standards are high, but don’t forget Australian drive on the left. If you are arriving in Brisbane by air there are plenty of rental company offices in the arrival hall. You will need an international driving license. The Queenland Transport Department has an excellent Driving and road Safety website.   Taxis

Taxis services are ubiquitous in Brisbane, and operate around the clock. All taxis are metered. Tipping is not essential but like anywhere else in the world “rounding up” is appreciated.

Highlights

Things to do around Brisbane

The Great Barrier Reef

North Stradbroke Island
Referred to locally as 'Straddie', this elongated sand island is about a 90 minutes from downtown Brisbane, the island is the largest of Moreton Bay's islands, covering some 27,530 hectares protecting much of the southern part of Moreton Bay and the smaller islands from the ocean swells.

North Stradbroke attracts a wide range of visitors seeking an escape from the bustle of the city. Popular with anglers, surfers and holidaymakers, particularly families, attracted to its expansive stretches of sandy coast and little lakes. The Island offers a range of accommodation ranging from resorts, chalet units, guest houses, backpacker and budget hotels.

Apart from walking one of the best ways of seeing the island is by 4-wheel drive vehicle, although you will need to obtain a permit from Redland Shire Council.

Worth visiting is the Old Quarantine Station at Dunwich and the Blue Lake in the centre of the island. During the winter months whale watching from Point Lookout is a popular family pastime.

A water taxi and car ferry operates from Cleveland, about half an hours drive from downtown Brisbane. The Stradbroke Island visitor centre is close to the ferry terminal in Dunwich, tel, 3409  9555

Mt Coot-tha
This is a great place to get a panoramic view of Brisbane. From the lookout at the top of Mount Coot-tha you can see for miles. On a clear day, and they’re fairly frequent, you can see both Moreton and Stradbroke Islands, the hump like Glasshouse Mountains to the north, and the mountains beyond the Gold Coast to the south. Only 8 kms (5 miles) from the centre of Brisbane this is a great place to escape the heat of the city. There are some interesting walks and attractions around Mt Coot-Tha. The JC Slaughter Falls on Simpson's Rd are worth a visit as are he Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens, at the foot of the  mountain. Australia’s largest Planetarium, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, is also located here.

 Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Just half an hour from the centre of Brisbane, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is a great place to visit for adults and children alike .The world's first and largest koala sanctuary is set in attractive parklands along the riverside (It is possible to get there by ferry). This is the place to make friends with Australia's best known 4 legged ambassador, the koala, at the last count there were about 150 of them here. But there is plenty more to see here than koalas, there are emus, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, Tasmanian devils, dingoes, goannas (big lizards), possums and many other native Australian animals. Whilst the sanctuary is a little trippery and commercial, you will have to pay to have your picture taken with the koalas, its well worth visiting if you are not going to have the opportunity to see these animals in the wild. By the way it’s slightly cheaper to have your picture taken and feed the kangaroos.

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