Brisbane, the Capital city of Queensland, the North-Eastern state of Australia is also considered the sub-tropical capital of Australia. When compared with Northern Hemisphere climates, Brisbane hardly has a winter, with temperatures rarely falling below 40º Fahrenheit. Tour companies will rarely spend more than a week in Brisbane; so to see the city properly you need to stay a few weeks at least.
Touring Brisbane is moderately easy and facilities abound for the international traveler to have a fulfilling stay in capital city of Queensland. There are some things that any erstwhile tourist will need. Firstly a map of Brisbane and these can be acquired at any council tourist advisory centre or kiosk which are located in the Queens St Mall in downtown Brisbane. Comfortable shoes are a must as you will be doing a lot of walking around the sityes to ensure you see everything. You will need a reliable camera for bragging rights, because you will need proof that you went places and did things.
Purchase a return airline ticket to Brisbane from your home country. Tickets are available inexpensively at online ticket agencies as well as regular travel agents. You might like to look at:
Obtain a Visitor’s visa for Australia. These are available at any Australian Consulate attached to their Embassy in your country. Visit the website http://australia.visahq.com/ for directions on applying for a visa. American Nationals generally will have no trouble securing a visa.
Pre-book sleeping accommodations. There is any number of hotels available close to downtown Brisbane, ranging from three star to five star.
Visit the Queen Street Mall, (downtown). Spanning two blocks of Downtown Queen Street, the former main street in Brisbane is tiled so that shoppers can experience international shopping, dining, and entertainment at their fingertips. As well as the many specialty shops and theatres, kiosks operate as tourist advisory centers. Here you will be able to find free maps and suggestions as to where to visit during your stay downtown and in greater Brisbane. Your hotel will have brochures also.
Visit Myer Centre. This is a six level indoor shopping mall containing eight cinemas, a food hall which has food of all ethnic origins, a department store, Myer which occupies three levels of the mall at the southern end, and many discount clothing and electronic and specialty stores (Albert & Elizabeth Streets, downtown). This fully indoor shopping mall is serviced by glass backed see through elevarors providing a breathtaking view of the entire complex as you ride up or down.
Eat some wonderful food. There are numerous fine restaurants in Brisbane. Brisbane boasts restaurants of all ethnic origins: Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai, to mention just a few. The concierge at your hotel will have brochures from the numerous restaurants located in the downtown area and also in the suburbs. If you are looking for a quick meal at 3am, why not take a cab to Harry’s Fine Foods, a Cypriot Greek Café in Petrie Tce Paddington. Next door to harry’s you can sample beers from home at the boutique pub at Casablanca Nite Club. Turn left past Casablanca and Caxton Street is akin to Boubnon street New Orleans.
Enjoy some gaming after your meal at the Treasury Casino, located in the fully renovated and preserved colonial era sandstone Government Treasury building. Treasury Casino has two levels for general gambling. (Queen St downtown) If you have a limitless supply of money and wish to place huge bets, you can get admittance to the “High Rollers” rooms upstairs from the general gaming floors. Minimum bets are $1000+
Stop off at the Queensland Performing Arts Center (QPAC) & Museum (Across Victoria Bridge, walk from downtown) for some stimulating performances and museum displays. Adjacent to QPAC is Southbank Parklands. Here you will find regular open air markets and free concerts in the amphitheatre. Located right on the river bank you will find restaurants and coffee shops in these idyllic settings. In roughly the centre of Southbank there ias an artificial beach area where you can go swimming and sunbathing if weather permits, and it is only a short walk or convenient bus or metro train ride from downtown.
One convenient way to see Brisbane from a river perspective is to ride the City Cat Ferries, Cruise up and down the Brisbane River. The ferries do not just travel across the river. City cats are shallow draught fast flat bottom boats which side smoothly back and forwards across the river starting at Bretts Wharf Pier at Hamilton and winding it’s way through the scenic Brisbane River and terminating at the University of Queensland Pier about an hour later. Tickets and Information at:
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE::pc=PC_1231
Sites in or close to Brisbane
(Distances from downtown approx)
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