Brisbane
Brisbane, by locals known as Brizzie or
Bris Vegas, is the capital of the State of Queensland and has
a population of 1.6 million people and is Australia’s third
largest city after Sydney and Melbourne.
Brisbane has easy access to a number of attractions including
the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Though Brisbane does not
have natural ocean beaches like Sydney, it has the Gold Coast,
the Sunshine Coast, and the rainforests of Lamington national
park on its doorstep, and the islands of Moreton Bay just offshore.
The skyline of Brisbane, "Batman" building on the
left
Brisbane used to be regarded as an oversized backwards country
town of agricultural and mining industries by residents of the
bigger cities but this image has improved after hosting a multitude
of international events, one of them the 1988 World Expo.
Nowadays it is a cosmopolitan and lively city that is home to
skyscrapers, parkland and even an artificial beach in the Brisbane
River that cuts through the city. Add to this a great social,
cultural and cafe scene, a busy nightlife and a great subtropical
climate of hot, brilliant summers and clear, mild winters and
you have the ideal destination for visitors all year round.
Brisbane is situated 25km upstream from the mouth of the Brisbane
River and is built along the banks of this river. It is easy to
explore the compact city centre on foot. The city started out
as a penal colony in 1825 where prisoners were sent that were
too troublesome for the colony in Sydney. The area used to be
home to the Jagera and Turrbal Aboriginal clans, which led to
a few clashes and the demise of these clans. Around 1860 the city
changed from a convict town to a prosperous city and many grand
buildings were constructed that can still be admired today. The
current population is culturally diverse, over twenty-six percent
of Brisbane’s population was born overseas.
Brisbane's centre has quite a few parks to wander
around or ride your bicycle, one of those is the 16 ha. South
Bank, a leftover from 1988 World Expo, that has an artificial
beach, restaurants, cafes and market stalls.
On July 8, 2004, the New South Wales flag was flown on the bridge
over the Brisbane River. Reason? Premiers of states are just as
sportsmad as the rest of Aussies so the premiers had betted on
who would win the Rugby League. New South Wales trashed Queensland
so premier Beattie had to fly the opponent's flag from his bridge!
Brisbane has an ideal climate for year round water sports
Less than half an hour from the city centre is Moreton Bay and
its islands. Here you can enjoy a variety of water sports in a
quiet beachside village environment. If you're hankering for surf,
the famous beaches and resorts of the Sunshine and Gold Coasts
are just over one hour's drive away.
