Brisbane

Brisbane, the capital city of the state of Queensland is situated in the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. Brisbane City is built on either side of the Brisbane River and the eastern suburbs are along the shores of Moreton Bay, to the north is the Sunshine Coast and to the south is the Gold Coast. The greater Brisbane region lies on the coastal plain east of the Great Dividing Range. There are numerous large hills in the greater Brisbane region with Mount Coot-tha providing an excellent vantage point from which to view the city.

The fast developing Central Business District of Brisbane is situated in a curve of the Brisbane river. Many historic sandstone buildings have been preserved, but the majority of the central business district now consists of high rise buildings. Brisbane city is very pedestrian & bike friendly. Excellent transport is available via fast Catamarans on the river. There are several parks around the city. Roma Street Parklands the Botanical Gardens and South Bank Parklands are well worth a visit.

Brisbane, although it has a population of nearly two million, has quite a different atmosphere from the larger capital cities, Sydney and Melbourne. It was founded in July 1825 as a penal settlement, on the orders of the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, and it soon gained a reputation as one of the harshest of such settlements. By 1840, however, with all the convicts withdrawn, Brisbane had become a city for free settlers. When Queensland was separated from New South Wales and became a colony in its own right, Brisbane became its capital.

Some of the main Brisbane areas are:

The Valley
Brisbane's nightlife area with music, bars and clubs. And the the home of Brisbane's Chinatown
with many Asian restaurants and supermarkets.

New Farm/Teneriffe
Originally an industrial area but now full of restaurants, cafes and residential areas and home to the Powerhouse Theatre. New Farm Park is famous for the long line of Jacaranda trees and the many roses.

West End
West End is the area behind South Bank and with a mixed cultural influence and a fairly alternative area.

Hamilton & Ascot
Leafy streets and upmarket riverside suburb with European style plazas.

Paddington
The place to find wooden Queenslanders and little cafes and small boutiques.

Rosalie
Close to Paddington with small bars and restaurants.

Milton
Milton is home to the XXXX Brewery and the Suncorp Stadium.

South Bank
Across the river from Brisbane CBD is South Bank an entertainment and retail area with plenty of parkland and river walks.

The greater Brisbane region covers a large area and well worth exploring.

Brisbane's Bayside
Manly Harbour village sits on the edge of Moreton Bay and overlooks a very large man made marina. In the village are a number of restaurants, eateries, coffee houses, Sunday markets and other attractions such as Shorncliffe Pier; Boondall Wetlands and Fort Lytton National Park.

Lockyer Valley
An area that produces some of the best vegetables and fruit in Australia and with the country towns of Gatton and Laidley. Attractions include Pioneer Village, Glen Rock Regional Park, Cunningham Crest lookout and the Lake Apex scenic walk.

Logan
Logan is an urban city to the south of Brisbane with Logan Art Gallery, Beenleigh Historical Village and parklands. Other attractions are Daisy Hill Koala Centre, Kingston Park Raceway,

Scenic Rim
An area of natural beauty with vineyards and roadside stalls along with Lamington National Park and Mt Barney and the towns of Beaudesert and Boonah. The main other attractions are Tamborine Mountain National Parks; Lost World Valley; O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat; Cunningham's Gap, Lake Moogerah and Lake Maroon.

Somerset Region
The Somerset region is the gateway to the Brisbane River Catchment and has a major dam that is excellent for water sports. The main points of interest are Lake Somerset; Landcruiser Mountain Park; Lake Wivenhoe; Bellevue Homestead and Caboonbah Homestead.

Moreton Bay Region
Moreton Bay offers bush and beach with Bribie Island and Redcliffe and the hinterland towns of Dayboro, Samford and Woodford. Some of the places to visit are Pumicestone Passage Marine Park; Redcliffe Jetty; Lake Samsonvale; D'Aguilar National Park; Mt Mee State Forest Park and Dayboro the town of yesterday.

North Stradbroke Island
Directly opposite Clevelandis North Stradbroke Island one of the largest sand islands in the world

Around Brisbane | Brisbane History | Brisbane Attractions | Brisbane Tours | Brisbane Accommodation