With near-perfect weather, a relaxed and laidback vibe, great restaurants and bars serving the bounty of Australia's Sunshine State, Brisbane is a fantastic destination.
Australia's third-largest city is sometimes overlooked in favour of the resort towns of the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, but travellers booking cheap flights to Brisbane will discover that there is more than enough to hold their attention.
Brisbane, once a closed penal colony, scores very highly for quality of life. Social life is centred on the South Bank. With its own artificial beach, restaurants and cafes, cinemas, galleries and museums, canals and fountains, this is the place to see and be seen.
From Mt. Coot-tha Lookout there are views of Brisbane and, if it's a clear day, Moreton Bay and the mountains to the south west.
A local delicacy not to be missed is Moreton Bay bugs, otherwise known as the Bay lobster, and for sports fans, the Gabba, centre for all of Brisbane's Cricket and Aussie-Rules games is a must-visit.
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Brisbane has a sub-tropical climate and 300 sunny days a year. The city is the most pleasant in winter, especially June to August. The days are warm and sunny and the evenings cool. Daytime temperatures are around 21 degrees (Celsius) and nighttime around 10. Summers are also mild with daytime highs in the mid-20s and evenings around 20.
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Peak Season:
The city is very busy in winter when the weather is mild and Australians from Sydney and Melbourne seek cheap flights to Brisbane to escape the cold. As it is also pleasant in summer, Brisbane is a popular destination for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Off Season:
Although less crowded in spring and autumn, Brisbane remains a year-round destination.
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A great city for walking, Brisbane’s floating River Walk connects more than 21km (13 miles) of pathways, roads, bridges, and parks along the Brisbane River. There is also a riverside bicycle track from the City Botanic Gardens out to the University of Queensland.
TransLink operates a network of buses, trains, and ferries. Buses run frequently during the week, but less on weekends. The CityCat ferries are fast and go to many places of interest. The suburban rail network is also fast and efficient.
Driving can be confusing. Brisbane has a network of one-way streets that require planning to navigate. Most hotels and motels, though, have free parking for guests.
Taxis are available, and there are taxi stands at each end of Queen Street Mall, on Edward Street and on George Street (outside the Treasury Casino).
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- The Botanic Gardens at the foot of Mount Cootha are a 15-minute drive from the city centre and worth a visit. Entrance to the gardens is free and they’re open from 8am-5pm. The largest subtropical gardens in the state, they are laid out by themes, so you can wander through the Japanese Garden, the Fern House or the Australian Plant Community.
- The world’s “first and largest” koala sanctuary is in Brisbane. The Lone Pine Sanctuary (motto: “The earth is not only for humans”) is home to 130 cuddly koalas as well as other Australian creatures such as wombats, Tasmanian devils, snakes, lizards and kookaburras. Just to prove you’ve really been there, the sanctuary also offers photos of visitors cuddling a koala or wrapping a snake about their necks.
- Queen Street is the main thoroughfare in the city. The pedestrianised road has many shops and restaurants and is also the situation of the main tourist bureau.
- Day trips are possible from the city to the Gold Coast. You can book with the tourist office or with many of the hotels around town, or hire a car and drive. It’s just under an hour away.
- The south side of the city is known as Southbank, an area of riverside and parklands, which even contains an artificial beach. The Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Gallery are also in the area.
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