Brisbane, Australia

You’ll love it here!

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, and the third largest city in Australia. A city of 2.3 million, Brisbane is a vibrant and culturally-diverse place to live, work and holiday. The central business district lines the Brisbane River, named after Scotsman Sir Thomas Brisbane, who was the Governor of New South Wales between 1821 and 1825. The meandering river, and the undulating landscape of Greater Brisbane makes it beautiful and interesting city. Across the river, Southbank is the cultural epicentre of Brisbane. Your shopping, dining and entertainment choices are endless. There are many great bars, restaurants and cafes to enjoy, a number of art galleries to tour, and some beautiful parklands to relax in.

In addition to the Queensland Museum and Science Centre, the Queensland Art Gallery and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Southbank is home to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Neighbouring Southbank is Kangaroo Point, which has some great picnic grounds. The Kangaroo Point cliffs are a popular rock-climbing and abseiling destination. One suburb over, Woolloongabba is home to the Brisbane Cricket Ground, colloquially known as ‘The Gabba’.

Your dining and accommodation options of course extend beyond the Brisbane CBD and Southbank. North-west of the river is Paddington, the ‘trendy’ part of Brisbane. Paddington has a strong coffee-culture and is very close to The University of Queensland (in St Lucia) and both Queensland University of Technology campuses (Kelvin Grove and CBD). To the north-east, Fortitude Valley is Brisbane’s second main night-life precinct outside the CBD. ‘The Valley’ is where the locals come out to play. There’s a very strong music scene, historic and interesting buildings and some of the best shopping Brisbane has to offer.

One of the great things about Brisbane is the roads and transport options. From the moment you arrive at Brisbane International Airport, everything is easy -no more than 30 minutes away. Ferry services up and down the river compliment the taxis, trains and buses connecting the city. It’s a good idea, however, to rent a car while you’re here –if you don’t already have one. That way, you’ll be able to explore beyond inner-Brisbane. You can head out to Moreton Bay for the day with the family, or perhaps with someone special. Sutton’s Beach has great surfing and other outdoor activities. The beaches at Scarborough and Redcliffe are also good. Further north, the Redlands region is also very popular with tourists (and the locals), again providing plenty of opportunities to explore and spend some time in the sun.

Perhaps something inland is what you have in mind. For a ‘laid back’ weekend, head to Somerset, where you’ll take in the breathtaking views across Lake Wivenhoe and enjoy bushwalking, hiking and a wide variety of nature-based activities. This area is great for 'touring'. Further south is Brisbane’s immaculate Scenic Rim, a World Heritage-listed park with lush rainforests and amazing mountain trails. One of the most beautiful parts of Queensland, the Scenic Rim is a ‘must-see’ for every visitor to Brisbane.

There’s so much to see and do in Brisbane. It’s a great city to live in, and quite relaxed compared to other global cities. South-east Queensland, and Brisbane in particular, is one of the fastest-growing parts of Australia, and it’s not hard to see why.