Since UQ is just a short bus (or ferry) ride away from Brisbane city, I took some time to explore the city this past week. To be completely honest, I did not expect Brisbane to be a lively city since it was often overshadowed by Sydney and Melbourne. I mean, when you think about Australian cities, Brisbane is probably not the first one that comes to mind. However, my assumption about Brisbane was completely wrong. Brisbane has plenty of attractions that are unique and worth visiting. I am going to share some of my favorite tourist spots in and around the city that you should definitely consider visiting if you are around.
Brisbane River
Brisbane River is a 214-mile river that flows through the city of Brisbane and connects most of the major attractions in city. One way to tour the city is by taking a ferry ride on the river. The city council operates three main public ferry services on the river: CityHopper, CityCat, and SpeedCat. CityHopper is a free ferry service that runs every 36 minutes from 6 am to midnight and has 8 stops that cover the city center. It’s a great service if you want to see the city. I recommend taking the ferry at sunset time or at night. In the evening, you’ll be able to ride into the sunset and enjoy the tropical breeze. At night, you can get a gorgeous view of the illuminated city and river. CityCat and SpeedCat are a part of the public transportation system, so you have to buy a ticket, or use your public transportation card (go card) if you want to ride them. CityCat has 25 stops that cover a larger area of the city than CityHopper. SpeedCat is basically the express version of CityCat and can get you to certain destinations sooner as it has fewer stops. CityCat and SpeedCat are not only great for leisure rides but are also fast and reliable ways for getting around the city. The ferry is the best way to get to your destination fast during rush hours when the streets are packed with cars.
South Bank
Located on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, South Bank is the cultural and recreational center of Brisbane and is beautifully integrated with nature. It is the perfect location to take a scroll or go biking. There are several walkways and bike paths in South Bank. My favorite is the Arbor, which is a walking track under hundreds of curling, steel posts that are decorated with full-bloom bougainvillea flowers. Right before you enter the Arbor, there’s also the Rainforest Walk, which is a tranquil walkway in an inner-city “rainforest” that has many tropical plants and is home to many wildlife species like lizards and birds. At the end of the Arbor, there is a public man-made beach called Street Beach. Street Beach is a 21527 square-feet lagoon surround by white sand and palm trees. Right next to the “beach”, there’s a swimming pool and a water-play park, as well as outdoor barbecue facilities and showers. Street Beach is a great alternative when you are too lazy to go to a “real” beach since it’s located in the city center and is accessible by public transportation. South Bank is also a great place to visit if you want to take touristy pictures. Besides the tropical plants and the sparkling beach, you can find the iconic “BRISBANE” letters along the river against the Brisbane skyline. Next to the letters, you can see the 197-feet-tall ferries wheel called the Wheel of Brisbane. You can ride it for 10 minutes for 20 AUD, which in my opinion, is a bit pricy for the view you’ll get. I don’t really recommend riding the ferries wheel since I think walking along the river in South Bank and riding the CityHopper are better ways to see the city. But I do think the ferries wheel itself is very photogenic. It looks especially nice at night, when it lights up and changes colors.
Queen Street
Queen Street is a 15-minute-walk away from South Bank and is the major shopping district in the city. There are more than 700 shops along Queen Street and you can pretty much find anything you need here. I was very surprised by the wide variety of shop s it offered. It has both high-end designer shops and common department stores like Myers and Target. It also has many international retailers: UNIQLO, Daiso, and small individual Asian beauty shops. Queen Street is probably one of my favorite hang-out spots in the city. From cloth-shopping to playing arcade games and to trying new restaurants, you can always find something to do on Queen Street.
Brisbane Cultural Center
Brisbane Cultural Center is located in South Bank and is the center of the art scene in Brisbane. There are three museums and one performing arts center in this area: Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, and Queensland Performing Arts Center. Just like the public facilities in South Bank, the museums in the Culture Center are completely free. So if you are an art nerd like me, you should definitely go visit. The art museums both have very interesting collections. Queensland Art Gallery has a large collection of aboriginal art and also features modern aboriginal artists. It also has a large collection of contemporary Asian art, which I don’t see often in U.S. art museums. The art museums in Brisbane are quite different from the ones in Boston and New York- they feature more modern artists whose artworks represent personal or political statements, rather than Renaissance art or mainstream famous contemporary art. Queensland Museum and Sciencentre is also a fun place to visit. It is a science museum that features ancient aboriginal artifacts and wildlife specimens. It’s a great place to learn about aboriginal history and Australian wildlife. I haven’t been to the performing arts center yet but I hope I would be able to go to a concert or play there before I leave Brisbane.
Lone Pine
This last location isn’t exactly in the city but I feel like I need to include it because it is a must-visit if you are in Brisbane. Lone Pine is a koala sanctuary where you can meet koalas and other Australian native wildlife species such as platypuses, kangaroos, dingos, and wombats. You can get close to the kangaroos and wallabies by feeding them. You can also pay extra money to hold and take pictures with a koala. People often say you didn’t really come to Australia unless you got a photo with a koala. So you should definitely put Lone Pine on your agenda if you are planning to visit Brisbane.
