Brisbane
Brisbane is Australia's third largest city and the state capital of Queensland. Not so long ago, the rest of Australia considered it little more than an overgrown country town, but it has shirked off this unwelcome reputation to become one of the country's most progressive centres. Since playing host to a string of major international events in the 80s, including the 1982 Commonwealth Games and Expo 88, Brisbane has developed into a lively, cosmopolitan city with several interesting districts, a good street cafe scene, a great riverside park, a busy cultural calendar and decent nightlife.

Queensland's growing tourism industry has brought an influx of visitors to the capital, and with its near-perfect climate year-round, Brisbane comes as a pleasant surprise to most visitors. The city is also surrounded by some of the state's major tourist destinations, and there are plenty of options for daytrips. The river has shaped the land and the lives of Brisbane people as it winds back and forth conveying river traffic, crossed by bridges, bordered by homes, parks and walks. As well as a way of connecting people the river also creates boundaries. The city was established on the northern side of the river, in a narrow strip of land called "Meanjin". The West End web site (Crossing Boundaries) rediscovers the story of Kuril, the Water Rat and other stories of Boundary Street and West End, its history and its culture.

City Centre Historic Buildings

Follow the golden arrows set into the footpath for a walking tour of Brisbane's remaining early buildings. The best old buildings, notably the Mansions and Harris Terrace, line George St. Also on the same street are the Old Government House and Parliament House, both dating from the 1860s. The Old Windmill & Observatory on Wickham Terrace, dates from 1828. It was originally built to grind grain for the early convict colony but, due to a fundamental design error, failed to work properly. It was converted to a signal post and later to a meteorological observatory. The Italianate, sandstone Treasury building on the banks of the Brisbane River has undergone an appropriate metamorphosis into the Conrad Treasury Casino.

Queensland Cultural Centre

This superb complex spans two blocks either side of Melbourne St in South Brisbane, just across Victoria Bridge. It houses the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum, the State Library and the Performing Arts Complex. The museum has a dinosaur garden and a worthwhile exhibition on whales; the art gallery has an impressive permanent Australian collection and plenty of temporary exhibits. There are cafes in the Performing Arts Complex, the gallery and library.

South Bank Parklands

The South Bank, formerly the site of Expo '88, has been redeveloped and is now one of the city's liveliest areas. Covering 16 hectares (40 acres), its attractions include restaurants and cafes, parklands and bike paths, a rainforest sanctuary and butterfly house, market stalls and even a sandy swimming beach. Its Gondwana Rainforest Sanctuary is an amazing re-creation of a rainforest environment. Set inside and around a massive synthetic rock, it's populated by native birds, mammals and reptiles including crocodiles, koalas, lorikeets and snakes. An elevated boardwalk winds through the sanctuary.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

See all the koalas you would ever want to see. Just a 35 minute bus ride south from the city centre, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is an easy half-day trip. The sanctuary is set in attractive parklands beside the river (you can get there by boat) and is home to a wide variety of Australian wildlife, including kangaroos, possums, wombats, emus and lyrebirds. The star attractions are the 130 or so koalas. They're undeniably cute and most visitors readily cough up the cash to have their picture taken hugging one. Hand-feeding the tame kangaroos is cheaper. You can bring your own food and picnic among the marsupials in their large, paddock-like enclosure. Talks are given on the animals at set times throughout the day. This was one of the most memorable places for us, between the koalas and kangaroos we were totally mesmorized.

The koala is a highly specialized, arboreal marsupial, restricted to a diet of leaves of certain eucalyptus trees. Seldom drinks. Once common in eastern Australia but severely reduced by hunting and loss of habitat. Now completely protected. The koala is an odd creature, with its appealing face, big rubbery nose, and large fluffy ears, resembles a cuddly toy more than anything else. It has charmed generations of Australians, and since its first appearance on television, advertising Qantas (Australia's national airline), it has won hearts all over the world.

Markets

The popular South Bank markets, which feature craft and clothing stalls, are open every Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. Every Sunday, the carnival-style Riverside Centre and Eagle St Pier markets have 150 stalls featuring glass blowing, weaving and other crafts.

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