Serviced Apartments in Brisbane

Facts About Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, Australia and is the highest populated city in the State. It is also Australia’s third highest populated city. Here are some more interesting facts about Brisbane: 

• Brisbane is the heart of the South East Queensland metropolitan region with the CBD being located within the peninsula of the Brisbane River, roughly 15 kilometers away from the mouth at Moreton Bay. 
• Brisbane is also called as the River City or Brissy. 
• Brisbane was established on lands traditionally owned by Turrbal people who named the area Meanjin. The city is named after the Brisbane River, which is named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the Governor of New South Wales when the city was founded. 
• Brisbane was selected as the capital when Queensland was separated in 1859 from New South Wales. 
• Brisbane has a cosmopolitan and diverse population with 32.2% being of foreign origin. It is known as a global city with signature Queenslander architectural styles all throughout. 
• Brisbane is where the Anzac Day tradition originated through works of the pioneering Canon David John Garland. 

Brisbane is one of the premier Asia-Pacific cities with sizably high GDPs and major industries like insurance, mining, banking, IT, food, transportation and real estate. Companies headquartered here include Virgin Australia, Bank of Queensland, Suncorp Group, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Super Retail Group. 

Brisbane Airport is the major airport for the city and lies north-east on Moreton Bay. It reportedly catered to a whopping 23 million passengers as of 2017. Archerfield Airport is situated in the southern suburbs of Brisbane while Redcliffe Airport lies on the Redcliffe Peninsula. The Caboolture Airfield is located far northwards from the metropolitan zone. Other nearby airports include the Gold Coast Airport, Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and Sunshine Coast Airport. 

Cost of Living in Brisbane

A meal in a restaurant will cost anywhere around A$15-100 while a one-way transportation ticket will cost roughly A$3.37-6. A monthly pass comes for approximately A$146.74 while basic utilities cost around A$191.87. Rentals hover between A$1,500-3,500 on average. 

Tips for Visiting Brisbane

Here are some useful tips for visiting Brisbane: 

• Consider the heat that you will encounter. Wear sunscreen, drink water and wear light clothing and a hat. 
• If you are looking to reduce costs of meals, head to a local supermarket for supplies and snacks. 
• Tap water is safe to drink and you can save money by refilling bottles. 
• Brisbane is a safe city and you can travel for free via the City and Spring Hill Loop bus networks and City Hopper ferry services. 
• Brisbane is known for its politeness so keep those thank yous and please-s coming whenever needed along with a warm hello which always works. 
• Tipping is the exception and not the norm in Brisbane. 
• Do not litter or leave waste lying around. Avoid touching local wildlife and always throw waste in bins.

Things to Do in Brisbane

Brisbane has no dearth of things to do for travelers. Here’s taking a look at some of them. 

Q1. What are the most popular things to do in Brisbane? 

Popular things to do in Brisbane include visiting the Cultural Precinct, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, South Bank, Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and the Queen Street Mall. 

Q2. What are some free things to do in Brisbane? 

Free things to do in Brisbane include exploring Streets Beach, catching a City Hopper along the lovely river, exploring the QAGOMA and farmers’ markets while also enjoying New Farm Park and Riverwalk. 

Q3. Does Brisbane have many romantic attractions? 

Romantic attractions and activities in Brisbane include climbing the Story Bridge for admiring gorgeous views, taking a day trip to Tangalooma, checking out Eagle Street and going abseiling at Kangaroo Point off the cliffs for those who are adventurous! 

Q4. What are the most family-friendly things to do in Brisbane? 

Family-friendly activities include exploring local parks, Little Days Out, connecting with wildlife, taking a refreshing dip at the South Bank and going bowling with delicious burgers for company! 

Q5. What are the more unusual things to do in Brisbane? 

Unusual things to do in Brisbane include going on a night kayaking session at the wrecks, walking to King Island, witnessing underground performance arts, dancing in the art, tasting quirky ice cream flavors and diving with manta rays. 

Places to Visit in Brisbane

Brisbane has several gorgeous places that you should not miss on your trip. Some of them include: 

• Story Bridge – This is possibly the most famous site in the city. You should climb up the bridge for a spectacular view of the city that is simply too gorgeous to describe in words. You can abseil down the bridge if you are adventurous by nature. Get fabulous views of the Glass House Mountains and surrounding city landscape. 
• The Collective Markets – Stanley Street Plaza is where you should be at the South Bank on Fridays and Saturdays. Feast on delicious street food, get hold of amazing souvenirs crafted by local artisans and generally have a blast! 
• Roma Street Parkland – Roma Street Parkland is a great place to simply relax and laze around. This is ideal for basking in the sun and enjoying a charming picnic with loved ones. 
• Boggo Road Gaol – This is Australia’s version of Alcatraz and a fabulous place to explore the past and learn about a new dimension to Brisbane back in the 19th and 20th centuries. 
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – This is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. This is where you can view these adorable animals in their natural environments. 
• The Wheel of Brisbane – The Wheel of Brisbane is another spot from which you will get a fabulous 360-degree view of the city. 
• Glass House Mountains – If you are into hiking and exploration, venture to the Glass House Mountains, a set of 13 hills with delightful natural beauty and pathways. 
• Fortitude Valley – The first dedicated district in Australia for entertainment, you will find plenty of attractions here including dive bars and clubs galore. 

Places to Eat in Brisbane 

Some of the best places to eat in Brisbane include Little Red Dumpling, Opa Bar & Mezze, Toscano Bar & Kitchen, La Mexicana, Eagle Street Pier, Leonards Bar & Bistro, Naga Thai, Coppa, Stokehouse and Montrachet among numerous others. 

Street Food in Brisbane

Street food in Brisbane is filled with tempting delights including Campari sherbet, Kentucky fried duck, cruds, whey ice cream, orange sorbet, pork and fennel sausage, black truffle tapenade, potato gnocchi, lamb shoulder, sand crab lasagna and soufflé aux crabe et gruyere among others. 

Shopping in Brisbane

Retail is a buzzing affair in the Queen Street Mall, the biggest pedestrian mall in the State. You can also check out the Wintergarden, Myer Center, Queens Plaza and MacArthur Central. Edward Street, Tattersalls Arcade and Brisbane Arcade are other fabulous shopping destinations along with Fortitude Valley, South Brisbane and West End. Other popular options include Westfield Garden City, Westfield Chermside, Indooroopilly Shopping Center, Westfield North Lakes and Westfield Carindale. 

Transportation in Brisbane

Brisbane has a vast network of public transportation and ferry, rail and bus services are operated by TransLink. This has its own integrated electronic payment and ticketing setup called Go Card for South East Queensland. There are private and public bus services available with the CBD being the key transportation hub here. The Queensland Rail City network has 152 stations across 13 suburban railway lines. This covers all of Brisbane and surrounding zones like the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. The Airtrain service is jointly run by the Brisbane Airport and the City of Brisbane. 

Ferry services are readily available via City Hopper, Brisbane River and CityCat. Brisbane Airport is the main airport and the third busiest in the country. It lies on Moreton Bay while nearby Archerfield Airport lies in the southern suburbs. Redcliffe Airport lies nearby and so does the Caboolture Airfield. Other accessible airports include the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Airports in addition to the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport as well. 

Weather in Brisbane

Brisbane has warm summers with cooler temperatures between March and May. Winter is between June and August while the period between September and November classifies as spring. December to February brings with it warmer climates. The best time to visit is between March and May and also between September and November for good weather and varied outdoor activities for tourists.