With high-rise buildings flying up at every turn, Brisbane has come a long way from the ‘country town’ it once was. It might not have a famous opera house, but it is thriving with culture and a buzzing night life.
It would be impossible to share all of the many treasures that Brisbane has to offer, but here are a few of my local favourites…
Riverwalk
Brisbane has an absolutely stunning Riverwalk that stretches all the way from the inner city suburbs and guides you through some of the most beautiful spots that the Queensland Capital has to offer. Stop off for a picnic in South Bank or the Botanical Gardens, and with a huge choice of cafes and restaurants along the way, you will never be lost for choice.
For the most picturesque views of the city, make sure you stop by Kangaroo Point Cliffs Cafe. With so much to take in along your adventure, you will no doubt be ‘gramming your snaps of the Story Bridge for days to come.
New Farm Park
Grab your mates and some drinks and head to New Farm Park. Throw in a game of cricket and you’re practically a Queenslander. New Farm Park is a beautiful large green space just outside the CBD, located beside the river, the City Cat stop and the famous Brisbane Powerhouse.
The Jan Powers Farmers Markets runs on a Saturday morning just outside The Powerhouse, and don’t forget to stop by Watt for brunch, complete with perfect views of the river. The Powerhouse also features free live music on a Sunday afternoon, so you can get your culture fixes all in one spot – complimented with a beer or two.
Kookaburra Cruise
You’ll most likely find this one in the tour books, but what they don’t tell you is that you don’t have to splash out and pay big dollar for a lunch cruise – you can simply pay a small admission fee of just $20. It’s a fantastic way to see the city, and you can sit back, relax and purchase your beverages as you bob along.
Bare Foot Bowls
Bare foot bowls is a hugely popular sport in Australia. There are bowls clubs scattered all over Brisbane, although Merthyr and New Farm are personal favourites. Playing bare foot bowls with friends is such an outrageously fun way to spend your day, and let’s face it, with such reasonable drinks prices, you’ll probably get fairly merry whilst playing.
Chumley Warner’s
Fair enough, this is a bit of a drive out of the CBD, but as a Pommie living down under, a forty-minute drive for a British Chippy goes without saying. Chumley Warner’s have got us Brits sussed – not only do they serve an absolutely superb cod and chips, they also have me stocked up on ‘Monster Munch’ for the rest of the year.
The same complex is also home to ‘Spice Avenue’, a British Indian Curry House dishing up some of the favourites for all you British Curry lovers out there. Whether the road trip is for a battered cod or a tikka masala, I guarantee the commute will be more than worth it.
Brisbane German Club
Last but definitely not least, if you’re looking for somewhere fun to dance the weekend away, then go and see Andrew at the German Club. You can thank me later.
With the Gold Coast just an hour away, mountainous national parks just outside the city, theatres, galleries, music venues and nightclubs throughout the CBD, Brisbane has something for absolutely everybody, and I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what this ‘country town’ has to offer.
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