The capital of the Australian state of Queensland and the third largest city on the continent is deservedly considered one of the best places to live in Australia. The "City of the New World" (this is the official Brisbane nickname) may compete with New York in the number of skyscrapers, and tourists will also enjoy the unique nature. Welcome to the hospitable Brisbane!
How to get there
The international airport is located twenty kilometers from the city. From Russia you can fly with Aeroflot, JAL or Qantas with one change in Tokyo, Emirates airline via Dubai, Korean airlines via Seoul, the capital of South Korea. With a change in Singapore, a flight with Singapore Airlines is possible.
The city is located in the east of the continent, on the shores of the Pacific Morton Bay and the Brisbane River. It is easily accessible by domestic flights. Convenient and stable air service is established with the largest cities in Australia.
An Air Train runs from the airport to the city and between the terminals every fifteen to thirty minutes. The fare is four dollars (approximately 320 rubles), and those who transfer between domestic flights can use the transport for free.
The city can also be reached using the Air Train. A train leaves the international terminal every fifteen minutes. On the way to Brisbane city center, the Air Train makes four stops. The fare is $ 17.5 (almost 1,100 rubles). Travel time is only twenty minutes.
You can arrive in the city by train, but rather, it is a pleasure for lovers of railways. The train from Sydney, Australia's largest and oldest city, takes about fourteen hours, and from Cairns, which is located in the northeast of the state, as many as twenty-five.
Where to stay
There are enough hotels in the city. The budget option is the three-star Carseldine Palms Motel. The rooms have a small kitchen, so you can save on food and enjoy the usual dishes. According to tourists, the motel staff is very courteous, polite, maids and administrators are not visible, but there is always someone who can help if necessary. The hotel has free Wi-Fi and parking, a pool that works even at night, a restaurant for those who do not like to cook, and dry cleaning. The rooms are air-conditioned.
Option more expensive - Central Cosmo apartments. The hotel has 43 rooms, most are designed for two. You can rent an apartment or studio. There is parking. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Central Cosmo is suitable for guests with disabilities or families with small children. A night in a four-star apartment will cost more than six thousand rubles.
Shopping and shops
Brisbane is one of the first hundred global cities in the world, that is, those that are considered important elements of the global economic system. The urban agglomeration produces about 9% of the country's GDP. It is not surprising that this is a paradise for shopaholics. There are especially many boutiques of fashionable Australian fashion designers.
Be sure to visit the megamall Queen Street Mall, which is located in the very center - the main attraction of Brisbane for shopaholics. This is a pedestrian alley that extends about 500 meters from George Street to Edward Street. On this territory there are six large shopping centers and many small boutiques. More than 26 million visitors visit the shopping district annually.
Next door is Elizabeth Arcade, which houses boutiques of fashionable Australian designers. Here you can find very unusual wardrobe items. There are also several trading arteries on the South Bank where you can buy mostly vintage items. Tourists note the quality of products from Australian wool (at the same time at an attractive price) and advise buying edible souvenirs: wine, sweets, chocolate, cheeses.
Botanical Garden
The area of the garden, the attractions of Brisbane, is 52 hectares. It was founded in 1970, but the official opening took place only in 1976. In the Brisbane Botanical Garden you can admire a large number of plants from different countries, a huge collection of cacti, a Japanese garden, a bamboo grove.
People come here on excursions or just relax with their families. For children there are playgrounds in the fresh air, which are built surrounded by the real tropical forest. Children really like the park complex, as little explorers can stroll through the jungle.
From September to March, the park is open every day from eight in the morning until half past five in the evening, and in the summer (from April to August) - from eight to seventeen. Admission to Brisbane Garden is free.
Crocodile Nursery
Crocodile nursery founded by Steve Irwin and the Australian zoo are in great demand. It is located not in Brisbane itself, but not far from the city - in Birwa. It was in this place that the tortoise Garietta lived for 175 years, which was studied by Charles Darwin himself. And the zoo is the winner of the tourist award "The main attraction of Australia."
The Africa Pavilion was opened in 2001. Zebras, rhinos and giraffes live here, and in the future lemurs and turtles will appear. You can look at the artificial island of Madagascar. The Tiger Temple is home to Bengal and Sumatran tigers, as well as four cheetahs. These animals love to swim, and visitors have a unique opportunity to observe the underwater zone.
Four Asian elephants live in the “Elephant Fantasy”, for which a pool with a fountain and a tropical garden are arranged right there. Visitors can even feed the elephants themselves! The pavilion dedicated to the nature of Southeast Asia features small pandas, dark tiger pythons, Komodo lizards, eastern otters and other animals.
"Rain Forest" is a bird aviary. About 150 species of birds are represented, mainly those that live in Australia. Of interest is Krokosey - a stadium for 5 thousand people, where crocodiles, birds and snakes perform simultaneously. The park was founded by Bob and Lynn Irvins, their son Irwin from childhood helped parents, especially with crocodiles. After the tragic death of Steve, the widow of Terry became the owner of the zoo.
Lone Pine Koala
Koala Park is Australia’s largest koala reserve. This is a significant attraction of Brisbane. All tourists are eager to get into the park. Here you can find out which animals live in Australia. The park is represented by the local fauna. The koala population is one hundred and thirty individuals. In addition, about one hundred species of animals live on the territory. What animals live in Australia? This is a cockatoo, emu, kangaroo, wallaby, echidna, Tasmanian devil, kookaburry, various reptiles, Australian parrots, wombats and so on. All of them are in the Lone Pine Koala. This place is definitely worth a visit to families with children. Kids will be delighted (as well as adults)!
Story Bridge
The bridge connects the banks of the Brisbane River. The structure was designed by the same architect who developed the design of the bridge in Sydney. This is one of Brisbane's main attractions. The city is recognizable precisely by the silhouette of this steel bridge. By the way, a popular attraction among tourists and curious residents of the city is participation in competitions for climbing the bridge. Many do not really like the bridge, but still take a walk along it and capture it in the photo. Here you can walk along the embankment of the Brisbane River.
Queensland Cultural Center
The museum complex in Brisbane is worth a visit to all lovers of cultural relaxation. It combines an art gallery, museum, library and theater center. Gallery is one of the largest in Australia. Visitors are invited to view the exposition of Van Gogh, Picasso, Renoir and numerous contemporary artists. A separate gallery is open for contemporary art, where the exposition changes from time to time. Very interesting is the applied art of the peoples of Australia. The local museum features archaeological finds, technical exhibits and a zoological exhibition. The center includes the oldest Australian theater, which burned down in a fire in the middle of the last century, but was restored. There is a library near the museum, which was founded in 1899. Entrance to the museum complex is free. The center operates daily from ten in the morning until five in the evening.