Brisbane June 2010

First taste of Australia

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CBD from the South Bank Photo - Brisbane, Australia

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Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and Australia's third biggest city with a population close to two million, a substantial metropolis. It is situated on the banks of the Brisbane river, about 20km from the coast. Brisbane has a sub-tropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild (by our standards, very warm: temperatures range from 10 to 22 degrees), relatively dry winters. We arrive in Brisbane after a fifteen hour flight from Dubai. Tired is a bit of understatement, but thanks to the wonderful thing that is CouchSurfing in general and our firs Australian host in particular, we were loaded into the car, tucked into bed and after sleeping for twelve hours we feel semi-human again. ...Read More

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and Australia's third biggest city with a population close to two million, a substantial metropolis. It is situated on the banks of the Brisbane river, about 20km from the coast. Brisbane has a sub-tropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild (by our standards, very warm: temperatures range from 10 to 22 degrees), relatively dry winters.

We arrive in Brisbane after a fifteen hour flight from Dubai. Tired is a bit of understatement, but thanks to the wonderful thing that is CouchSurfing in general and our firs Australian host in particular, we were loaded into the car, tucked into bed and after sleeping for twelve hours we feel semi-human again.

We start Brisbane sightseeing with a evening panorama from Mt Coot-tha, a lovely hill lookout affording excellent views of the city and the whole area stretching far towards the ocean and the hills in the distance.

The implications of being on the other side of the world are not yet sinking in: not only it's winter here (which seems similar to Scottish summer, in general) just now, exactly when the summer is starting back at home, but it also means, for example, that the days are really short! I know, it should be obvious, but it just shows how factual knowledge doesn't immediately challenge the set patterns of thinking. The fact that the "winter" here has temperatures of around 20 degrees doesn't help!

Brisbane is where our first impressions of Australia are formed, and the interesting thing is that it feels, smells and looks immediately different in a manner that no other place we visited before (including Canada and even Dubai) did.

The native vegetation and fauna are visible at every step: particularly the characteristic shape and coloring of the eucalyptus, a strikingly beautiful tree if there ever was one. White cockatoos and colorful rainbow lorikeets take off from the trees in the evening, and Australian magpies are nothing like the European ones.

We make our way to the city center (a forty-five minute bus journey from the garden suburb where our host lives) to have a look at Brisbane's CBD. We get off at the Roma Street station and emerge at King George Square, an appealing space with some grand old buildings (including an imposing City Hall) and statues, trees and modern art touches (fro some reason, many of the trees and posts wear knitted warmers). We walk through the center of town, finding a pleasant city where confident, modern architecture mixes well with reminders of a colonial era.

Brisbane's CBD lies in a bend of Brisbane river, mostly on the north bank. The South Bank holds city's cultural heart, with a theater, museum, art galleries, music academy, landscaped tropical garden, a Nepalese Peace Pagoda and even a big ferris wheel (and an artificial city beach – under construction during our visit).

We take a small ferry (pedestrians only) to the South Bank (the ferries are part of the integrated TransLink public transport system and fun to take – no need to pay for special cruises) and enjoy a stroll in the rain-forest gardens as we walk towards the wheel. There is also a riverside boardwalk that affords excellent view of the CBD in the setting sun.

The first impression of Brisbane we have is positive: a large but manageable city, relaxed but busy at the same time, generally confident but with perhaps more of a provincial complex – not entirely justified - than I expected. Read Less

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Queensland Museum South Bank

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Attraction | "Great regional museum, and free"

The Queensland dinosaur Photo - Queensland Museum South Bank, Brisbane, Australia

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Queensland Museum is the state's principal museum, housing a varied collection covering social and natural heritage of Queensland. Located in the Cultural Complex on Brisbane's South Bank, the Museum is easily accessible by walking or public transport (parking is fairly costly at around 15 AUD per day in the underground car park here) and, being free of charge (apart from the interactive children's exhibit called Sciencentre), well worth visiting, either to see a specific exhibition or a full day exploring Queensland's mysteries. The natural history displays will be interesting to adults and children alike, with extensive collections well displayed and good for either a quick browse or in-...Read More

Queensland Museum is the state's principal museum, housing a varied collection covering social and natural heritage of Queensland. Located in the Cultural Complex on Brisbane's South Bank, the Museum is easily accessible by walking or public transport (parking is fairly costly at around 15 AUD per day in the underground car park here) and, being free of charge (apart from the interactive children's exhibit called Sciencentre), well worth visiting, either to see a specific exhibition or a full day exploring Queensland's mysteries.

The natural history displays will be interesting to adults and children alike, with extensive collections well displayed and good for either a quick browse or in-depth learning experience. The gallery of Endangered Species shows threats to habitats and individual species; Museum Zoo has a truly impressive biodiversity collection, showcasing over seven hundred animals (stuffed or models) with a lot of information about them; Marine Reptiles gallery shows turtles, sea snakes and crocodiles in informative and educational displays, as lifelike as it's possible without actually having a living aquarium.

Discover Queensland is one of the most fascinating and informative galleries in the Museum, especially for any traveller who is only starting their journey in Queensland. Different areas, towns and locations in the state are presented with text, objects, photographs and tales that uncover historical, social and geographical distinctiveness of different parts of Queensland. This exhibition will be invaluable for those who are not sure how to plan their travels in Queensland, or for those who want a more in-depth knowledge of various areas of the state that goes beyond holiday resorts.

The Museum has also an interesting collection of vehicles, from early planes to models of ship to a German WW1 tank.

The Museum also hosts Dandiiri Maiwar, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultures Centre, which presents thousands of indigenous artefacts in the Open Access Collection as well as thematic displays which, in six circles, features Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories on life, land, customs and situation of the original Australians after the European colonisation. This is a truly eye-opening exhibition, which will be a great start to exploring the issues facing the indigenous population.

In addition to the Sciencentre section the Museum also has what's called Playasaurus Place, a semi-outdoor area adorned with a couple of plastic dinosaur figures and an exhibition on energy sources sponsored by Energex, a government owned electricity company. This is a little bit disappointing: children expect something akin to a playpark, but all you get is a fairly school-like exhibition and a couple of dinosaur figures (but one of them can be climbed, at least).

Temporary exhibitions deal with everything from butterfly collectors to the soldiers decorated with Victoria Cross.

Throughout the museum, there are many children's activities, though it's not just for children.

All in all, a good regional museum and recommended Brisbane attraction. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 6, 2010

Queensland Museum South Bank
Grey and Melbourne Streets
South Bank, South Brisbane, Australia BC Q 4101
+61 (0)7 3840 7555

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Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art

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Attraction | "New space for new art"

New Zealand art in Brisbane's GOMA Photo - Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia

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Brisbane's GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) is the newest addition to Brisbane's South Bank stable of cultural institutions: a large, modern building purpose-erected to be the second biggest public art gallery in Australia. The building is well designed and attractive in a square glass and metal sort of unashamedly modernist way, the space inside houses an excellent array of displays, imaginative and thought-provoking exhibitions. We visited GOMA in July 2010, mostly in order to see the Ron Mueck exhibition that was then on display, but we also had a wonder around other galleries in GOMA. Australian-born and London-based sculptor, Ron Mueck is known for his hyper-realistic resin fi...Read More

Brisbane's GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) is the newest addition to Brisbane's South Bank stable of cultural institutions: a large, modern building purpose-erected to be the second biggest public art gallery in Australia. The building is well designed and attractive in a square glass and metal sort of unashamedly modernist way, the space inside houses an excellent array of displays, imaginative and thought-provoking exhibitions.

We visited GOMA in July 2010, mostly in order to see the Ron Mueck exhibition that was then on display, but we also had a wonder around other galleries in GOMA.

Australian-born and London-based sculptor, Ron Mueck is known for his hyper-realistic resin figures of people, often naked and often facing major life (and death) events. I find it hard to grasp what it is that's so arresting in a lifelike in appearance but gigantic in size representation of a newborn, or a tiny (but also hyper-realistic) sculpture depicting a naked corpse of an old man, but regardless of what the appeal is, it's there: Mueck's work is incredibly compelling in a way that goes beyond a gimmick.

In addition to Ron Mueck's exhibition (for which the entry was charged at a rather steep 12 AUD per person), GOMA had other displays (all with a free entry) on at the time. "Spirited" showed works from GOMA's indigenous Australian collection, an impressive, beautiful and fascinating display including unique group of banumbirr (morning star poles) from Northern Territory. "Unnerved: The New Zealand Project" showcased extensive collection of new (and often decidedly unnerving) art from across the Tasman sea, while "The Ghost World" combined conceptual installation with children's art activities.

GOMA exhibitions change periodically, and the gallery doesn't have a permanent display, so it's difficult to make a reliable judgment based on one visit. However, assuming that what we saw during our visit was representative, it's an excellent gallery. The space is well used and conducive to its purpose, the location near to other cultural institutions is likely to increase positive buzz around the best exhibitions and the quality of the collection and/or the visiting exhibitions is very high. Together with neighboring Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane's newest public gallery is indeed a crown jewel in the cultural treasury of the city and comes highly recommended for anybody with any interest in modern art.

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The Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) are within 150 metres from each other, in the South Bank complex in Brisbane.

Monday to Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 9.00am – 5.00pm

Free admission except for special exhibitions. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 5, 2010

Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art
Melbourne Street South Brisbane
Brisbane, Australia 4101
+61 (0)7 3840 7303

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Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

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Attraction | "Cuddly Koalas"

Mother and joey Photo - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane, Australia

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The native wildlife is one of the biggest attractions in Australia, and although anybody travelling in the country for any length of time will have a decent chance of seeing many strange and wonderful creatures in their natural environment in the wild, there are some animals that are harder to spot - and if you don't have much time in Australia or won't travel outside cities, you chance of seeing them will be lower yet. Among the iconic Aussie animals that are not particularly easy to see in the wild are koalas, although you might be lucky in some locations. Another is a platypus, which, being an aquatic creature, is almost impossible to see unless you spend a long time seeking or are very...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 5, 2010

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Jesmond Rd
Brisbane, Australia 4069
+61 (0)7 3378 1366

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Brisbane public transport

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Brisbane is a major regional (in fact, national) transport hub, with an airport providing international and national connections; a large coach terminal with extensive connections, and a train station that provides connections to Sydney to the south, all the way along the coast to Rockhampton and Cairns to the north and (only twice a week), to Charleville to the west. Within the city, the public transport is excellent. A completely integrated network is provided by TransLink, and combines an extensive network of buses, city trains and ferries, all covered by the same tickets. The ticketing system is simple, with single fares as well as daily tickets (peak and off-peak). Peak ho...Read More

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D’Aguilar Range National Park

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Hotel | "D'Aguilar Range National Park: subtropical woodlands on Brisbane's doorstep"

Rainforest at Mt Glorious Photo - D’Aguilar Range National Park, Brisbane, Australia

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D’Aguilar Range National Park is lies to the north-west of Brisbane over hilly area covered with woodland. Within the park there are several settlements, including Mount Glorious and Mount Nebo, where we stay for a long winter weekend. **We return to Brisbane – or rather, Brisbane's outskirts, after a four interesting (but cold) days in Toowoomba. This time we are staying in Mount Nebo, a small village surrounded by forest, high up above the city at 550 metres over the sea level, and in the middle of the d’Aguilar National Park.Our host picks us up at Brisbane's Roma Street transit centre, but soon we are driving through the neighbourhood of Gap in western Brisbane...Read More

D’Aguilar Range National Park is lies to the north-west of Brisbane over hilly area covered with woodland. Within the park there are several settlements, including Mount Glorious and Mount Nebo, where we stay for a long winter weekend.

**

We return to Brisbane – or rather, Brisbane's outskirts, after a four interesting (but cold) days in Toowoomba. This time we are staying in Mount Nebo, a small village surrounded by forest, high up above the city at 550 metres over the sea level, and in the middle of the d’Aguilar National Park.

Our host picks us up at Brisbane's Roma Street transit centre, but soon we are driving through the neighbourhood of Gap in western Brisbane. From then, the road winds steeply up through a forest, mostly a dry eucalyptus one but with patches of genuine rainforest, through the Brisbane Forest Park, towards the village of Mount Nebo itself.

The village is named after a mountain in the D'Aguilar Range, and was originally a settlement of soldiers returning from the WW1 battlefields, but it's now a rather upmarket community, inhabited by what in Eastern Europe would be called intelligentsia, apparently with the highest proportion of people with PhDs in Australia (and a sprinkling of lovers and practitioners of all kinds of ecological and alternative lifestyles). To a visitor, it's like waking up in a sub-tropical (although it's now quite pleasantly cool, and in the night it gets cold and we need double blankets) garden: the house is surrounded by the forest, with all those amazing alien looking plants, native birds land on the surrounding trees, balcony railings and even the table. We spot (and photograph) Australian King Parrots, beautiful in green and red; kookaburras, fluffed up and curious, rainbow lorikeets, rozellas and more.

We go for a walk in the nearby bush, stopping at Jolly’s Lookout for splendid views of the area and then take the Morelia Track from Manorina (five minutes down the road from Mount Nebo village). This takes a couple of hours of easy walking to get to and return form another great lookout at the summit of the actual Mount Nebo, where a wide view of the D’Aguilar Range and the whole area can be admired from large granite boulders. But the real beauty of the walk is in the woodland around us, a tall open forest that we will later see again and again in Australia, but this is the first encounter and a stunning one. The Australian forest is dominated by the eucalyptus, quite possibly the most beautiful tree in the world, and as it has pale bark and shiny leaves with a silvery sheen, the woods are light-filled like no European woodland, deciduous or coniferous, ever is. In shadier areas, we see patches of rainforest and cabbage tree palm woods which are even more exotic to our eyes.

Later on the same day we take sausages and vegetable to Mount Glorious, where a large grassy area with beautiful trees provides public picnic spot. We grab a still-going barbecue that somebody just left and after a good lunch we go for another woodland walk – this time a shorter one as the day is drawing to the close (I still can't get used to how short the days are – not that I don't expect short days in the winter, it's just that winter shouldn't have temperatures of 17 degrees!). Mt Glorious is higher than Mt Nebo (almost 700m above the sea level), but for some reason a lot of the woodland here is a tropical rainforest.

There are several walks, of which the rainforest circuit is the shortest at 2km,well signposted and with many boardwalks and bridges allowing for close encounters with fascinating trees: strangler figs, palms and ferns, with long vines crossing the path so low that the children can swing on them! This is a lovely short walk, and particularly atmospheric in the fading light.

On the way back, we stop at the Westridge Lookout, where we can see a glorious Australian sunset over the Great Dividing Range.

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D’Aguilar Range National Park gives a visitor a wonderful chance to sample native woodland, both drier eucalyptus forest and subtropical rainforest. It is located virtually on Brisbane's doorstep and if you have a chance to visit, it's an area not to be missed for nice walks, great views and superb wildlife spotting opportunities. Read Less

D’Aguilar Range National Park

Brisbane, Australia

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