Brisbane Things to Do Tips by Colzy

First of all, to those of you who may not be cricket lovers and know nothing about the game, come along to an international match in a ground like this one and it will change your mind forever!!

The Brisbane Cricket Ground is situated in the suburb of Woolloongabba and from this Aboriginal place name it received its nickname... The 'Gabba. It is situated just south of the Brisbane CBD and not far from Southbank Parklands. It is a 37,600 seat venue and also hosts the AFL football during the winter months. Seeing the Aussie Rules footy live gives the game an awesome perspective that the TV doesn't do justice.

There is not really a bad seat in the house and if you are in Australia during the summer months I urge you to try and grab a ticket (usually around AUD$35) and witness an Aussie institution. There is no other feeling like the one as you sip your beer on the grandstand in the Aussie sun as the teams bat it out cheered on by the crowd doing Mexican Waves.

For all of you who are not educated about the game I'll give you a quick low down on the Aussie team who are currently regarded as the dominant team in world today. They have been World Champions in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007 and are considered to be almost unbeatable today. Best not to mention the Ashes a few years ago though :-)

Leave a Comment

Phone: +61 (0) 7 3008 6166
Address: Vulture Street, Woolloongabba
Website: www.thegabba.org.au/

New Farm is situated on one of the bends in the Brisbane River, not far from Fortitude Valley and the City. It is an inner city suburb that has this amazing park on a peice of prime real estate. It is so fantastic. Any day of the week you will find people from all walks of life picnicing, barbecuing or kicking a ball around in the spacious park. A City Cat stop is situated right at the doorstep to the Park and is a magnificent way to travel this grassy haven. The rose gardens here are a real feature and are composed of so many different types of roses that I always lose count. No need to count anyways when you are too busy being confronted by their beautiful aroma.

New Farm itself is very cosmopilitan and was once referred to as "Little Sclily" due to the large Italian community here. There is a number of trendy restaurants and cafes in this district to wile away and afternoon at the park and an evening out in New Farm.

Leave a Comment

Address: Brunswick St, New Farm
Directions: Wlak down towards the river and you can't miss it!
Website: www.ourbrisbane.com

Southbank Parklands was the site of the World Expo in 1988 and really put Brisbane on the map as one of Australia's most important and beautiful cities. The creation of Southbank gave the city a kind of cosmopolitan feel that had previously been lacking.

The Parkland is situated directly across the river from the Brisbane CBD. There is a man-made beach and lagoon, picnic and barbecue areas, water features and a picturesque riverfront promenade on which to walk, run and rollerblade. There are more than 30 restaurants, cafes and takeaways and the arbour, draped in bougainvillea, which winds its way through the length of the parklands is just beautiful.

The Southbank markets which operate on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays are also a real highlight. Southbank is also home to the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Opera Queensland, Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Museum, and State Library of Queensland and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Victoria Bridge and the Goodwill Bridge directly link pedestrians at Southbank with the CBD and is therefore extremely accessible.

Leave a Comment

Address: Southbank!!!
Website: www.ourbrisbane.com

Kangaroo Point is one of the best suburbs in Brisbane. Situated right on the river it offers some fantastic city views and is easily accessible especially through the great walking tracks from the city via Southbank.

Kangaroo Point is characterised by its craggy cliffs which are perfect for mountain climbing. There are various parks which make for fabulous BBQs by the river and the Gabba's a quick walk away. There are also numerous great restaurants and pubs for a nice afternoon or evening out.

There also some great walks through this area. Walking paths link this area with both Southbank and the city through the botanical gardens.

Leave a Comment

Address: Kangaroo Point, just south of the CBD
Website: www.ourbrisbane.com

Mount Coot-tha offers panoramic views over the city of Brisbane and beyond to Moreton Bay and it's islands to the East, and the Glasshouse Mountains and the D'Agilar Range to the West. During the evening it is sea of glittering lights stretching out almost as far as you can see. I reccommend seeing both views if you have time because in my opinion they differ enormously, during the day the Brisbane River is the focal point whilst it is virtually invisible at night. Look down at the pavement while you are there and you will see the ebbs of the River illustrated through a series of tiles which is interesting - see if you can pick the parts of the river!

The name 'Coot-tha' or 'Kuta' was taken from the Aboriginal name for the area which meant 'honey' or 'the place of wild honey'. Mount Coot-tha is about 7km from the City Centre and buses run there every 30 minutes during the day. Also worth a look in this area is the Botanical Gardens and the Planetarium and you can have a bite to eat at the Summitt Restaurant or grab an ice cream there on a hot day.

Leave a Comment

Address: Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, Mt Coot-tha Lookout
Directions: Accessible from Milton Road & Western Freeway
Website: http://www.brisbanelookout.com/

The Valley Markets are THE Brizzy Markets to head to on a Saturday for fashion crafts and homewares. The Fortitude Valley area has a reputation (probably a very accurate one and certainly earned) of being a little more alternate and eccentric compared to the rest of Brisbane. Their version of the Markets certainly reflects this and the goods you will find there have a kind of offbeat feel to them and in most cases are unique.

If you combine your trip to the markets with a cheap brekky/brunch at one of the many cafes along the strip, you will be in for a good day.

Fortitude Valley is only 1km from the CBD and features some fantastic nightclubs and restaurants and is a great place just to 'hang out' and people watch. There is usually something of interest happening there and its very easy to get to because of the many differeent transport options.

Leave a Comment

Address: Brunswick St & China Town Malls, Fortitude Valley
Directions: Only about 1km from the CBD
Website: www.ourbrisbane.com

The Sciencentre is a fantastic place to go for interactive, science-based fun for kids of all ages (including the 'big kids' like myself!). it used to be situated on George St in the city but is now incorporated into the Queensland Museum complex.

The Sciencentre features three themed galleries: Body Zone, Earth Space and Action Stations. The Body Zone gallery is all about the human body. The Earth Space gallery is the place where participants immerse themselves in amazing facts about our Earth, solar system and universe. Action Stations explores the marvels of science and technology in everything we do and in everything we use.

I took my nephews there and its safe to say that we all had an absolutely awesome day. The exhibits are all very hands on, surprising and entertaining. Below is a photo of one my nephews on one of the exhibits. It was a giant table and chairs built to show the perspective of a four year old who would sit at any normal size table. Very interesting! Recommended especially for families.

Admission
Adults $9
Children (5-16yrs) $7
Children under 5 free
Concessions/full-time students $7
Family (2 + 4) $28
Groups (10+) $6

Leave a Comment

Phone: 07 3840 7555
Address: Southbank, Brisbane City
Directions: Either walk across Victoria Bridge from the City or catch the train to Southbank station, head left, look up and you can't miss it!
Website: inquirycentre@qm.qld.gov.au

For a truly rounded visit of Brisbane in the winter months than you must hear the Lions roar at the 'Gabba. Traditionally, the Australian state of Victoria has been the stronghold and stranglehold of Australian Rules Football (AFL). In the last 10 years or so, however, teams from other Aussie states are gaining notoriety for their AFL prowess. The Brisbane Lions are an excellent example of this phenomenon having won three grandfinals in a row in recent years. This understandably caused the Victorians much stress much to our delight.

To see the Lions stretch out at the Gabba in front of a home ground is definitely an experience. If you come from abroad there is nowhere else in the world to witness this spectacle than here in Oz. The game fo AFL is much better viewed live as it gives the game an awesome perspective that is impossible on television. I have no doubt you will become enthralled with the speed and accuracy of the kicks and the game play of the Lions and have a laugh at some of the comments from the sports mad locals.

You can buy tickets from ticketek online at www.ticketek.com.au.

Leave a Comment

Directions: The Gabba - Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba. Free buses leave from all over the city straight to the ground on game day or catch the train to Southbank and enjoy the walk :-)
Website: www.ticketek.com.au