Brisbane is the capital of the state of Queensland. It has a population of about 1.8 million people, and is the third-largest, and fastest growing, city in Australia.
Districts
Brisbane is a big country town that has grown rapidly and now has a big city style all of its own.
The main tourist districts are:
Some of the other major districts are Spring Hill, New Farm, Indooroopilly, West End and South Brisbane.
Understand
In 1823, John Oxley was the first to explore Brisbane, which was then selected by the colony of New South Wales as the location for a new gaol, intended to house dangerous prisoners in a remote location. The original settlement was established in what is now the suburb of Redcliffe but was later moved to a location upstream.
In 1837, free settlers moved to the area and pushed to close the gaol and the release the land in the area.
In 1859, a gold rush led to the establishment of the colony of Queensland with Brisbane as its capital, named after Sir Thomas MakDougall Brisbane, the sixth Governor of New South Wales.
In 1925, the Queensland State Parliament created the City of Brisbane Act, and set up a single government for the city of Brisbane.
Recent strong migration to Brisbane and the whole of south-east Queensland is taking place due to cheaper house prices, a pleasant climate, and good employment opportunities. The area is currently facing the challenge of providing enough fresh water for its residents. You're not likely to find the tap dry or see any visible signs of the shortage, but keep your showers relatively brief and expect the locals to be horrified if you walk away from a running tap.
Climate
Brisbane has what is considered to be an excellent climate, especially to those in the colder southern states. However, those from temperate climates may find summer unbearably hot, especially on windless days when the heat builds up in the valley.
Winters are warm and generally dry and sunny (day 20-25C, night 8-12C). Summer days are warm to hot, with days over 32C common. Humidity is high during the summer months and temperatures can get as high as 40C with night temps rarely dropping below 20C. If visiting in summer air conditioning is advisable for comfortable sleep and don't overestimate what can be accomplished in terms of physical activity on hot and high-humidity days.
Summer storms with hail and heavy rainfall are common in afternoons on hot humid days. They usually pass quickly and sometimes put on a good lightning show.
Get in
By plane
Brisbane Airport is 20 kilometres east of the city centre at Eagle Farm, north of the river. A $2.50 toll is payable when crossing the Gateway Bridge from south to north.
There are both domestic and international terminals at Eagle Farm. It is possible to fly to all Australian capitals and numerous regional centres from the domestic terminal. Major carriers include Virgin Blue, JetStar, and Qantas.
The international terminal is serviced by all major regional airlines and it is possible to fly daily to most Asian centres, the USA and New Zealand. It is no longer necessary to travel via Sydney or Melbourne, although tickets may be routed through such airports to obtain cheaper fares.
It is not practical to walk with luggage between the International and Domestic terminals. AirTrain offers a connection during the day with a 30 minute frequency or 15 minutes during peak. Outside AirTrain hours taxi may be the only option. Allow sufficient time for the transfer between terminals. The AirTrain fare is included by Virgin Blue and by Qantas when traveling between their flights.
AirTrain connects to the city from the airport every fifteen minutes during peak times and stops at Central, South Bank, Brunswick Street and Roma Street stations. It is also possible to take the Airtrain direct to the Gold Coast, although it is necessary to connect to a bus service at Nerang to reach Surfers Paradise or at Robina to reach Coolangatta. If arriving late at night, taxis may be your only option as the Airtrain stops at around 7.30pm.
By train
By car
Visitors from southern states can reach Brisbane by either the New England and Cunningham or Pacific Highways.
The Bruce Highway connects the northern coast of Queensland to Brisbane.
The Warrego Highway links Brisbane to the west through the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
By bus
Premier Motor Service links some centres on the east coast of NSW and Queensland to Brisbane, as well as connections to Melbourne.
Greyhound Australia link to most other locations to Brisbane.
By Boat
Brisbane has recently become the home to an international cruise terminal titled Portside Wharf. If you own your own boat and wish to have it shipped-in, you can organise this through Yacht Transport.
Get around
Bicycle
Getting around the city and the surrounding areas is easy thanks to the many cycle paths along the river. Bicycles can be rented in the centre of the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and also at Brisbane Bicycle.
Cycling on footpaths is legal in Brisbane City Council shire, however pedestrians have right of way. Always keep as far left as possible when riding on the road or a bike path. The police issue $120AUD on the spot fines for cycling without a safety helmet.
Remember, Brisbane is a very hilly. A short trip can quickly become a lot of work. Stick to the river when possible - it's where you get the best views anyway.
Car
Car Rental is the easiest alternative. Most reputable Car hire companies have offices located at Brisbane Airport. No need for transfers, buses or taxis. Do day trips to the Gold Coast or up to the Sunshine Coast and really discover the beautiful South East of Queensland, at your own leisure.
Driving in the city is not always the best option, however, it gives access to more remote locations. Rental companies can often provide deals when booked online in advance. Brisbane Airport is the most popular car rental depot in Australia.
Like the rest of Australia, Queenslanders drive on the left.
Public transport
Public transport has recently been overhauled and incorporates an integrated ticketing system across the three main modes of transport: buses, ferries and trains.
Ferries have become an icon of the city. As well as traditional ferries which generally operate on cross-river routes, high-speed catamarans (CityCats) operate on longer routes.
Travellers can take advantage of Daily and Off-Peak Daily tickets which allow unlimited travel within given zones across all modes of transit. A Daily ticket for zones 1 to 3 (about 20km radius) costs $5.80 and is great for catching a bus or train into the city, taking a ferry along the river and getting back to the suburbs again, or back into the city from a ferry terminus.
A weekly zones 1 to 3 ticket costs $23.20. 50% Concessions are available to students, pensioners and children, and these tickets are available from the vast majority of the newsagents and council offices that are sprinkled liberally throughout the confines of Brisbane City.
Buses in Greater Brisbane mostly lead all the way to Queen Street. The routes 598 and 599 form the Great Circle Route which circles the city in clockwise and counter-clockwise direction and can be a great way of getting around the different suburbs.
Trains in Greater Brisbane run along radial lines from Central and Roma Street Station. Interurban services can also be caught to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast (using a connecting bus service from Nambour) as well as Australia Zoo (connecting bus at Beerwah).
Transinfo (tel. 13 12 30) is a fantastic service provided by Queensland Transport and TransLink that can give you directions on how to reach a destination using public transport.
See
Do
Buy
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Eat
Brisbane has a very good assortment of restaurants. However, they can be expensive and busy. Listed below are some notable restaurants in Brisbane city and its suburbs.
Brisbane City and Spring Hill:
Fortitude Valley & New Farm:
Southbank and Woolonggabba:
Milton and Park Road:
Paddington:
University of Queensland:
The university and its surrounds provide many quality eateries if you happen to be in the area or on a CityCat ferry and caters to a cheaper market.
South Brisbane and West End:
Restaurants in other Areas/precincts:
Drink
Brisbane's drinking and nightlife scene is separated into some distinct areas. Anyone planning a night on the town should be aware that after 3am no more patrons are allowed into pubs and clubs. This is a safety measure, coupled with increased security presence at taxi ranks. Additionally, smokers should beware of strict anti-smoking regulations. Smoking is now banned in 'all areas where food & drink is served', both indoors & outdoors. This means that smoking is banned in all hotels, clubs, & cafes.
Suburban
Toowong:
Both Regatta and the RE have reputations (which they more than live up) as student haunts, being located reasonably close to the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland.
Indooroopilly:
Bulimba:
Catch a citycat to Bulimba for some trendy shopping on popular Oxford Street, great cafes, hip bars or for a picnic in the park.
Brisbane City
Fortitude Valley
The Fortitude Valley is a unique area of Brisbane catering to the live music scene. A large number of Brisbane's hippest clubs are located here. Through the 1960s and 70s it was seen as Brisbane's bohemian hub and has maintained a certain degree of that reputation and street cred. More recently it is sometimes thought of as being one of the more dangerous areas of the city but this attitude is changing as the area becomes more popular and hence, safer. This however has had an adverse affect on the area's creative vibe as locals turn their back on the area, forcing the creative epicentre of Brisbane to other areas of the city such as West End and Paddington. As with anywhere, simple common sense, caution and courtesy will keep you out of harm's way.
West End
Less crowded than 'the valley' or the city, this bohemian district popular with locals offers a few hip clubs, intimate restaurants and a very laid back atmosphere.
Check out:
Sleep
Youth hostels
Hotels
Brisbane hotels are listed in alphabetical order.
Serviced Apartments
Contact
Stay safe
Emergency numbers
Throughout Australia, the number for emergency services (Police, Fire and Ambulance) is 000. When using a mobile or cell phone, the numbers 000 and 112, are free of charge, and connect using any of the available networks.
Emergency numbers such as 911 and 999 do not work within Australia.
Areas
The good news is that Brisbane has a relatively low crime rate and is generally a safe city. As in any other developed city, it's quite easy to have a good time without worrying about security.
Get out
Brisbane provides a base for day trips to explore the southeast of Queensland. The North Coast of New South Wales can also be reached in an hour if traffic is light, but allow up to two hours travel if traffic is heavy or there is an accident on the Pacific Motorway.
North of Brisbane:
South of Brisbane:
Brisbane (pronounced ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, as well as the third largest city in Australia, with a greater metropolitan population of 1.8 million. It is set close to the Pacific Ocean, and is situated beside the Brisbane River on plains between Moreton Bay and the Great Dividing Range in south-eastern Queensland.
The city is named in honour of Sir Thomas Brisbane who was Governor of New South Wales from 1821-1825. The original settlement grew from a harsh penal colony established at his direction in 1824 at Redcliffe, 28km to the north. The colony was moved to what is now the location of the Brisbane CBD in 1825, and free settlers were permitted from 1842. It was chosen as the capital when Queensland was proclaimed a separate colony, in 1859. The city developed slowly until after World War II, when it played a central role in the Allied campaign as the South West Pacific headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur.
More recently, Brisbane hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 1988 World's Fair, and also the Goodwill Games in 2001.
History
The area now known as Brisbane was inhabited before European settlement by the Turrbul and Jagera people whose ancestors originally migrated to the region from across the Torres Strait. To these people the area that would become Brisbane was known as Mian-jin, which means 'place shaped like a spike'.
In 1823 an exploration party led by John Oxley explored Moreton Bay and sailed up the Brisbane River as far as Goodna, some 20 km upstream from what is now Brisbane central business district.
In 1824, the colonial administration of New South Wales established a penal settlement at what is now Redcliffe, on the shores of Moreton Bay. However, the Redcliffe settlement was abandoned after only one year and the colony was moved south to a peninsula on the Brisbane River (today the Brisbane CBD), which offered a more reliable water supply. Non-convict European settlement of the Brisbane region commenced in 1838.
Queensland was proclaimed a separate colony in June 1859 and Brisbane was chosen as its capital. However, Brisbane was not incorporated as a city until 1902. Over twenty small municipalities and shires were amalgamated in 1925, to form the City of Greater Brisbane which is governed by the Brisbane City Council.
Historic buildings include The Windmill, which was built by convicts in 1828. According to the :Image:Notice-about-the-Old-Windmill.JPG|heritage notice at the Windmill, it is Queensland's oldest building. The Windmill was originally intended for the grinding of grain. Another historic building is the Shrine of Remembrance, which was dedicated on 11 November, 1930. The Shrine of Remembrance is Brisbane's main memorial of remembrance to Australia's war dead.
During World War II, Brisbane played a central role in the Allied campaign when the AMP Building (now called MacArthur Central) was used as the South West Pacific headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur, the chief of the Allied Pacific forces. Approximately 1,000,000 US troops passed through Australia during the war, as the primary coordination point for the South West Pacific.
Brisbane staged both a successful Commonwealth Games during 1982, and World's Fair during 1988. These events were accompanied by a scale of public expenditure, construction and development not previously seen in the state of Queensland.
In the new millennium, Brisbane is one of Australia's fastest growing centres, receiving large numbers of migrants from other Australian states and territories. Despite strong economic growth, Queensland government statistics show unemployment rates of over 12% among migrants to Brisbane statistical division from interstate and overseas.
Geography
Brisbane city centre is situated in the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia, at a latitude and longitude of . The city straddles the Brisbane River, and its eastern suburbs line the shores of Moreton Bay. The greater Brisbane region lies on the coastal plain east of the Great Dividing Range, although the urban area is dotted by large hills reaching up to 300 metres such as Mount Coot-tha, Mount Gravatt, Whites Hill and Stephens Mountain.
Generally, the city is a low-lying floodplain and susceptible to severe flooding. Many suburban creeks also criss-cross the city, which increases the risk of localised flooding. The city has suffered two major floods since colonisation, in 1893 and 1974. The 1974 Brisbane flood occurred partly as a result of "Cyclone Wanda". Continual non-stop heavy rain had fallen during the three weeks leading up to the flood, which occurred during the Australia Day weekend (26–27 January, 1974). The flood damaged many parts of the city, especially in the suburbs of Oxley, Bulimba, Rocklea, Coorparoo and New Farm. The City Botanic gardens were also inundated, leading to a new colony of mangroves to form in the City Reach of the Brisbane River.
The Brisbane central business district is situated in a curve of a river. The area covers only 2.2 square kilometres and is easily walkable. The central streets are named after members of the House of Hanover. Streets named after female members (Adelaide, Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary) run parallel to Queen Street and Queen Street Mall (named in honour of Queen Victoria) and perpendicular to streets named after male members (Albert, Edward, George, William).
Brisbane has a lower inner city population density than Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, although constant population growth occurring in Brisbane is closing the gap between Brisbane and Melbourne. The lower population density reflects the fact that most of Brisbane's housing stock consists of detached houses. Early legislation decreed a minimum size for residential blocks resulting in few terrace houses being constructed in Brisbane. The high density housing that did exist came in the form of miniature Queenslander-style houses which resemble the much larger traditional styles but are sometimes only 1/4 the size. These miniature Queenslanders are becoming scarce but can still be seen in the inner city suburbs. Multi residence accommodations (such as apartment blocks) are relative newcomers to Brisbane, with few such blocks built before 1970, other than in inner suburbs such as New Farm. Pre-1950 housing stock was often built in a distinctive architectural style known as a Queenslander, featuring timber construction with large verandahs and high ceilings. The relatively low cost of timber in South-East Queensland meant that until recently most residences were constructed of timber, rather than brick or stone. Many of these houses are elevated on stumps (incorrectly referred to as stilts), that were originally timber, but are now frequently replaced by steel or concrete.
Overall the city has a density of 379.4 people per square kilometre, which is comparable to that of Sydney. Recently the density of the city and inner city neighbourhoods has increased with the construction of apartments, with the result that the population of the central business district has doubled over the last 5 years.
Climate
Brisbane has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and dry, mild winters. From late Spring through to early Autumn, thunderstorms are common over the greater Brisbane area, with the more severe events accompanied by large damaging hail stones, torrential rain and destructive winds.
The city's highest recorded temperature was 43.2 °C (109.8 °F) on the 26 January 1940. The lowest temperature of 2.3 °C (36.1 °F) was recorded on 12 July 1894 and 2 July 1896. Brisbane's wettest day was 21 January 1887, when 465 mm (18.3 in) of rain fell on the city, the highest maximum daily rainfall of any of Australia's capital cities. Presently Brisbane and surrounding areas temperates are experiencing the most severe drought in over 100 years, as supplying dam levels have dropped below one quarter capacity. As a result, residents are mandated by local laws to observe Level 5 water restrictions on gardening and other outdoor water usage.
With the closure of the Milton Tennis grounds in 1994, Brisbane was without major tennis facility until recently. In 2005, a new A$65 million tennis stadium, to be located in the suburb of Tennyson was approved by the State government and in conjunction with Mirvac constructions is to be constructed starting in May 2006, with a completion date scheduled for December 2008.
Brisbane has hosted several major sporting events including the 1982 Commonwealth Games and the 2001 Goodwill Games.
Brisbane also hosted events during the 1987 Rugby World Cup, 1992 Cricket World Cup, 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Premier Peter Beattie has announced plans for Brisbane to bid for the 2020 or 2024 Olympic Games
Media
Brisbane has only one daily newspaper, The Courier-Mail, and one Sunday paper, The Sunday Mail, both owned by News Corporation. Brisbane also receives the national daily, The Australian, and the Weekend Australian, in addition to Fairfax papers Australian Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. There are also numerous community and suburban newspapers throughout the metropolitan and regional areas, including Brisbane News and City News, many of which are produced by Quest Newspapers (which is also owned by News Corporation.) mX, a new free daily commuter newspaper (also owned by News Corporation) also launched in 2007, following on from the newspaper's success in Melbourne and Sydney.
Brisbane is served by all five major television networks in Australia, which broadcast from the summit of Mount Coot-tha. The three commercial stations are Seven, Nine, and Ten, while the two government stations are the ABC and SBS. 31, a community station, also broadcasts in Brisbane. The major networks operate digital television in the Brisbane area. Optus, Foxtel and Austar all operate PayTV services in Brisbane, via both Cable and Satellite means.
Brisbane is serviced by several major radio stations: The ABC transmits all five of its radio networks to Brisbane; 612 ABC Brisbane, ABC Classic FM, ABC NewsRadio, Radio National and Triple J.
Brisbane's commercial radio stations are:
In addition to the government and commercial stations, Brisbane has the following, low powered community stations:
SBS also broadcasts its national radio network to Brisbane.
Infrastructure
Health
Brisbane is covered under Queensland Health's "Central" and "Southern" zones. There are 8 major public hospitals in the greater Brisbane area, as well as 4 major private hospitals, and numerous smaller facilities both public and private. Specialist and GP practises are also located in most suburbs and localities as well as within the city.
Transport
As Queensland's largest city and state capital, Brisbane has an extensive transportation network within the city, as well as connections to regional centres, interstate and to overseas destinations. Public Transport in Brisbane is provided by bus, rail and ferry services. Bus services are operated by public and private operators whereas trains and ferries are operated by public agencies. The Brisbane central business district (CBD) is the central hub for all public transport services with services focusing on Queen Street Bus Station, Roma Street and Central railway stations, and various city ferries wharves. Brisbane's CityCat high speed ferry service, popular with tourists and commuters, operates services along the Brisbane River between the University of Queensland and Brett's Wharf.
The CityTrain urban rail network consists of 10 suburban lines and covers mostly the west, north and east sides of the city. It also provides the route for an Airtrain service between the City and Brisbane Airport (the Airtrain, itself, is owned by a company). Since 2000, Brisbane has been developing a network of busways to provide faster bus services. "TransLink", an integrated ticketing system operates across the public transport network.
The Brisbane River has created a barrier to transport. In total there are six road bridges, mostly concentrated in the inner city area. This has intensified the need for transport routes to focus on the inner city. There are also three railway bridges and one pedestrian bridge. The Eleanor Schonell Bridge (originally named The Green Bridge) between the University of Queensland and Dutton Park is for use by buses, pedestrians and cyclists. There are currently multiple tunnel and bridge projects underway as part of the TransApex plan. For further information about Brisbane's bridges, see the article Bridges of Brisbane.
An extensive network of pedestrian and cyclist pathways have been created along the banks of the Brisbane River to form a Riverwalk network. An interesting section is the floating riverwalk between the Story Bridge and Merthyr Street New Farm.
Brisbane is served by several freeways. The Pacific Motorway connects the central city with the Gold Coast to the south. The Ipswich Motorway connects the city with Ipswich to the west via the southern suburbs, while the Western Freeway and the Centenary Freeway provide a connection between Brisbane's inner-west and the outer south-west, connecting with the Ipswich Motorway south of the Brisbane River. The Bruce Highway is Brisbane's main route north of the city to the rest of the State. The Bruce Highway terminates 1700km away in Cairns and passes through most major cities along the Queensland coast. The Gateway Motorway is a private toll road which connects the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coasts by providing an alternate route avoiding Brisbane's inner city area. The tollroad crosses the Brisbane River to the east of the city over the Gateway Bridge. The Gateway Motorway connects with Bruce Highway and the Pacific Motorway. A duplicate of the bridge is planned to be built in parallel to cope with the area's growing population.
Brisbane's population growth placed strains on South East Queensland's transport system. The State Government and Brisbane City Council have responded with infrastructure plans and increased funding for transportation projects, such as the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program. Most of the focus has been placed on expanding current road infrastructure, particularly tunnels and bypasses, as well as improving the public transport system.
The city is served by two airports. Brisbane Airport (IATA code: BNE) is the city's main airport and the third busiest in Australia. It is located at Eagle Farm, north-east of the city centre and provides domestic and international passenger services. Archerfield Airport (in Brisbane's southern suburbs) acts as a general aviation airport.
Utilities
Water storage, treatment and delivery for Brisbane is handled by SEQ Water, which sells on to Brisbane Water for distribution to the greater Brisbane area. Water for the area is stored in one of three dams; Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine, all of which are at all time lows, causing councils in the South East Queensland area to devise some of the strictest water restrictions in Australia, this has also led to the State Govt announcing that recycled sewerage will be pumped into the dams once the pipeline is complete in 2009.
Electricity and Gas in Brisbane are handled by Energex, a state government organisation, and Origin Energy, a private company that also handles the gas line grid within the city. Queensland regulation changes in July, 2007 will open up the retail energy market, allowing multiple companies to operate.
Metropolitan Brisbane is serviced by all major and most minor telecommunications companies and their networks. Brisbane has the largest number of enabled DSL telephone exchanges in Queensland. An increasing number are also enabled with special hardware (DSLAMs) which enable high speed ADSL2+ internet access. The Brisbane CBD also features a complete underground fibre optics network, with numerous connections to the inner suburbs provided by various service providers.
Cable via two major networks provided and serviced by Telstra and Optus. These provide both high speed internet as well as Pay TV services for the bulk of the city's metropolitan area. Both of these providers also host wireless networks with hotspots within both the inner and suburban areas.
In addition, Hutchinson, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all operate both 2.5G and 3G mobile phone networks citywide.
See also
External links
