Brisbane, the capital city of
Queensland, is midway up the east coast of Australia - 27.5oS,
153oE. With the Gold Coast to the south and the Sunshine Coast to
the north, domestic and international airports, Brisbane is an ideal
headquarters for an Australian holiday. Brisbane, indeed all Queensland,
operates on Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT. Summertime or
Daylight Saving is not observed.
Residents and visitors to
Brisbane enjoy a wide range of landscapes and lifestyles. The inner-city,
metropolitan Brisbane is surrounded by leafy, sometimes very hilly, suburbs.
Further out in the suburbs, the traditional Australian house on a large block
or even acreage dominates. Moreton Bay and its islands provide water sports,
sailing and sea-side suburbs. The Pacific Highway leads south to the Gold Coast
and its well-known surf beaches. North is the seaside town of
Redcliffe, the
rainforest
and picturesque
countryside of Pine Rivers,
Caboolture and the Glasshouse
Mountains. Bribie Island offers the first surf beach to the north. The
SunshineCoast towns and hinterland are popular holiday spots.
Travelling west of Brisbane, past
Ipswich, you soon climb the Great Dividing Range to Toowoomba and the rich
plains of the Darling Downs
The central business district
(CBD) of Brisbane is compact making it easy to see and explore on foot. To see
more of Brisbane's sights and attractions, an extensive network of modern
public transport facilities including bus, commuter rail and ferries are
provided. Special fares such as Day Rover tickets are ideal for seeing sights
all over the city. Or mix your transport with a Rover Link that lets you change
between most Brisbane City Council Bus and City train services. Alternatively,
you can hire a car to make your own explorations. Taxis and limousines are also
available.
Travelling by bus is a convenient
way of getting around town. Citybus operate regular all stop services from the
city to the suburbs. For a quicker, more direct journey, hop onto the
Cityexpress at designated stops. If you want to skirt around the city, then the
Great Circle Line will take you to destinations such as the Mt Coot-tha
Botanical Gardens.
Brisbane's city centre is
contained within a broad meander of the Brisbane River. While there are several
bridges, a more enjoyable means of getting between banks is by ferry. Ferries
link the city to points such as Kangaroo Point, Dockside and South Bank.
Queensland Rail operate their
air-conditioned electric commuter Citytrain services from Roma Street and
Central Station to suburban centres and tourist destinations including South
Bank.
Having your own car will give you
more freedom to explore the Brisbane region. There are dozens of car hire
options in Brisbane, from major international operators to local rental
companies. It is advisable for overseas visitors to Australia to have an
international drivers license, and to familiarise themselves with driving
regulations before heading off.
