Why Do People Go There?

Its Geographical Location: For many years, Brisbane was never considered a tourist destination in its own right, but rather a place you have to pass through on your way to somewhere else, be it the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast or some other Queensland destination. That began to change as a result of Brisbane hosting the Commonwealth Games in 1982 when it came of age as an international city and began to develop and promote itself as a destination in its own right.
That perception of Brisbane being a destination on the way to somewhere else still exists to a degree, but there are enough things to do and places to see in and around Brisbane to keep the traveller amused and avoid a visit becoming just a drive-through.
The coastal attractions in the Brisbane region, which are many, are well worth seeing, as is the very attractive hinterland which extends north from the Bunya Mountains to the Blackall Range, south to the ranges that surround Tamborine and Lamington National Parks, and further inland to Toowoomba and beyond (the Darling Downs and Granite Belt). Day drives to and through these regions, using Brisbane as a base, are highly recommended.

Climate: Like the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast that are also in the south east corner of Queensland, Brisbane's climate is sub tropical, so it's a great place for southerners to come to and chill out during the winters months, but without the full-on tropical climate and all the trappings (humidity; cyclones; torrential rain etc.) that come with it that can make the west season unbearable.

Why Do We Go There?

Whilst it would be wrong to say that Australia's southern capital cities are very similar to each other, there is no denying that Brisbane has a feel all of its own. There is a uniquely tropical flavour about the place that is absent from cities like Sydney or Melbourne. The weather, the architecture, the love of recreational activities by the locals who enjoy a laid back, relaxed, semi-tropical lifestyle make Brisbane unique among Australia's state capitals. Brisburnians are proud of their city, and share the view all Queenslanders have towards their home state - that it is Australia's number one holiday destination.

Where Do We Stay?

I tend to stay around Hamilton, where there is a good choice of accommodation with varied prices and levels of comfort. It is not far out of the city, it's close to the airport and the Gateway Bridge therefore the Gateway Arterial Road which gives fast road access in and out of town from the north and the south. The Ascot railway station is close by also, meaning I'm staying somewhere close to the suburban rail system. Racehorse Road has some great cafes and restaurants that are convenient for a quick breakfast before going out for the day, or for dinner after a day on the road.
Another place I've enjoyed staying at is Kangaroo Point. There are some nice motels there, it is in walking distance of the city, and is relatively quiet even though traffic on the Bradfield Highway is fairly close. Like Hamilton, it's on a main drag in and out of Brisbane, and it's easy to find and get in and out of if you are driving and a stranger to Brisbane.

What Do We like To Do There?

There's something about getting on a boat that I find very relaxing, and with all the wonderful offshore islands around Moreton Bay just waiting to be explored, for me, a trip to Brisbane is not complete without at least one ferry ride and a day of exploration on one of the islands.
A trip on the River Cat is always fun, especially if you begin the trip in morning peak hours: it's a great feeling when the Cat reaches the city and all the office worker pile off, but you stay on with your feet up because you're on holidays! I usually break my journey with a visit to Southbank, taking in a museum or two and the art gallery before heading across the river for some window shopping in the city centre.
Not being a beach person, the hour's drive to the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast doesn't have the appeal for me as it has for some, but when it comes to their hinterlands, that's a totally different story. A drive along the escarpment of the Blackall Range, taking in the towns of Maleny, Montville and Flaxton, is something I never tire of, and the same can be said of a drive through the Gold Coast hinterland north of the NSW border.

Brisbane At A Glance:  Brisbane is situated in the southeast corner of Queensland, an hour north of the Gold Coast. 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 though the city is very hilly in some areas, and the urban area is punctuated by large hills reaching up to 300 metres such as Mount Coot-tha, Mount Gravatt, Whites Hill and Stephens Mountain.

One feature of Brisbane's urban geography is its lower population density compared to other Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. There are very few terrace houses in Brisbane and apartments dating before 1970 are relatively rare. Most of Brisbane's housing stock consists of detached houses on large blocks of land featuring sub-tropical gardens. Pre-1950 housing stock is often built in a distinctive architectural style known as a
Queenslander , featuring large verandahs and built upon stilts, in order to maximise the circulation of cool air during summer months.
Brisbane has a diverse and vibrant economy with many sectors and industries represented in the city's total production of goods and services. Both white-collar and blue-collar industries are present, with white-collar industries such as information technology, financial services, higher education and public sector administration generally concentrated in and around the central business district and recently established office parks in the inner suburbs. Blue-collar industries such as petroleum refining, stevedoring, paper milling, metalworking and railway workshops tend to be located on the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and in new industrial zones on the urban fringe. Tourism is an important part of the Brisbane economy, both in its own right and as a gateway to other areas of Queensland.
Traditionally, Brisbane was somewhat of a "branch office" city, with most major financial institutions having their headquarters in Sydney or Melbourne. To encourage diversification, during the late 1990s and early 2000s the Queensland state government has been developing technology and science industries in Queensland as a whole, and Brisbane in particular, as part of its "Smart State" campaign. The government has invested in several biotechnology and research facilities at several universities in Brisbane.
Brisbane's CBD, centred around the Queen Street pedestrian mall, offers a range of restaurants, award winning shopping centres, night clubs, music and souvenirs. Other popular restaurant districts across the city include Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Teneriffe, West End, Bulimba, Milton, Rosalie, Paddington and Sunnybank. South Bank Parklands is built on the former World Expo site and is famous for firework displays that attract thousands of spectators. Tourists and locals alike frequent the beautiful bougainvillea lined Riverside Walkway at all times of the year and flock to the area during music and arts festivals.
Fortitude Valley, known popularly as 'the Valley' was zoned as an entertainment precinct in 2004. The Valley is home to pubs, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and cafes and to Brisbane's Chinatown precinct. The Brunswick Street mall hosts bustling pedestrian markets on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Brisbane has a subtropical climate with hot, moist summers and mild, dry winters. Brisbane is subject to high humidity, mainly from November through to April. Summer thunderstorms are common, and Brisbane frequently experiences hailstorms, cyclonic winds and more recently severe drought during the summer months. May to October are definitely the months where heat and humidity is at its mildest, and would be the preferred months to visit if there is a choice. That having been said, I've visited Brisbane in the hotter more humid months and found them quite bearable, no doubt because Brisbane is only sub tropical.

Climatic averages:

• Mean January maximum temperature - 29°C (85°F)
• Mean January minimum temperature - 21°C (69°F)
• Mean July maximum temperature - 20°C (69°F)
• Mean July minimum temperature - 10°C (49°F)
• Mean annual rainfall - 1146 mm (45.1 inches)
• Wettest month on average - January, 160 mm (6.3 inches)
• Driest month on average - August, 46 mm (1.8 inches)