This is a wandering story about the adaptation stage of a newcomer.
Some places are familiar and widespread, while others are rarely seen.
【 Southbank Park】
As the name suggests, it is located at the southern end of the city center of Brisbane.
It is adjacent to the Brisbane River. To the north of the opposite bank of the river is the location of the city center’s CBD, and to the south are the School of Art and the School of Music of Griffith University.
The Goodwill Bridge connected to the northeast leads directly to the City Botanic Garden.
There is an artificial beach in the park and swimming is free.
Open-air barbecues and picnics are also great choices.
In the southern part of the park, there is a circle of various restaurants. Due to its location on a bustling thoroughfare, the prices are generally a bit high. However, there are also a few restaurants with reasonable prices that need to be carefully searched for.
The most famous feature of Nan ‘an Park is its twice-yearly fireworks display.
One was the grand fireworks display at the closing of the Brisbane Festival in late September, which started at seven o ‘clock and ended in about half an hour.
One was the New Year’s fireworks celebration, which lasted until midnight.
Often at these two time points, hundreds of thousands of Australians come to watch and celebrate the festival. In order to secure the best viewing spot, some people bring their food and equipment before dark and wait for a good spot on the grass or by the river. Some people even come very early in the morning and wait for the whole day. It can be seen how famous it is.
Fortunately, on the second night of my visit, I was able to catch the fireworks at the closing ceremony and enjoy a romantic viewing of the riverside fireworks.
People came one after another. It was said that there were always few people in Tu ‘ao, but at a time like this, I clearly saw the flavor of our Great China.
- How can I get there?
— From outside the city or in the suburbs, take a train or bus to Southbank Station and get off. It’s just a few meters away.
If you are in Queen Shopping Mall, walk south along Queens Street or Adelaide Street and cross Victoria Bridge.
The most eye-catching one is the Brisbane Ferris Wheel. It lights up at night and rotates in circles very beautifully.
【 City Botanic Garden】
The botanical Garden is adjacent to South Bank Park and the CBD. It’s just across Goodwill Bridge. This place is called Garden’s Point. The Garden’s Point campus of Queensland University of Technology is right here.
The Botanical Garden is the oldest park in Brisbane, filled with a large number of tree species such as lawns, trails, bamboo groves and fir trees. It is a place for students and nearby staff to relax and enjoy a distant view of Kangaroo Cliff. The mangrove wooden boardwalk is built along the river and is lit up until late at night every night. It is also a great place to watch opossums.
- How can I get there?
If you know how to get to the South Bank Park, you know how to get to the Botanical garden. Walk north across the bridge.
【 Roma Street Parkland】
the park is located a little north of the city centre and is said to be Brisbane’s oasis, Paradise in the heart of the city.
There are artificial streams and waterfalls in the park, as well as a special variety of plants. It also has the world’s largest subtropical garden in the urban area. Compared with the hustle and bustle of Nan ‘an Park, this place is indeed very peaceful.
You will also see wild lizards crawling all over the place, which is a bit creepy. But they are harmless, so just don’t provoke them.
- How can I get there?
It’s right beside Roman Street. You can choose to walk there from the Shopping Mall. You can also take a bus or a train to Rome Street Station.
Right beside the park is the largest central railway station in the city. It’s very close to walk to City Hall.
“Queen Street
This is the liveliest shopping district in the CBD, featuring a 700-meter-long pedestrian street that houses hundreds of department stores, shopping centers, specialty stores, bookstores, souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, cafes and entertainment venues, as well as banks. Among them, the three largest ones are: Myer, David Jones and Queen Street Mall also gather various international high-end brands. There is also a tourist service center located in the middle of Queen Street to facilitate tourists’ information needs. Many leaflets can be obtained for free.
- How can I get there?
— I think there’s no need to say more, hahaha.
King George Square and City Hall
In memory of King George V, this square was named King George Square in 1936. This is a public square. Opposite it is the city hall. All kinds of commercial companies are scattered around. At noon, there are various Street Food trucks selling lunch and temporary tables and chairs are set up. Office workers gather here to rest and have lunch at noon. Of course, many tourists also have lunch here.
There are also many creative bronze sculptures in the square, which is a major highlight of the square. It is now also the transportation and transfer center of Brisbane.
What’s more worth mentioning is the city hall.
There is a concert hall on the first floor, where there are occasional concerts. Many times, they are free to enjoy.
The third floor houses the Brisbane Museum and Art Gallery, which are free to visit.
The clock tower on the top floor rings every fifteen minutes. There are still many free opportunities to reach the top every day, taking the very, very old elevator to learn about the internal structure of the Big Clock and overlook the entire Brisbane city center.
A very unique experience.
Besides, the cafe Shingle Inn on the first floor and the Red Cross in the basement have a history of 80 years and 100 years respectively. The coffee tastes super good and is not expensive. You can enjoy it for 3 to 4 dollars!
The only special thing is that you might be the youngest one when you go in, because it’s all old grandpas and grandmas with white hair chatting about daily life inside.
However, I still think it’s quite good
- How can I get there?
— I think there’s no need to say more, hahaha.
【 Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary】
This is the first koala reserve in Australia, established in 1927. Advocate harmonious coexistence between humans and nature as well as animals.
Located on the outskirts of the city, it is the only place in Queensland where koalas are allowed to be held, and it is also one of only two states in Australia where koalas are permitted (the other being South Australia).
The ticket price for adults is $36. There is a discount for students. Holding koalas requires additional payment.
In addition to the koala feature, the park also has the emu, one of the representative animals of Australia. It is very well-behaved and not afraid of people. And there are large open Spaces where kangaroos can be approached and fed. They are also not afraid of people and are so cute and silly.
When the emu is resting, it folds its legs, which really hits my cute spot ~
- How can I get there?
Bus No. 430 goes directly. You can take Bus No. 430 to many places in the city.
【 Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island 】
Lookout Point is a cape and coastal village located on the east coast to the north of Stradbrock Island. It was first discovered by the British explorer James Cook in 1770. It and the Jam-Pinpin Channel on the south side of North Stradbrock Island are both excellent fishing spots.
The sand at Main Beach of Point Lookout is extremely fine, and the reefs surround the crystal-clear blue-green sea water, which is indescribably beautiful. This is a sacred place for surfers and one of the best whale-watching spots on Australian land. Dolphins and turtles often appear here, creating a truly wonderful scene! If you want to observe up close, you can also take part in snorkeling or sea kayaking adventures on the island.
The island is long from north to south and can be explored on foot, by bike or by car. All these means of transportation can be reached by ferry.
At the bus stop on the island, I unexpectedly saw a wild koala. Compared to the fat ones in the zoo, this one was so thin and had an even smaller baby in its arms. It was so cute!
The Lookout Point is home to many residential areas and tourist apartments. Living here, you can enjoy a very magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean. There are also several shops, a trailer park and several wonderful coffee shops on the island.
It is one of the popular vacation spots for people around Brisbane. A friend of my Host’s family often rents a house here during Christmas and stays for a few weeks.
- How can I get there?
Take the train to Cleveland Station within the city, then take the Shuttle Bus (there is one right outside the train station) or walk for 20 minutes to reach the ferry port. Generally, passengers choose to take the Water Taxi ($19 round-trip ticket for adults), which is faster and can reach the island in about 20 minutes. Then take the island bus (round-trip fare to Point Lookout as far as $9.4) to arrive.
“Universities”
As a University Fever, it is one of the essential tasks to visit local universities wherever you go!
The Univeristy of Queensland is one of the first universities to explore in depth. The St Lucia Campus is located on the banks of the Brisbane River. The buildings are relatively modern, but only the main building has a bit of the ancient feel that I like.