Where We Be
Looking the other way you can see the classical-looking General Post Office up ahead
Brisbane, Australia
The best thing about Brisbane is the river that
runs through it, winding like a ribbon right
through the heart of the city. Honestly, at first
we thought of Brisbane as just a launching-off
point for exploring the Sunshine Coast and
Great Barrier Reef to the north, but we soon
came to appreciate it for itself and believe it's
an underrated, up-and-coming Australian city.

Queensland's capital city is much bigger and
busier than anything in Tasmania so it came as
a bit of a shock to the system. It's also much
hotter: it felt like we went from autumn to full
summer in a day. We stayed at an Airbnb right
in the city center, which gave us a great base
for exploring the city both on foot and by ferry.

These photos were mostly taken during one
long touring day. We started with a four-hour
walk following Lonely Planet’s suggested city
route. That let us see most of the highlights of
Brisbane in one fell swoop. Then, after lunch,
we headed out again to ride the free (yes, free)
City Hopper ferry. This is a must-do: it lets you
see the city from the water without moving a
muscle -- perfect after such a long walk.
From the south end of the bridge we could look down and
see some of the ships on display at the Maritime Museum
Turning right off the bridge, we went for a pleasant stroll
through South Bank Parklands with its arches of purple flowers
The south bank of the river is lined with parks.
This was one of our favorite parts of the walk.
We eventually reached this artificial beach known as
Streets Beach -- Australia's only inner-city man-made beach
Streets Beach features a large lagoon surrounded by white sandy beaches and
palm trees. What a nice feature for residents and guests to enjoy in the city center!
The promenade continues past ferry terminals,
parks, and playgrounds to the Wheel of Brisbane
Just beyond you'll find a colorful Brisbane sign that's a
popular  photo-op. Each of the letters lights up at night.
We continued across the pedestrian Kurilpa Bridge just outside GOMA, then poked into Brisbane City Hall (left)
just as the noon bells were ringing. The red heritage-listed church nearby is Albert Street Uniting Church (1889).
That finished up our walking tour. Later that same day, on our way to the ferry pier, we strolled
past the old Treasury Building, which is now a casino -- which explains the bright lights at night!
We reached the pier and boarded the City Hopper ferry. We took the ferry --
which is completely free -- on its full voyage up and down the river for two hours.
There were lots of stops (occasionally too long)
but it's free so it's hard to complain!
You'll pass the old Customs House -- now an
elegant riverside restaurant with dining terrace
The ferry ride will take you under the Story Bridge (shown ahead)
and quite a stretch beyond before eventually turning around
Either way you'll get great views of the Brisbane skyline
We went out a third time after dark to see Brisbane lit up at night. We walked across Victoria Bridge
and looked back at the Brisbane skyline from South Bank Parklands near the Wheel of Brisbane.
Next morning we fit in one more activity -- an easy stroll through
Roma Street Parklands -- before taking the rest of the day off
Just off Albert Street to the north, this is a lovely park
filled with flowers, ferns, rainforest areas, and lots of lizards
We continued north all the way to the Gallery of Modern Art
(GOMA). It's free to visit so we popped in for a look around.
We spent longer than expected at GOMA seeing the exhibits
One fascinating exhibit was a scrolling 3D "video diorama" inspired by Captain Cook's voyages
depicting first contact with Polynesians. It's called "In Pursuit of Venus [Infected]" by Lisa Reihana.
We found the perfect base in Brisbane: an Airbnb at the
super-central Royal Albert Apartments at 167 Albert Street
Just across the street is the pedestrian-only Queen Street Mall
Here we're standing in Anzac Square with Central Station in the background
We began our walking tour at Anzac Square Memorial,
a heritage-listed town square and war memorial
Close-up of the post office facade
We reached the Brisbane River, ducked through Eagle St. Pier,
and followed the boardwalk along the river for a good stretch
We continued through the riverside City Botanic Gardens
This is Brisbane's oldest park. It was originally planted by
convicts in 1825 with food crops to feed the prison colony!
We crossed the pedestrian Goodwill Bridge to the south bank
of the Brisbane River, enjoying fine city views along the way
Just across the street from the Anzac Memorial is Brisbane's Central Station.
If you take the train from the airport (as we did), this is where you'll arrive.
We loved the food court just across the street at the Myer Centre with loads
of healthy food options -- not to mention restaurants and cafes at every turn
The room was very comfortable and spacious with high
ceilings, a kitchenette, dining table, couch, and coffee table
The free City Hopper ferry lets you see Brisbane the easy way:
from the deck of a boat as it chugs along the Brisbane River
Just beyond the post office is the Cathedral of St. Stephen
Another good option if you're not quite so patient is the City Cat
Ferry, which charges a small fee for a similar but faster ride
Kangaroo Point Cliffs is another interesting sight along the way. It offers
riverside sculptures, wallking and cycling tracks, and even abseiling.