Brisbane is the State capital of Queensland and Australia's third-largest city, and growing rapidly. An inland city, Brisbane’s sprawling suburbs hug the Brisbane River. Brisbane offers a casual, tropical approach to living and travelling, with a strong focus on outdoor activities. A drive through Brisbane’s suburbs reveals many examples of the "Queenslanders" – a style of wooden house with expansive verandahs - which has become an iconic emblem of quintessential Australian living. Brisbane is the main entry point for onward travel to the "Sunshine Coast" and Noosa to its north, and the "Gold Coast" to its south, so it should come as no surprise that Brisbane gets plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures year-round.

Brisbane is a big-city package but the pretensions are refreshingly absent. The city centre sits within a tropical landscape while cooling its toes in the undulating Brisbane River, and it boasts a climate that lures pale and chilly southerners by the truckload.

While Brisbane doesn't suffer the stifling humidity you'll find further north, it's still most pleasant in winter (June to August) - the days are warm and sunny, the nights cool and it's a delightful contrast to the chilly misery further south. However, winter is also the time everyone from Sydney and Melbourne heads north to escape the cold, so expect a crowd.

Castlemaine-Perkins XXXX Brewery
Tel: (07) 3361 7400 (info)
'XXXX' - that's the sound your free samples will make when you crack them open after the interesting 75-minute tour. The rather dapper animated character Mr XXXX will educate you in the goings-on of this 125-year-old brewery and divulge some of the secrets of its iconic ale. For the acme of Australian beer wear, stock up at the XXXX Beer Gear shop.
Web: www.xxxx.com.au

City Botanic Gardens
Tel: (07) 3403 0666 (info)
The City Botanic Gardens are a pleasant respite from the busy city and a firm favourite of lunching office workers. The gardens are dominated by open, grassy walking areas and are popular with strollers, joggers, picnickers, cyclists and skaters. The park is partly lit up at night and you stand a good chance of seeing tame possums here.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Tel: (07) 3378 1366 (info)
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the largest koala sanctuary in the world. Set in attractive parklands beside the river, over 130 of the fuzzy marsupials live here, alongside kangaroos, dingoes and wombats. The koalas are undeniably cute and for a fee visitors can cuddle one and capture it on film or hand feed the tame kangaroos.
Web: www.koala.net

Newstead House
Tel: (07) 3216 1846 (info)
Newstead House, on the Brisbane River, is Brisbane's best-known heritage site. Set in attractive forested grounds, the historic homestead dates from 1846 and is beautifully fitted out with Victorian furnishings and antiques, clothing and period displays.
Web: www.newsteadhouse.com.au

QUT Art Museum
Tel: (07) 3864 5370 (info)
For a taste of the local art scene in its freshest form, try QUT's challenging museum. It features contemporary art from around the world, but focuses mainly on homegrown works, including pieces by QUT students. It specialises in paintings, prints and ceramics. Exhibits change constantly and guided tours are available, but must be booked.
Web: www.artmuseum.qut.com

Jorge
Tel: (07) 3012 9121
After sunset, from Wednesday to Sunday, the permanent decks at this city cafe-cum-bar get a good workout when DJs spin funk into the wee hours. More lounge bar than dance venue, the funky punters sip boutique beers and cocktails in-between buzzy conversations.
Web: www.jorge.com.au

Sunbar Restaurant & Lounge
Tel: (07) 3257 4999
The Sunbar is a sophisticated spot for some serious lounging about. It sports a luminescent orange bar and loads of soft vinyl seating, attracting a chic sort of crowd with its relaxed atmosphere, dance floor, and tasty drinks and snacks.
Web: www.thesunbar.com

Tongue & Groove
Tel: (07) 3846 0334
If you're after a funky place to get the vibe going for the night, the basement bar in this great little venue at 63 Hardgrave Rd has varied live music with a slight leaning towards jazz. Most nights have free entry and everything from reggae and blues to dance beats.

Brisbane has the perfect climate for outdoor activities, and these are as much a lure as the city's sights. As it's a relatively flat city and blessed with numerous parks and gardens, and cycling, in-line skating and walking are among the most popular free-time activities for locals and visitors.

Breakfast Creek Hotel
Tel: (07) 3262 5988
This famous, sprawling hotel, on a photogenic bend of the Brisbane River just northeast of Fortitude Valley, dates from 1889 and is a Brisbane institution. The pub's open-air Spanish Garden Steak House serves incredible steaks, including the behemoth 450g rump.
Web: www.breakfastcreekhotel.com

E'cco
Tel: (07) 3831 8344 (info)
One of the finest restaurants in the state, E'cco is a must for any culinary aficionado. Expect masterpieces like Flinders Island lamb, tomato and goat's cheese couscous and apple tzatziki and olive jus. The interior is suitably swish and you'll need to book well in advance.
Web: www.eccobistro.com

Mondo Organics
Tel: (07) 3844 1132
Everything on the menu at this innovative, fully licenced restaurant is organic, including the export-grade meats. The urban timber surrounds provide a contemporary environment in which to savour wonderful meals made from the best produce on offer. The menu caters to vegetarians, vegans and the wheat- or dairy-compromised.
Web: www.mondo-organics.com.au

Brisbane Airport is a busy international arrival and departure point with frequent flights to Asia, Europe, the Pacific islands, North America, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. A shuttle bus runs between the airport and the Transit Centre about every half-hour till mid-evening. There are also shuttle buses to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. There are always taxis available to take you into the city centre. The easiest way to get to or from the airport is to take the Airtrain from either Roma St or Central stations.

The main bus terminal is the Transit Centre on Roma St, and all the main bus companies arrive and leave from here. Buses run to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Cairns, as well as towns up and down the coast. Trains also arrive at the Transit Centre. There are direct trains to Sydney, but if you want to go any further south or west, you'll have to go via Sydney. Rail travel within Queensland is slower and more expensive than the bus, but it's often more comfortable, and you can get rail passes.

In addition to normal city buses, there are Cityxpress services, which run between the city centre and the suburbs, and Rockets (fast peak-hour commuter buses). The fast Citytrain network has seven lines, and there is an efficient ferry service along and across the Brisbane River. There is a riverside bicycle track from the City Botanic Gardens out to the University of Queensland.

GMT/UTC +10

Metric

220-240V 50Hz

+61

Official: English

Australian Dollar (A$)

Copyright © 2008 Lonely Planet Publications