Brisbane Self-Drive

Sitting pretty on Moreton Bay, on the banks of the Brisbane River, watched over by Mt Coot-tha and the Taylor Range, historic, subtropical Brisbane is the perfect hub to enjoy excellent examples of elegant colonial architecture, lush tropical gardens, chic cafes, restaurants, boutiques and malls or to visit a wildlife park to meet the fauna and flora of Australia; grab some culture at a great museum or gallery, bathe on a riverside beach, visit vibrant markets, see the high rollers at a casino; maybe pop up to the Sunshine Coast for golf on a world famous course or down to the Gold Coast for some family fun at a theme park or to grab some waves at a brilliant surf beach.

South Bank (beautiful riverside swim lagoon, beach, parklands, cafes, restaurants, vibrant weekend Markets, cinemas, galleries), Wheel of Brisbane (great views from 60m above the river in a ferris wheel (enclosed gondola)), The Queensland Performing Arts Centre, The Queensland Conservatorium, Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA international art exhibits), Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, State Library of Queensland, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane City Hall and King George Square (tour an historical landmark), New Farm Park (historic park, long avenue of jacaranda trees, rose gardens plus some 40,000 other plants, shady picnic areas), Museum of Brisbane (local art exhibition, history of city), St Stephen's Cathedral (neo-Gothic), St John's Cathedral (Gothic revival), St Stephen's Chapel (oldest church in Queensland), Albert St Uniting Church (highly decorative white stone and red brick), Alma Park Zoo, the Commissariat Store (historic building, exhibitions on Brisbane history), Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (first and biggest koala sanctuary in the world, some 130 koalas, hand feed kangaroos, cuddle a koala), City Botanic Gardens (learn history of the gardens and the city), Parliament House, Old Government House (mid 1800's historical, elegant buildings), Old Windmill (1828, oldest building in Brisbane), Mt Coot-tha, (was Country of the Turrbal Aboriginal people and means 'Place of Honey', scenic drive, heavily afforested Mount Coot-tha Reserve, walking tracks, picnic facilities, amazing panoramic vistas from peak over Brisbane and area), Manly Boat Harbour (gateway to the Moreton Bay Marine Park, pristine islands and waterways), Manly Harbour Village (overlooking marina, cafes, restaurants, shops), Maritime Museum (Queensland's maritime history exhibitions; historic WWII warship, the HMAS Diamantina and other vessels, dry dock), Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium (space and astronomy displays, mini theatre, Cosmic Skydome, space and astronomy programmes, a "live" segment of the current sky at night in Brisbane, shop for astronomical/science merchandise, free parking, cafe and restaurant), urban villages; Gentrified Fortitude Valley (vibrant, bohemian, weekend markets, funky boutiques, tree-lined Brunswick Mall, nightlife), New Farm (trendy, shopping, New Farm Park ,Powerhouse Arts Centre), Bretts Wharf (historic pelican lined river wharf),Chinatown (food, shops), Sunnybank, (outer suburb, authentic Asian food).