Three Days in Brisbane
My first and only trip to Brisbane, many years ago, was for a weekend break. It didn’t quite turn out the way we’d planned. Family drama intervened and I never returned. Until now.
Three days in Brisbane as a birthday treat
This time, as a birthday treat, I’ll spend three days in Brisbane. Besides heat and humidity, I have no expectations. We’re getting the train from Nambour on the Sunshine Coast. It will take less than two hours and cost the princely sum of 50 cents. Public transport here is inexpensive.
Arriving in Brisbane
A twenty-minute walk from Brisbane’s Central Station and we’re checking into the Crystalbrook Vincent Hotel. Its riverside location, under the Story Bridge, means that I open the curtains to reveal a spectacular view down the Brisbane River.
A Walking Tour of Brisbane
I do as I usually do to orientate myself in a new city. Book a walking tour.
At the meeting point in Reddacliff Place, an installation of large round metal spheres seemingly randomly placed in the plaza grabs my attention. The huge balls are made from old aluminium vegetable steamers like the ones my mother used to use. Appropriately, the 2006 installation is called Steam.
Brisbane is built on the land of the Yuggera people. It’s main streets, named after English royalty, are laid in a grid fashion. It’s fun to discover that those with women’s names run parallel to one another with the men’s streets crossing at right angles. Queen Victoria (Queen Street) meets her husband Albert (Street) at Queen Street Mall.
No longer a country town
For many years, Brisbane was thought of as a country town or more unkindly, a backwater. That changed way back in 1988 when Brisbane hosted the World Expo. Today, Sydney and Melbourne had better look out if the buzz I feel as I walk the streets and the number of tourists hopping on and off the City Cat is anything to go by.
The tall, distinctive Skyneedle is visible from many parts of the city. During Expo, a revolving searchlight pierced the night sky from the top of the 20 storey tower.
Brisbane’s Sky Deck
As our small group descends the stairs alongside the golden escalator in Star Casino, we pass a sign to the lift for The Sky Deck. It’s free to visit and on the list to watch the sun set tomorrow.
In George Street, seven sandstone Printing Devils look out from the façade of the old Government Printing Office. They represent printing apprentices who invariably make messy mistakes. Around the corner is the stainless-steel Moreton Bay Courier sculpture, shaped like a rolled-up newspaper. I peer through an eyepiece to discover photos and stories of past events.
Trendy Bars, Street Art and Laneways
We’re walking through an area once known as Frog’s Hollow, a red-light district in Brisbane’s early days. Today an American-style saloon with the same name fronts Charlotte Street. Another to add to tomorrow’s agenda.
Wandering through laneways and Arcades, we discover thought provoking street art, pass trendy bars and see where the Dragon Roller Coaster used to snake its way around the top floor of the old Myer Centre, now Uptown Event Cinemas.
Historic Buildings
A different sort of Picture Palace, the Old Regent Theatre, is a shell of its former self. All that remains is the foyer. It’s worth a peak to check out the ornately painted plaster ceilings, orientate yourself on a large map of the city and find out what’s on at the Visitor Information Centre.
I learn that every fifteen minutes there’s a free tour of the Town Hall’s Clock Tower – booking recommended. And around the corner in the basement is a social enterprise café. My list of things to do tomorrow is growing.
Opposite Central Station we reflect on the eternal flame in the Shrine of Remembrance. The eighteen Doric columns represent the year WW1 ended. Looking up at the Commonwealth Bank Building from ANZAC square, I notice a curvy line winding down the face of the building. It represents the Brisbane River, which is often referred to as the city’s brown snake.
A Kitty Cat
We end the tour with a beer in a riverside restaurant watching the ferries glide down the river. I love that I can cross the river on a Kitty Cat, a small catamaran that plies its way back and forth across the Brisbane River. Or I can travel up and down the river on the bigger City Cat.
With fares at only 50c per ride, they are the perfect way for visitors to see the city from the river.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to Brisbane and discovered much that I wouldn’t have found independently. I’m also armed with a heap of ideas for my independent exploration tomorrow.
Brisbane Small Bars and Street Art Tour
I have a soft spot for street art. I also enjoy discovering small bars. So, after a delicious Thai lunch at Pochana and down time in our hotel, we set off for a Brisbane street art and bar tour.
Weren’t we here earlier?
At first, I’m disappointed. We’re back in Burnett Lane where we were only a few hours ago. This time though, our guide goes into more detail about the art. She points out quirky street art that we hadn’t noticed earlier.
Tiny red wooden doors, only a couple of bricks high. Bright blue moulded plastic rats get up to no good behind exposed red water pipes.
Fish Lane
Soon we’re crossing Queen Victoria Bridge into Fish Lane on the south side of the river. Colourful neon lights brighten the busy dining precinct. All Brisbane seems to be out enjoying the balmy evening. Without a booking, you’d be hard pressed to get a table tonight.
In Fish Lane, we come across a bright blue metal sculpture that looks like a shot of steam. It’s a nod to George Fish who was a Council Alderman. He also ran Fish Steam Laundry.
There’s more street art, bright green topiary recognisable as Gillie and Marc’s Dogman & Rabbitwoman, more tiny doors and a cheeky blue fox.
At the entrance to Next Episode Bar, done up like a Barbershop, patrons are instructed to “Pick up the Phone Baby.” Clued-up visitors know to enter a code to be let in. We pass other small bars before ending up at Cobbler, a whisky and cocktail bar.
Story Bridge
It’s late when we stroll back along the river to our hotel, admiring the string of red lights outlining the Story Bridge against the dark cloudy sky.
Exploring independently on our second full day in Brisbane.
There’s plenty to fill our second full day in Brisbane. Bronek is happy with my plan, as long as no galleries or museums are involved. I’ll leave GOMA for another time.
We begin by strolling along New Farm River Walk to the Sydney Street Ferry Terminal. The impressive board walk has water stations and covered seating along the way. Then it’s a pleasant ride down the river on a City Cat. We sit outside taking full advantage of the breeze.
Marhaba Cafe – a social enterprise
After strolling through the Botanic Gardens, sticking to the shade, we wander back into the CBD for lunch at the Marhaba Café our guide mentioned yesterday.
The Marhaba Café is a social enterprise that locals know as “the old Red Cross Tea Rooms.” The name, a casual Arabic greeting meaning hello or welcome, well describes the atmosphere. Friendly, comfortable and welcoming. The people who work at the cafe face barriers to employment by virtue of their disabilities or refugee status.
The Clock Tower Tour is free
I’ve booked a free Town Hall clock tower for after lunch. Opened in 1930, the 92m tall tower was the tallest building in Brisbane for many years. People would use the clock to check the time. Not everyone had a watch in those days.
The 15-minute tour begins with a quick ride up in the original lift cage – now electric but previously manually operated. Following the narrow passage that runs around the circumference of the tower, behind a series of tall sandstone columns, I get to enjoy a full 360o view of the city.
So is the Sky Deck
Later we step into the to the Sky Deck and speed up to level 23 of The Star. The eateries are full of locals enjoying a Friday evening after work, but visitors are mostly there for the view. And there are plenty of visitors.
Some, like me, stand on the glass floored viewing deck to peer at the road 100m below. Others perch on the white painted concrete wall sipping cocktails as they watch the sun set behind Brisbane’s skyline.
More trendy bars in Brisbane
Once the sun has set, we visit a couple of small bars. American Country Music drowns out any conversation in Frogs Hollow. My “nine to five” is disappointingly more like a sweet cordial than a fun cocktail.
On the way to our next bar, we come across the Brunswick Street band jazzing it up to an appreciative toe tapping audience in Queen Street Mall. One thing’s for sure – Brisbane is alive this Friday night.
Death and Taxes in Burnett Lane is alive and not too noisy. We sit at the bar watching pure theatre as the bartender prepares cocktails. She carefully places a spiral of lime skin on the edge of a cocktail glass and steps back, smiling with satisfaction at a job well done.
She lights the contents of a metal jug and pours the flaming liquid from one jug to the other, a thin blue flame spiralling down like a thin silk ribbon. Again, a smile of satisfaction. We leave smiling.
Brisbane surprised me
Brisbane has been a pleasant surprise. Like the sculptures, the city is steaming ahead. With 6 short years to go to the 2032 Olympics, Brisbane is buzzing.
