Brisbane is a city of 2.4 million and the 3rd largest city in Australia. It was first settled by Europeans to be used as a penal settlement where Sydney offloaded its worst convicts. In late 1823 Surveyor General John Oxley explored the area and discovered a long river naming it Brisbane along which the city was built. Brisbane is also known as the River City...
The centre of the city is on the North Bank of the river while many attractions and residential neighborhoods are on the South Bank...
We were only in Brisbane for a few days and it was so hot, mid 30s with high humidity that we took our time adjusting to the heat so didn’t see as much as we usually do. The first day we did take the City Hopper, a free ferry riding the river.
Lots of green spaces along the river...
Many people live along the river docking their boats in front of their condos...
Another day we walked along the river walkway which runs for Kms...
Lots of bridges across the river...
Parts of the walk way actually are built out over the river...
The Botanic Gardens are also located along the river...
The pond was filled with lilies...
Lots of shady places to get some relief from the heat...
Another view of the city skyline which is quite impressive...
In fact Brisbane was full of attractive buildings, I liked the reflection on this glass one...
The city center is quite vibrant with lots of great public spaces, the Anzac Memorial square...
The city center is quite vibrant with lots of great public spaces, the Anzac Memorial square...
Historic buildings...
The Post Office...
New and old...
The main shopping area, Queen Street is a large pedestrian mall with over 700 shops and lots of activity...
Street performers...
An aboriginal dance troupe...
Huge shopping centres...
Away from the center there was lots to see...
Chinatown was just around the corner from our AirBNb which was located in this condo building...
As in most other places we have visited on this trip a street market is not far away, one benefit of living in a warm country...
Another benefit lots of outside cafes...
Both of us were due for a haircut and a trip to the barber was in order, so one day we were walking by and saw this place wondering if it was a barber or a bar...
It was both...a barbershop turned bar at night, but gave us both great haircuts along with a cold one...
The young barber was impressed that an older woman would be in his chair as he told me we don’t get many women in the barber shop.
Another day we took the bus to visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary which is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary started in 1947. It also has many other animals and birds native to Australia including kangaroos. It was quite an interesting visit with lots of exhibits and talks by the keepers.
Central to the sanctuary was of course the koala exhibit...
When we first arrived it was nap time and they were all sound asleep in the trees and it was interesting to learn that due to the koala’s low energy diet of eucalyptus leaves the need to sleep or rest 20 hours a day!
Koala bears are not really bears but marsupials meaning they give birth to underdeveloped joeys that continue to grow in a pouch, unfortunately we didn’t get to see a real Joey....
They were going to be awake later so we were off to see the kangaroos...
There was a large troop of them seeking shade near the fence...
And they were hungry...
Kangaroos, wallabies and their relatives are known as macropods and can be identified by powerful hind legs, long feet and a tail which assists movement and acts as a counterbalance when hopping.
They are very cute animals and this one was posing for a picture...
They were not shy either...
There were lots of native birds including Australia’s heaviest which is called the Cassoway...
There was a Raptors exhibit highlighting these birds of prey who being at the top of the food chain play an important role in nature by controlling the population size of their prey. They were majestic looking birds...
This one was eating her lunch....
And looking for food...
This one didn’t wake at all...
It was so nice to see these animals up close and being cared for...
And an opportunity to get a little closer...
Now it was time to spend a week or more at the beach so we took the train about an hour north of Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and stayed in a lovely condo across from the beach. A nice swimming pool at the end of the day...
We were right across from the beach which went on forever...
There was always a breeze...
We walked it every day and saw few people except children learning how to swim as well as water safety, both which are compulsory parts of the school curriculum.
The beach had big surf and you were only allowed to be in the water between the yellow and red
flags...
Old men and the sea...
However the further we walked down and around the corner we came to the mouth of the river which made for a much calmer place to spend the day...
Every day this guy was fishing...
Also down this way was a fancy mall built over the river...
Enjoying the beach...
Our last stop every day was The Boat Shed for refreshments and a snack before heading back...
Lots of seafood and one of our favourites, calamari...
And finally the view from our little piece of shade on the beach... we both love a beach holiday to recharge the batteries and this was a great one! Now on we go to the North of the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment