Brisbane: Australia’s Travel Hotspot

As I write this, I watch the rain drizzle down my window while the grey clouds cast themselves over the student property opposite, which appears just as bleak and dismal as the sky above. It’s typical British weather; glorified in every Hollywood rom com but the rain is relentless, and winter never seems to end.  By contrast, last year I was on the eleventh floor of an apartment building overlooking Brisbane’s South Bank and CBD, with the sun streaming in for most of the day. But Australia’s appeal extends far beyond its attractive climate. Australia is the dream destination for many people. The golden beaches, the flora and fauna, the long days under the sun and the chilled-out but equally vibrant cities and people; there are so many things to love and so few not to. Despite the shared cultural practices and norms between the Brits and the Aussies, for many of us, life in Australia is something we can only imagine and hope to one day experience for ourselves. 

Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland and became my home away from home last year. Whilst most tourists might think of the beach when they think of Australia, Brisbane is one of the few big Australian cities without a beach, or at least, a natural one. While it might not quite boast a beach haven like Bondi of Sydney, Brissy or Brisvegas as it’s known by locals is Australia’s “River City”. As the Brisbane River loops its way into the central business district under Story Bridge and round to South Bank, there is no shortage of riverside bars, restaurants and parks to enjoy under the Australian sun. For any Brit, it is like being in a beer garden on the hottest day of (an otherwise disappointing) British summer, when everyone takes the time out to relax and enjoy a bev or two (naturally), with family and friends. But in Australia, this isn’t a one-day event, this is life. 

What Brisbane lacks in beaches, it makes up for elsewhere. In recent years Brisbane has undergone a boom in developments: new hotels, nightlife scene, laneways and suave restaurants and it appears to have only just begun. For this reason, it has been included on National Geographic’s “Cool List” for 2020. With its art galleries, museums, laneways, bars and live music venues, it is certainly beginning to give Melbourne a run for its money as Australia’s City of Culture. For those that can’t get enough of the beach life, Brisbane has its own ‘city beach’, a man-made beach situated in South Bank amongst a wealth of shops, bars and restaurants and overlooking the Brisbane River onto the city centre. While it might not be the ‘real deal’, on the plus side there are no riptides or lurking sharks to worry about. 

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Aside from the city itself, Brisbane is perfectly situated to travel to and from. On Australia’s East Coast, the city is within driving distance of Byron Bay, Surfer’s Paradise (Gold Coast) Stradbroke Island, Noosa, Springbrook National Park (the first home of I’m a Celebrity…), Fraser Island and of course, the Great Barrier Reef, to name just a few. While it is unfairly overlooked as a holiday destination, with many opting instead for Sydney and Melbourne as their city stops, Brisbane is without doubt worth a visit. I might be biased, but I’m a firm believer that Brissy has it all.