endearing Aussie nickname) is home to 1.7 million, and it built on both
sides of the Brisbane River, some 15 miles from the coast. Brisbane was
recently home to the 2001 Goodwill Games, and the city had been nicely
touched up for the event. I originally wasn't supposed to have more than a
couple of hours here to catch a flight to Sydney, but by this time I was
ready to leave my tour a couple of days early, and was really glad I did.
On the north bank of the river was the central business district and the
Queen Street mall, a 3 block long pedestrian only mall, and truly one of my
favorites in Australia. The north bank is also home to many of Brisbane's
oldest buildings, including the Town Hall, Parliament House of Queensland,
and the elegant St. Anne's Church.
Queensland Museum, Art Gallery, State Library, and Performing Arts Center.
It also has a very useful walking and biking track, as well as fantastic
open air pools, cafes, and a rainforest walk. It really was a pleasant area
to a stroll and further down were the cliffs of Kangaroo Point, and area
right in the city to do some rock climbing and other athletic activities. To
top it off, there was the City Cat, a boat that taxis people up and down the
river, providing useful transport as well as great views of Brisbane's
attractive skyline. I can only say that I was more impressed with Brisbane
than I ever could have imagined.