Brisbane is known for being a quite, sleepy, country city. Although clearly still a city it is easy to understand why this is the case. There are lots of people but they are not rushing around like maniacs. The landscaping of the city is excellent and there are lots of areas that are very green, peaceful and relaxing. In the heart of the city runs the river and commuters can choose to commute to work on the ferry rather than being stuck in traffic. We explored the river this way one day which was heaps cheaper than a river cruise and covered the same area, it was a lovely was to explore. Different areas of the city and completely different to one another and some don’t feel like a city at all. One day we went shopping with our friends in the vintage/ antique area of Paddington and it was like being in a rural country town. Each area has its own market from farmers markets to bric a braq which makes for a positive community spirit. There are lots of trendy relaxed cafe type areas however they don’t seem stuck up and the people are very relaxed.
Streets beach
We enjoyed escaping the shopping area and business district and relaxing in many of the parks and gardens that surround Brissie from Roma street, South bank, Streets beach and the botanical gardens. Wildlife is abundant in these parks and we continually saw lizards, bats, birds and heard the rustling of possums. We even saw our first possum walk straight across our friends’ balcony when we were staying with them for a few days.
As well as the gardens Brisbane also offers lots of cultural experiences for free, from the museum of Queensland which has some amazing exhibits and numerous art galleries displaying Australian, Aboriginal and European art works. We’re looking forward to checking these out.
We are not that keen on cities but for a city Brissbane was very green, cultural and pretty. Our favourite part so far is the Roma Street Parkland. For some reason it is not in our guide book but looked nice as we walked past so we took a look. It turned out to be the only urban rainforest area in the world and was a beautiful area. It consisted of the small rainforest area, a lake, some formal gardens and other grassy areas. It was being used by all locals and was a real tranquil spot in the heart of the CBD (Central Business District). We spent a while in there just relaxing as well as wastching watching the people and wildlife. It was a really beautiful area and such a surprise.
Ruth visiting the natives in Roma Street Parkland
