Brisbane
Brisbane is the economic hub and State capital of Queensland, with a year-round warm subtropical climate. Australia’s fastest-growing city, it is the gateway to many coastal resorts and offers many attractions itself. Probably the most famous of these is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, which can be reached via a river cruise. The Botanic Gardens is a splendid shady reserve at the south end of the city centre, accessible by a new footbridge. City Hall in King George Square houses an art gallery, museum and clocktower observation deck. Other buildings of note include the State Parliament House with its glittering copper roof, St John’s Cathedral, The Mansions and the Old Windmill, the city’s oldest surviving building (built in 1828) and once a treadmill worked by convicts. The Queensland Cultural Centre at South Bank contains the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum and Performing Arts Centre. The South Bank Parklands, on the site of the 1988 World Expo, boasts an interesting Maritime Museum and an enormous artificial swimming beach. The Brisbane Powerhouse is a lively alternative arts venue, and the looming art deco Castlemaine Brewery offers enjoyable daily tours with samples of its famous product. Brisbane’s many festivals are another major attraction; see the Social Profile section for further information.
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