TRAVELWEEKENDER
Story time This is Brisbane in 48 hours Words leigh livingstone
DAY 1: Brisbane is the foot friendly city. Sunshine is in high amounts and there are plenty of outdoor activities to let visitors stock up on that Vitamin D. Be outside as much as possible and have fun with this busy weekender. 9:00: Chances are it’s a beautiful morning, so the best thing to do is get amongst it in the fresh air. It might sound a bit civilised but take a stroll through the Brisbane Botanic Gardens (brisbane.qld.gov.au). Located close to the city centre, you can spend time looking at the living museum full of native and exotic plants with themed sections, like the pretty Japanese garden. Everyone should stop and smell the roses once in a while. 10:00: After you‘ve ticked flowers of the list, visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (koala.net) and tick fuzzy creatures off it too. You may think you’ve seen more koalas than you care to by this point but you haven’t seen them like this. The Sanctuary is one of the best places in Oz to get up close and personal with not just the dropbears but kangaroos and a whole bunch of unique Aussie wildlife. Hand-feed them, have a cuddle, stock up on the warm and fuzzies because the rest of your 48 hours won’t be so sickeningly sweet. 12:00: Grab some lunch as you cruise along the Brisbane river in style aboard a Kookaburra River Queen (kookaburrariverqueens.com) authentic paddlewheeler. Take in the sights of Brisbane from a different angle as you sip a beer and stuff yourself senseless on the amazing food. 15:00: No trip to the sunshine state is complete without a
60
tour of the XXXX Brewery (xxxxbrewerytour.com.au). Their Heritage-listed alehouse is a great place to learn all about the history of Queensland’s golden brew and sample a few for historical education purposes, of course. 17:00: Now that you are good and relaxed, it’s time to up the pace. Climb to the top of Brisbane’s Story Bridge and take in the magnificent twilight views of the city. It really is spectacular. Then, when you’re ready, abseil – yes we said abseil – down again. Story Bridge Adventure Climb (sbac. net.au) will help you with all the equipment and safety bits but then it is all you as you whip down the Anchor pier into Captain Burke Park below. 19:00: Getting kind of hungry by now? Stop by the Pig N Whistle (pignwhistle.com.au) for a British-style meal and a pint. Hopefully you don't mind eating our Babe because you'll find pork sausages, pork pies and pulled pork burgers. 21:00: Believe it or not, Brisbane is one of the most haunted cities in the world. Take a walk through the CBD at night with a ghost tour to find out why. Ghost Tours (ghosttours.com.au) will take you through spooky alleys and creepy cemeteries while discussing the haunted histories of the area. Warning: not for fraidy cats. You might want to share a room at Base Brisbane (stayatbase.com) if you’re feeling delicate. DAY 2: 7:00: Assuming you managed to sleep at all, wake up bright and early for an adventurous day trip to Moreton Island. The ferry departs from Holt St wharf for the hour-
tntdowunder.com
721_WE_Bris.indd 60
2/5/13 4:18:17 PM