structure visible
from space. The entire reef is now protected as part of a World Heritage
Park. The reef has its problems, though, with natural phenomena such as
cyclones, or predators such as the crown of thorns starfish, which at odd
times multiply and causes severe damage to sections of reef. Visitors and
scientists come from all over the world to study and admire this
magnificent and beautiful marine paradise.
Inland Queensland also has much to offer. From Carnarvon Gorge National Park to the Gulf Country and the wilderness of
Cape York, and all the historic cities and towns in between, there is an
endless variety of sights and sounds to delight the visitor.
The economy of
Queensland has always relied on
agriculture and mining, but during the course of the twenty-first century
tourism will become increasingly important. The ratios between the three
industries may vary from time to time, but a sound economic future for the
State is assured. The coastal strip, with the bulk of the population and
its endless attractions, will continue to claim most of the attention, and
the tourists, but the sparsely populated hinterland, for the foreseeable
future, will provide the basis of the State's substantial and growing
mining and agriculture economy.
Brisbane has a much more relaxed attitude and a
far more casual atmosphere than its southern cousins. Maybe the city has
retained a 'little bit of country'. With all its dramatic growth, both
skywards and outwards, the people of Brisbane get things done without
having to resort to a hectic pace. Perhaps it is a by-product of the
superb climate.
Brisbane River was named by John Oxley after
Thomas Brisbane, the governor of
New South
Wales, in 1823. In about 1824,
the city started life -as a penal colony. At one time it was the largest
penal colony on the Australian mainland, with over 1000 convicts. At that
time free settlers were not allowed to come within 80 km (50 miles) of the
settlement. But slowly the free settlers moved in, and in 1839 the penal
settlement closed.
Queensland became a separate colony in 1859, with
Brisbane as its capital.
Brisbane's character is molded by the river around
which it is built, and though the skyline has changed greatly since the
1960s, when the tallest building was the Town Hall, at 91 m (299 feet)
above street level, the central business district has remained mainly
within the loop of the river. Seven bridges cross the Brisbane River -the
newest and longest is the Gateway; the best known and the prettiest is the
Story Bridge, designed by Dr John Bradfield, the man who designed the
Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The river is also a busy thoroughfare. Ferries
carry passengers from bank to bank while motorised gondolas and large coal
ferries go about their business. Paddle-steamers and cruise boats are a
great way to see the river, day and night. Visitors have an unrestricted
view of the city while they float past the Cultural Centre, the Maritime
Museum, the University of Queensland, the Botanic Gardens and Newstead
House. This low-set stately house in Newstead Park was built in 1846, and
is the oldest surviving homestead in the city. Much of the administration
of the growing colony of
Queensland was carried out from this house.
Walter Hill, the Colonial Botanist, laid the foundations for the gardens
and was instrumental in introducing the distinctive and colourful
jacaranda and poinciana trees to the city.
Brisbane is an outdoor city -its average minimum
and maximum temperatures are 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. On weekends
the city comes alive with people, at the botanic gardens, the riverside
markets and at South Bank Parklands on the river overlooking the city.
South Bank has restaurants and cafe's, buskers and wandering performers, a
beach and a swimming lagoon, the Wildlife Sanctuary, and barbecue and
picnic areas. Next door is the Queensland Cultural Centre, which
incorporates the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery and Queensland
Performing Arts Complex. Brisbane also has restaurants offering cuisines
from all around the world. The Queen Street Mall has outdoor cafe's and
eating places and a relaxed atmosphere. For late night entertainment,
there are plenty of nightclubs and bars.
Brisbane is also fascinating for history lovers
with sandstone dominant in many of Brisbane's more imposing buildings. The
National Bank has tall Corinthian columns and pilasters of limestone with
an ornate interior bathed in natural light from the leadlight dome, an
extravagant example of the Victorian period. The Treasury Building is
considered the finest example of Italian Renaissance architecture in the
Southern Hemisphere. The building was reopened in 1995 as the Treasury
Casino, with the exterior left untouched. The latest addition to
Brisbane's list of impressive sandstone buildings is the University of
Queensland, with its central core of sandstone buildings set around a
cloistered court.
The Observatory in Wickham Terrace, just north of
the city centre, was built by convict labour in 1828 as a windmill. It
failed dismally at this, and was used instead as a convict-powered
treadmill to grind grain. When free settlers took over Brisbane, the
convicts were sent to one of Moreton Bay's most beautiful islands, St
Helena. This prison existed from 1867 to 1932 and was built, and
dismantled, by its residents. There are day trips by launch to tour the
ruins.
Brisbane is also the heart of a dynamic and
exciting tourist region. North of the city are the Glasshouse Mountains
and the subtropical valleys of the Caboolture Shire, along with the
beaches of Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast. Fraser Island is about
two hours' drive from Brisbane. The ever-popular Gold Coast, with its
theme parks, surfing and swimming beaches, is barely an hour away, and can
now can be reached by electric train to Nerang and Robina. Moreton Bay and
the islands of the Bay are a stone's throw away, and there are wineries at
nearby Mount Tamborine and Mount Cotton.
At the Australian Woolshed there are
sheep-shearing demonstrations, cows to be milked and baby lambs to be
bottle-fed. Visit Lone Pine Sanctuary to cuddle some of Australia's unique
animals and birds. The Alma Park Zoo has an abundance of native animals
plus some non-natives. The Brisbane Forest Park is a 26,500 ha (65,482
acres) area of natural bushland, with camping and picnic areas, yet it is
only about 6 km (3.7 miles) from the city centre, making bushland easily
accessible for city folk.
The choices in accommodation range from five-star
luxury hotels to the more economical hotels, hostels and caravan parks.
The CBD has excellent choices, many with views of the river and the city.
The inner western suburbs towards the airport have a great range of
hotels, motels and holiday apartments, which are generally at lower rates
than those right in the city centre.
The major festival held each September in Brisbane
is what used to be called the Warana Festival but is now called the
Brisbane Festival. This is a significant arts festival with plays, shows
and exhibitions mainly centred around the Performing Arts Complex and its
three superb theatres at the Queensland Cultural Centre down on the river
bank. The Springhill Festival is generally held around the middle of
September and is a gathering of arts and crafts in a very relaxed
market-style setting.
