Brisbane

To the Wanderer,

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia aka the ‘River City’ aka 'BrisVegas' was my first stop in Australia - and what a stop it was! After travelling for 23 hrs, I arrived at the beautiful Gold Coast, greeted by Ashton & Charlie and their pack of South African beauties. I learned a bunch of fun new words that night: to ‘skull’ (chug) a beer, ‘ Let’s get Fez’ (let’s party) - and oh, we did! In fact, to minimize any chance of me becoming jet lagged, we ‘got Fez’ all night. I walked along the ocean that morning and watched the sunrise.

My next big event was a visit to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary! I took the Miramar Cruises ferry on the way there and learned a lot about Brisbane from the audio tour. Upon arrival and like every good North American should, I got the chance to see and even hold a koala! I also saw a Dingo, Tasmanian Devil, Crocodile, Wombat, birds of prey and of course, kangaroos! Feeding the kangaroos was a definite highlight.
 
Day 3 was equally as amazing! I started off at Newstead Brewing Co. and rented a city bike to explore the riverwalk - an absolute must-do! I cycled about 6km from Newstead to South Bank and there were stunning views the entire way. You pass by artwork, parks, boats, and right by the famous Story Bridge before crossing a car-free bridge that drops you right into South Bank. This was my favorite area of Brissie! Not only is there beautiful sculptures, landscaping, and a man-made beach, there are trendy shops and restaurants right along the water. Awesome place to grab a a drink or food or relax at Streets Beach! South Bank is also home to the Brisbane sign, the Wheel of Brisbane and museums / art galleries.

Brisbane reminded me of both Vancouver for its ‘seawall’ and Orange County for its great weather and palm trees. Some other notes to see are Park Road in Milton (shops / restaurants and a replica Eiffel Tower), the Botanical Gardens, New Farm Park, and definitely checking out the Gold Coast, both for the beautiful beaches and the nightlife. 

Love from Brisbane
Lauren Gavrailoff, T.W.O