The River and Inner Suburbs-the life of the city
Some of Brisbane's best shops and restaurants are located in the inner suburbs. Many of these can be reached by CityCat ferries via the placid Brisbane River.
Bretts Wharf/Hamilton
This wharf, the downriver terminus for the River Cats, is situated at the leafy waterfront suburb of Hamilton. It is only a short walk to the trendy cafes, restaurants and shops of Racecourse Road.
Bulimba
It's just 20 minutes by City Cat to Oxford Street, Bulimba. Here you'll find more than 15 casual dining restaurants and lots of alfresco dining. All this plus a boutique cinema complex, several fashion stores and a bookstore.
Caxton Street
Just a short road that leads into Petrie Terrace, Caxton Street has a couple of trendy pubs and some of the city's best seafood dining establishments, clubs and bars.A popular nightclub zone.
CityCat Ferries
CityCats are the best way to explore the Brisbane River and riverside suburbs.
Transinfo: 13 1230
Eagle Street Pier
Go ashore here and try one of the many excellent restaurants. There are also specialty shops and a busy market featuring arts, crafts, clothing and local produce on Sundays.
Fortitude Valley
This suburb, Brisbane's liveliest and most multicultural, is known as 'The Valley'. The area has shed its past seedy image and now has a cosmopolitan look and feel that is rare in suburban Brisbane. A vibrant Chinese community has long called the suburb home and this is the best place in the city to obtain Asian food items. Some of Brisbane's best nightspots and pubs are here and there is a market on weekends.
Lone Pine Sanctuary
Here you can hold a koala and hand-feed kangaroos. Look for the sleepy wombats in their hollow-log homes and don't miss the reptile displays. The best way to get to Lone Pine is to take the 10am Miramar ferry from North Quay in the CBD.
Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket
Open daily from 9am-5pm
Ph: 3378 1366
www.koala.net
Mt Coot-tha Lookout
Be sure to visit this popular lookout, only 7km west of the city centre, which offers excellent views of Brisbane and surrounds. Try to make two trips: on a fine morning there are panoramic views from the Sunshine Coast in the north to the Gold Coast in the south, while at night the city lights spread out under the night sky. Try the Kuta cafe for snacks or the Summit Restaurant for a special occasion.
New Farm
Home to a large migrant population for years, New Farm is a vibrant suburb with plenty of ethnic restaurants. Brunswick Street is the main thoroughfare and it is lined with alfresco eating places and chic bars, cinemas, art galleries and bookshops.
New Farm Park
Found at the eastern end of Brunswick Street, this park is a mass of purple jacaranda blossoms from October to December each year. The park always has splendid displays of flowering plants. This great family destination has playgrounds, barbeques and sports ovals.
Newstead House
Brisbaneís oldest homestead and its gardens are open to visitors. Built in 1846, this house museum has been fitted out with fine Victorian fittings and antique furniture.
Newstead Park, Breakfast Creek;
Open: Mon - Fri 10 am-4 pm, Sun 2 am-5 pm
Ph: 3216 1846
Paddington
Just to the west of the city centre, and west of Caxton Street, lies the trendy suburb of Paddington. Given Terrace and Latrobe Terrace follow the ridges here and along this busy shopping and alfresco eating strip are interesting secondhand stores, antique shops, bookshops and boutiques. The leafy hills and valleys here are covered in weatherboard houses, many of which have been lovingly restored to their former glory.
Park Road, Milton
Miltonís main thoroughfare, Park Road has an interesting assortment of specialty clothes and furniture shops, a range of good eating establishments and a couple of Brisbane's best bookshops. Look out for the mini Eiffel Tower.
Powerhouse
Check out Brisbane's newest theatre and performance space, the Powerhouse. Built in 1926, and abandoned in the 1970s, it has been restored and rebuilt, even retaining some of its original graffiti.
119 Lamington St, New Farm
Ph: 3358 8600
River Queen
Day cruises on the Brisbane River are a relaxing way to see the city from the river's perspective. On a warm night, book a dinner cruise on the River Queen and take in the lights and night-time charm of the city from the top deck.
River Queen, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane
Daily from 9:30 am
Ph: 3321 1300
Teneriffe
This riverfront suburb, once known for its woolstores, is undergoing urban renewal. With lots of new apartment buildings, specialty shops, furniture warehouses, cinemas and fine dining establishments, the suburb is well worth a visit.
West End
Centred on Boundary Road, on the southern side of the river and nearby South Bank, bohemian West End has many ethnic restaurants, some interesting secondhand bookshops and multicultural food shops.
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