Brisbane
The city of helmets
There were two things Charlie noticed about Brisbane: The architecture and the vibes reminded her a lot of London and there were helmets everywhere. They were usually attached to a scooter that could be hired in the street, many of them were also in random places all over the city. Scooters were nothing extraordinary; they are to be found in any city around the world. The helmets though were new, especially the places where they appeared all around town.
Exploring the CBD
Brisbane’s city centre is referred to by the locals as the CBD, the Central Business District. The streets there are laid out on a grid, and you can feel the business vibes in between the tall, modern buildings. A lot of the area is pedestrianized, and it does get busy. Charlie did two walking tours in this area, one of them was a true crime tour and it became evident that the history in this place only goes back 200 years when Brisbane was founded as a convict colony.
There is however a surprising number of historic-looking buildings everywhere, starting with the town hall in the style of an ancient Greek building or the churches in the gothic style. It is obvious where the inspiration came from.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
That was the main attraction in Brisbane that Charlie had wanted to see: The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. That way, she could be sure to see Koalas during the time in Australia. The tour that Charlie had chosen was a river cruise to get to the sanctuary and back. That cruise also included commentary so she would at the same time see the city and learn more about it. It was the perfect combination. Charlie was surprised by the modern bridges in Brisbane that cross the river and the luxurious houses on either side of the Brisbane River. It was a beautiful journey to the sanctuary, and an informative one.
At the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Charlie saw many Koalas and even heard them howling loudly. If you are interested in a guided tour through the several Koala sections or wish to touch a Koala, you should book this online in advance.
Apart from Koalas, there are kangaroos (and you can feed them), crocodiles and dingos (feeding not recommended), Tasmanian devils and many other animals that are native to Australia. Charlie enjoyed this visit and was happy to have seen so many Koalas right in front of her.
How to get to Brisbane
The easiest way to get to Brisbane is flying. There are good public transport connections too by either bus or train. Most of them get into the station at Roma Street. (There is a Central Station too, but Roma Street really is the main station.) That is also a good area to stay in as it is very central and only a short walk to all the meeting points for tours and day trips.
