Brisbane Attractions

The new Botanic Gardens (Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens) feature a gigantic glass dome housing over 2000 species of trees and bushes.

The Earlystreet Historical Village is in the beautiful gardens of the Villa Eulalia, with reconstructed buildings of the colonial period, furnished in the style of the time.

Bogga Road Gaol is the oldest surviving jail in Queensland. Construction of the prison was completed in June of 1903. The prison was built as a a women's prison and now houses a variety of displays on its own history.

The richly decorated Breakfast Creek Hotel (1889) features a famed garden.

Brisbane Airport is the largest airport in Australia. The airport serves as the main gateway for travelers to Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium was opened in 1978. It is the only planetarium in Queensland. The planetarium offers educational sessions for the public as well as school students.

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Brisbane Forest Park offers the possibility of excursions into the D'Aguilar Range. Within this great expanse of wild bush country and eucalyptus forests are Maiala National Park and Manorina National Park (campsite, picnic spots, nature trail).

Maiala National Park, also known as D'Aguilar Range National Park, with excellent visitor facilities, is a favorite day trip from Brisbane. From the wooded hills there are magnificent views of the coastal plain.

At the Brisbane Tramway Museum visitors can ride tramcars. The museum features a variety of displays.

Cathedral of St Stephen was the first church in Queensland. The church houses a number of artworks and features fine examples of stained glass.

Eagle Street has a number of modern high-rise buildings in concrete and glass.

The Warana Festival takes place in September, with numerous musical, dance and dramatic performances; the culminating point is a great parade through the city streets. The Ekka is an agricultural show in the Exhibition Grounds in Fortitude Valley, with riding events and a fair. In September there is the Spring Hill Fair in Leichhardt Street and in October the Colonial George Street Festival.

George Street features a variety of attractions.

King George Square is the center of municipal administration.

The Naval Stores are now a museum which allows visitors to learn about Brisbane's navy. Originally, the Naval Stores were used to store munitions. The stores were built in the 1880s and were used until 1986 when they were bought by Brisbane City Council.

New Farm Park is situated on the banks of the river. From September to November there is a magnificent display of over 12,000 rose bushes, with jacaranda trees and many colorful shrubs.

Newstead House was built in 1846 and is Brisbane's oldest surviving private house. Now a museum, it is beautifully situated above the Brisbane River and Breakfast Creek.

The Old Commissariat Store was built by convict labor in 1828. The upper floor was then used as a grain store. The top story was added in 1913, even though the tablet giving the date 1828 is on this floor. After the end of the convict period the building was used as a hostel for immigrants and for the storage of records. It is now a museum and the headquarters of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland (Queen's Wharf Road).

Government House was originally built in 1865 for Johann Heussler, who brought many farm workers from Germany to Queensland. It became the official residence of the governor in 1920, when Old Government House was handed over to the University of Technology.

The Old Windmill (or Old Observatory) is the oldest building in the city. It was originally used for grinding grain, but when there was no wind the mechanism was converted into a treadmill for prisoners (16 to 25 at a time), becoming known as the 'tower of torture'. From the middle of the 19th C it was used as a signal and weather station.

In the center of the Queens Garden is a statue of Queen Victoria.

The Queensland Maritime Museum (Stanley Street) features a dry dock from 1871 and the Second World War frigate Diamantina and ship models.

Exhibits trace maritime history from the days of the early navigators to the present day. There are model ships from ancient Egyptians, through Mediaeval times as well as photographs and paintings.

The Queensland Police Museum features a variety of exhibits some which date back to 1864. Displays cover a variety of subjects including police equipment, techniques, and operational units such as mounted police.

The Sciencenter is a hands-on museum of science and technology.

There are 100 interactive exhibits divided into three galleries: Body Zone, Earth Space and Action Stations.

Perhaps the best known sports grounds are the Gabba cricket ground and the dog-racing track in Woolloongabba, on the south side of the Brisbane River. Brisbane has four racecourses (Albion Park, Doomben, Eagle Farm and Bundamba). The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Sports Centre in Nathan and the Aquatic Centre in Chandler (both to the southeast of the city center) were built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

The Temple of Holy Triad or Joss House (1885) is the only Chinese temple in Brisbane and is a small but graceful building which has been carefully restored.

The Broadwalk comprises a group of specialty shops, restaurants, viewing tower and water clock.