The Brisbane Thread

[Roobs321]

It's a lovely region of the world. My grandparents during my childhood lived in Caloundra and Buderim before finally settling long-term in Terranora, so spent a lot of childhood summers up on the sunshine/gold coasts, including Mooloolaba, Noosa and particularly Coolangatta.

Brisbane is okay, spent a little bit of time there and have relatives there. I also lived out at Toowoomba for a short while. A lot of my high school friends from NSW actually have ended up settling up in this part of the world.

Queenslander culture, particular in regional areas, is often a bit more like Australian culture of yesteryear, has a different feel to more cosmopolitan regions in the urban, particularly city areas of NSW/ACT and Victoria.

Sunshine Coast is amazing. Also have affection for the border region around Coolangatta.

 

[craffles]

I lived in Mooloolaba for 3 years and worked as a rep travelling anywhere from Gold Coast up to Rockhampton for my work.

Sunny coast is magic and will be moving back when I decide to have a family. Rainbow Beach and 1770 two of my favourite coastal spots a bit further out.

Inland one of my highlights was going to Camel Races in Monto and driving through 10,000 bats in Gayndah.

 

[Black Diamond]

Nobody refers to Brisbane as "Brisvegas", not seriously anyway. Most people I know hate the term.

It's a great city to live and work, but you wouldn't put it down as a holiday destination. There are no attractions in Brisbane like in Sydney or Melbourne and I've been stumped more than once when people from out of town ask me what they should do in Brisbane. I normally tell them to go to the coast.

Maybe it's just that I'm older now, but the nightlife really seems to have died off the last couple of years. West End (Brisbane's answer to Fitzroy) has gone way down hill for socialising. The Valley has somehow become even more tacky although there are still some good clubs. The only thing that has improved in terms of getting out and about is the restaurant and dining scene.

My favourite hangout areas are Southbank, New Farm, certain parts of the Valley, and the Eagle Street area in the city. It's great finishing up work on a Friday and heading down to Fridays, Jade Buddha, or another bar on the waterfront. It's a great time of the year for it too, watching the Story Bridge light up, it's warm but shady and everyone is in a pretty good mood.

My general rule for going out is you leave by midnight or you're staying until 4 am. The public transport is truly shitful. I don't mind paying for a cab either, but I'm not inclined to spend an hour in line waiting for one. I'd rather stay until the sun comes up and have my pick.

In my view the best suburb to live in is Fairfield. It's close to the train line, to the Gabba, the city, UQ, and close enough to the Gold Coast. It's also a great spot if you lead an active lifestyle as it's near the river and accessible to some great running and cycling routes. As a north side resident I'm in the minority thinking this. Traditionally the people of Brisbane are from the north side or south side of the river. People don't tend to move to the other side.

I like Brisbane quite a lot, maybe even love it. However I think it can be outgrown too, and I'm close to that point.

 

[craffles]

Nobody refers to Brisbane as "Brisvegas", not seriously anyway. Most people I know hate the term.

It's a great city to live and work, but you wouldn't put it down as a holiday destination. There are no attractions in Brisbane like in Sydney or Melbourne and I've been stumped more than once when people from out of town ask me what they should do in Brisbane. I normally tell them to go to the coast.

Maybe it's just that I'm older now, but the nightlife really seems to have died off the last couple of years. West End (Brisbane's answer to Fitzroy) has gone way down hill for socialising. The Valley has somehow become even more tacky although there are still some good clubs. The only thing that has improved in terms of getting out and about is the restaurant and dining scene.

My favourite hangout areas are Southbank, New Farm, certain parts of the Valley, and the Eagle Street area in the city. It's great finishing up work on a Friday and heading down to Fridays, Jade Buddha, or another bar on the waterfront. It's a great time of the year for it too, watching the Story Bridge light up, it's warm but shady and everyone is in a pretty good mood.

My general rule for going out is you leave by midnight or you're staying until 4 am. The public transport is truly shitful. I don't mind paying for a cab either, but I'm not inclined to spend an hour in line waiting for one. I'd rather stay until the sun comes up and have my pick.

In my view the best suburb to live in is Fairfield. It's close to the train line, to the Gabba, the city, UQ, and close enough to the Gold Coast. It's also a great spot if you lead an active lifestyle as it's near the river and accessible to some great running and cycling routes. As a north side resident I'm in the minority thinking this. Traditionally the people of Brisbane are from the north side or south side of the river. People don't tend to move to the other side.

I like Brisbane quite a lot, maybe even love it. However I think it can be outgrown too, and I'm close to that point.

Alfred & Constance.... love that joint

 

[Silent Alarm]

Brisbane produces some very good bands, very Australian sounding in the best way possible

 

[Smiling Buddha]

Brisbane produces some very good bands, very Australian sounding in the best way possible

 

[Roobs321]

In the 90s, Brisbane produced the likes of Regurgitator, Powderfinger and Savage Garden in one fell swoop. Go-Betweens a little earlier too. A great homegrown, no-nonsense feel to a lot of those acts.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

+1 for Fairfield being one of the best areas in Brissy. Certainly the best on the south side and my favourite of the entire city. The good areas on the north side are ruined by pretentious dickheads.

 

[radiojake]

my mum lives in Mango Hill... it's a depressing drive up the highway out to suburban irrelevance -

I have cousins who live in Aspley, so I know how to borrow my Mum's car and drive there from Mango Hill... That freeway gets ridiculously busy and crowded very quickly....


My ex-partner grew up in East Brisbane - I know that area a little bit as a result, but the ONE WAY streets stuffed me up really bad the first time I ever drove around there... and subsequent visits weren't much better except I knew to expect them....


otherwise I don't know too much about Brisbane...

 

[DrVanNostrand]

As horrific as the Brisbane transport network is, our smartcard system (Go Card) is actually pretty reliable and works 99% of the time. And days when you get a bus or City Cat that has its card reader broken so you get a free ride aren't all that uncommon. The City Cats up and down the river are pretty handy if you happen to live in the city as well. Buses are extensive but infrequent, and rail is an absolute joke. I've never been on trains moving as slowly as the ones as home. Don't even get me started about the cost.

Oh, and it's packed full of absolute campaigners.

 

[Doss]

I've always liked Brisbane, personally.

The last time I was there was only a month before the huge floods.

Bloody shame to hear that Brett's Wharf restaurant has closed since then- the seafood was outstanding.

 

[Smiling Buddha]

It is nice to read so many positive posts about Brisbane in this thread.

My own feelings have ebbed and flowed in the three or so years since I first arrived in qld.

I actually asked my bigfooty brethren for advice about the place before moving here.

I still lament the simplicity of the folks in this part of the world, but I'm at the point where I'll probably feel that way about all of Australia.

There are so many other things to love about Brisbane - more than enough to make up for the downsides (imco).

 

[raskolnikov]

It is nice to read so many positive posts about Brisbane in this thread.



I still lament the simplicity of the folks in this part of the world, but I'm at the point where I'll probably feel that way about all of Australia.

To be honest I've been quite pleasantly surprised at how progressive the people up here, in Central Queensland anyway, are. I was expecting rednecks and bogans galore before I moved up. Even though there is a certain element of that most people are fairly liberal. In Victoria I never felt comfortable coming out at work. I am quite open at work here and have taken my partner to work functions and never heard a negative comment.

 

[craffles]

To be honest I've been quite pleasantly surprised at how progressive the people up here, in Central Queensland anyway, are. I was expecting rednecks and bogans galore before I moved up. Even though there is a certain element of that most people are fairly liberal. In Victoria I never felt comfortable coming out at work. I am quite open at work here and have taken my partner to work functions and never heard a negative comment.

In general I found regional QLD'ers to be very approachable and friendly. Always took the time to have a chat no matter what your story was. Yes there were the occasional racist/homophobic/bigtoted people but no more or less than anywhere else I have lived in Australia. Glad you have been welcomed up there!

 

[Gough]

I lived in Brisbane for a couple of months when I first moved back to Oz, it was too weird for me.

 

[raskolnikov]

I lived in Brisbane for a couple of months when I first moved back to Oz, it was too weird for me.

Where did you live overseas?

 

[Gough]

Where did you live overseas?

Africa and England mainly. It had been nearly ten tears as well, and Australia had changed a lot in that time too. It took me a good six months to regain my cultural bearings

 

[raskolnikov]

Africa and England mainly. It had been nearly ten tears as well, and Australia had changed a lot in that time too. It took me a good six months to regain my cultural bearings

I lived in Moscow for four years. The first year back was horrible. Reverse homesickness. I still have the urge to go back now and then.

 

[DrVanNostrand]

I've travelled a fair bit this year, and met lots of people who have gone to Australia after I've met them and asked me what to see and do in Brisbane. All I've really been able to come up with is the usual stuff; South Bank Parklands, Storey Bridge, footy/cricket at the 'Gabba, something at Suncorp (which is actually a world-class venue by any measure), cruise the CityCat, Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. I find Brisbane has little in the way of 'hidden gems', and it's main attraction, as others have said, is its proximity to real tourist destinations in the Gold and Sunny Coasts. Brett's Wharf was a pretty big loss, but I've had people back home tell me about something called the Eat Street Markets which apparently have taken off near the old location. Funnily enough for a footy forum, the one thing I've had multiple people rave to me about Brisbane is the State of Origin rugby league.

So I pose to you, what are Brisbane's little secrets for our tourist friends? I think I've come up with a few.

New Farm Park
The German club across Vulture Street from the 'Gabba (and the mad sprint to be first in line for a pint at the lunch break during a Test match)
La Boite theatre company
Mt Coot-tha
Burnett Lane in the city
Getting pissed/thrown out of the Boundary Hotel at least once


Side note: Is the ******* Legacy Way tunnel built yet??! I'm not setting foot on the northside until that monstrosity is cleaned up.

 

[Doss]

Had a few big nights while I was there last time- once in the CBD, once in the Valley and once in the West End.

The Valley certainly had some interesting types hanging around but it was fine overall.

 

[craffles]

I've travelled a fair bit this year, and met lots of people who have gone to Australia after I've met them and asked me what to see and do in Brisbane. All I've really been able to come up with is the usual stuff; South Bank Parklands, Storey Bridge, footy/cricket at the 'Gabba, something at Suncorp (which is actually a world-class venue by any measure), cruise the CityCat, Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. I find Brisbane has little in the way of 'hidden gems', and it's main attraction, as others have said, is its proximity to real tourist destinations in the Gold and Sunny Coasts. Brett's Wharf was a pretty big loss, but I've had people back home tell me about something called the Eat Street Markets which apparently have taken off near the old location. Funnily enough for a footy forum, the one thing I've had multiple people rave to me about Brisbane is the State of Origin rugby league.

So I pose to you, what are Brisbane's little secrets for our tourist friends? I think I've come up with a few.

New Farm Park
The German club across Stanley Street from the 'Gabba (and the mad sprint to be first in line for a pint at the lunch break during a Test match)
La Boite theatre company
Mt Coot-tha
Burnett Lane in the city
Getting pissed/thrown out of the Boundary Hotel at least once


Side note: Is the ******* Legacy Way tunnel built yet??! I'm not setting foot on the northside until that monstrosity is cleaned up.

Deception Bay. Definitely deceptive