A Day Trip to Queensland's Capital: Brisbane

Apr 22, 2017
2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Today, my KEI group and I took a day trip to Brisbane. Although all of us had been to Brisbane before, it was only because that's where the airport is located. None of us had actually taken the time to explore the city itself, so we were excited to spend the day sightseeing.

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in Queensland, as well as the third-largest city in Australia. With a metropolitan population of approximately 2.35 million people, it is one of Australia's oldest cities and was founded on the traditional lands of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples.

Getting there was an adventure in itself. The trip took almost two hours, and I had to switch modes of transportation three times. I took the tram, then a bus, and finally a train before arriving in the city.

Once we reached Brisbane, we headed through Chinatown in search of the local markets. Unfortunately, the markets weren't open that day for reasons unknown to us. Since our original plan didn't work out, we decided to spend the day exploring the city and seeing some of Brisbane's most famous attractions instead.

One thing that immediately stood out to me was how relaxed the city felt. Since we visited on a weekend, Brisbane wasn't crowded or hectic at all. Compared to other cities I've visited, it felt calm, clean, and laid-back. From what I've heard, the city becomes much busier during the workweek because many people commute there for work.

Throughout the day, we visited a number of popular landmarks, including the Brisbane Wheel, Story Bridge, Kurilpa Bridge, the Queensland Museum, the Brisbane Sign, the City Botanic Gardens, and Brisbane City Hall.

My favorite part of the trip was visiting the City Hall Clock Tower. At the top of the tower, which stands approximately 76 meters high, you can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city. The views were incredible and gave me a completely different perspective of Brisbane. City Hall is considered one of Brisbane's most iconic and historic buildings and has hosted everything from royal receptions and civic events to concerts, exhibitions, and political gatherings throughout its history.

We ended our day at South Bank, where we took photos with the famous Brisbane Sign and enjoyed the atmosphere along the river. It was a great place to relax before beginning the long journey back home.

After a full day of exploring, we hopped back on the train, bus, and tram and made our way back to the Gold Coast.

Overall, Brisbane was a fun and enjoyable day trip. While it's a major city, it has a much more relaxed atmosphere than many other cities I've visited. Between the beautiful architecture, scenic riverfront, and historic landmarks, I can definitely see myself returning to explore even more in the future.

Travel Tip: Most people who have never heard of Brisbane pronounce it "Bris-Bane," but locals pronounce it more like "Bris-bin." If you want to sound like you know what you're talking about, make sure you say it the Australian way!