Brisbane, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, Lamington, Noosa and the Sunshine Coast
Australian Travel Destination 6
Brisbane is a river city with a population of over 2 million, making it Queensland's largest city, and the third largest city in Australia. Brisbane is the centre of the South East Queensland Urban Conurbation, home to another million inhabitants covering Surfers Paradise and Gold Coast to the south and Noosa Heads and The Sunshine Coast to the north. The Central Business District is very compact and is easy to walk around and is centered on King George Square. The Queen Street Mall features a wide range of cafes, eating houses, gift shops and cinemas. The City Botanic Gardens on the end of Gardens Point adjacent to the Downtown area provide an oasis of well kept lawns, trees and shrubs bounded on three sides by the Brisbane River. The City Botanic Gardens were established in 1916, and are the made up of of the original Brisbane Public Gardens established in 1828, the Brisbane Domain and Queen's Park.
For more detail, see the Map of Australia Travel Destination Brisbane, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, Lamington, Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. Also see the Brisbane City Map
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History of Brisbane
After its first discovery by Matthew Flinders in 1799 when he landed at Moreton Bay, Brisbane was established as a Convict Penal Settlement in 1823. Free settlers started establishing themselves in the Brisbane area in 1838 and Brisbane was officially declared a free settlement in 1842. During World War 2, Brisbane was the command headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur, and since the 1950's has been one of the fastest growing cities and urban areas in Australia. A series of major floods over the years, the latest in 2011, have created a lot of damage, though Brisbane's population growth has been greater than the Australian average for many years. Today, Brisbane is a vibrant city, fast growing and confident, enjoying a mild sub-tropical climate and a young, energetic population.
Geography of Brisbane
Brisbane city is located on a flood plain of the Brisbane River between the Australian Great Dividing Range and Moreton Bay on the Pacific Ocean. For detail see our Interactive Map of Brisbane City. The Brisbane Downtown area on Gardners Point is not a beach area - an hours drive to the north and the Sunshine Coast around Noosa and Caloundra is a wonderful beach area, as is the more developed Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise to the south. The Lamington national Park is to the west of Brisbane, and provides a wonderful sub-tropical range of Australian native plants and animal wildlife. The very popular Australia Zoo, home to Steve Irwin, is to the north of Brisbane city. Excellent Hotel Accommodation is available at Brisbane, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast and at Noosa and the Sunshine Coast.
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The Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise
The popular image of Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast of Queensland as a paradise of wide, sandy beaches fringing the Pacific Ocean is a correct one, but the area is also home to most of Australia's theme parks and family style attractions as well. Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast has developed as a resort destination, as well as a retirement area for Australians due to its mild year round climate. Dreamworld is a premiere family destination and includes an Imax Theatre, Plownder, Screamworld, Nickelodeon Central as well as several family rides suitable for smaller children. The Big 6 Thrill rides include the Giant Drop, Cyclone Rollercoaster, Wipeout and The Claw. Spongebob Squarepants and Nick Central complete the draw and Nickelodeon fans. Dreamworld Tickets.
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Lamington National Park
About a two hour drive to the west of Brisbane is the Lamington National Park, a wonderland of sub-tropical wildlife. The birdlife of the National Park is amazing, as are the waterfalls and bushwalking opportunities. Accommodation at Lamington National Park is available at O'Reilley's Rainforest Retreat Canungra, one of the best accommodation experiences in Lamington National Park itself.
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Noosa, The Sunshine Coast and Fraser island
Wide, clean, sparsely populated beaches run for Kilometres beside the Pacific Ocean as you head north from Brisbane to Noosa Heads, Caloundra and the Sunshine Coast. At the north end of the Sunshine Coast is Fraser island, promoted as the largest sand Island in the world, and a great eco-tourism destination. Accommodation in Noosa might be the way to go if you are self driving and spending time on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, but if you would rather take a Day Tour to either Fraser island or the Sunshine Coast in general, many day tours from Brisbane travel on a daily basis.
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