Brisbane Facts

Cutting dramatically through lush coastal plains, the Brisbane River coils like a snake around the cosmopolitan chic of Queensland's unique sub-tropical capital. Developed as a penal colony in 1824, the city spent years in the shadow of its southern neighbors. However, following the Commonwealth Games and Expo in the 1980s, investment skyrocketed, cementing Brisbane's future as a place of wealth, beauty and excitement.

Brisbane's architecture is a mix of the modern and the old with impressive Renaissance style and timber Queenslander dwellings sharing a berth with the modern giants. Despite being close to the ocean, this is very much a river city, and the footpaths and waterways are a delightful...

..., the city skyline was bristling with construction cranes -- a sure sign that the laid-back capital of Queensland is once again booming. This subtropical city, set along the banks of the wide, brown Brisbane River, saw overzealous development in the '70s demolish some of its elegant colonial buildings, but the city has kept enough of them -- including the wonderfully imposing City Hall -- to provide a nice sense of history among the glass towers favored by modern architects.

Brisbane (pronounced Briz-bun), or just "Brissie," is one of those places that people don't always appreciate until they spend some time in it. But you'll usually find a welcome as warm as the weather. Friendly locals will...