Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF
City Center
The vibrant city cen-
ter is where residents eat, shop, and
socialize. Queen Street Mall, in the
heart of town, is popular with shop-
pers and moviegoers, especially on
weekends and Friday nights (when
stores stay open until 9pm). The
Eagle Street financial/legal office
precinct houses some great restau-
rants with river views, and on Sun-
days there are markets by the
Riverside Centre office tower and
the Pier. Much of Brisbane's colo-
nial architecture is in the city cen-
ter, too. Strollers, bike riders, and
in-line skaters shake the summer
heat in the green haven of the Bris-
bane City Gardens at the business
district's southern end.
Fortitude Valley
Ten years ago,
this suburb of derelict warehouses
just east of the city center was one of
the sleazier parts of town. Today,
“the Valley” is a stamping ground
for street-smart young folk who
meet in restored pubs and eat in
cool cafes. The lanterns, food stores,
and shopping mall of Chinatown
are here, too. Take Turbot Street to
the Valley's Brunswick Street.
New Farm
Always an appealing
suburb, New Farm is becoming the
city's “in” spot for cafe-hopping,
shopping, and cinema-going.
Merthyr Street is where the action
is, especially on Friday and Satur-
day nights. From the intersection of
Wickham and Brunswick streets,
follow Brunswick southeast for 13
blocks to Merthyr.
Paddington
This hilltop suburb, a
couple of miles northwest of the
city, is one of the most attractive in
Brisbane. Brightly painted Queens-
lander cottages line the main street,
Latrobe Terrace, as it winds west
along a ridge top. Many of the
houses have been turned into shops
and cafes, where you can browse,
enjoy coffee and cake, or just
admire the charming architecture.
Milton & Rosalie
Park Road in
Milton might not quite be a little
bit of Europe, but it tries hard—
even right down to a replica Eiffel
Tower above the cafes and shops.
Italian restaurants line the street,
buzzing with white-collar office
workers who down cappuccinos at
alfresco restaurants, scout interior
design stores for a new objet d'art to
grace the living room, and stock up
on European designer rags. A few
minutes' drive away, Baroona Road
and Nash Street (in Rosalie) are
doing their best to catch up.
West End
This small inner-city
enclave is alive with ethnic restau-
rants, cafes, and the odd, interesting
housewares or fashion store. Most
action is centered at the intersection
of Vulture and Boundary streets,
where Asian grocers and delis
abound.
Bulimba
One of the emerging
fashionable suburbs, Bulimba has a
long connection with the river
through the boat-building industry.
One of the nicest ways to get there
is by CityCat. Oxford Street is the
main drag, around which trendy
cafes and shops are springing up.
2 Getting Around
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Bus, train, and ferry services are all run by
Brisbane Transport.
For timetable
and route inquiries, call
Transinfo
(
&
13 12 30;
www.transinfo.qld.gov.au;
6am-9pm Mon-Fri; 7am-9pm weekends). The most convenient places to buy
