Brisbane

Brisbane, often called Brissie, spreads along the Brisbane River where it meets Moreton Bay. The cruise terminal at Pinkenba is a modern facility a short drive from the city centre and the airport. Jacaranda trees line many streets, turning whole neighbourhoods purple when they bloom in October and November. The Story Bridge spans the river near the centre, and you can climb it with a guide for wide views of the city and hinterland. Queen Street Mall in the CBD has the main shops and department stores, while South Bank parklands on the opposite riverbank offer a free public swimming lagoon, weekend markets and the Queensland Art Gallery. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, about a 20-minute drive out, lets you hold a koala, which is harder to do in most other Australian states. Buses and ferries from the city are frequent and easy to figure out.