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Back Exploring Australia
After spending almost 3 weeks in New Zealand we flew back to Australia. We will be here for almost 3 months (90 days is the maximum we can be here in one go). We were ready for a little city time after communing with nature, so we decided to check out Brisbane for a bit. There were a few other reasons for this decision - it was much cheaper to fly from Queenstown to Brisbane vs Cairnes. Brisbane is a lot closer to Cairnes than Sydney and we needed to head back to Syndey in a couple of weeks anyway. We enjoyed Brisbane - a very walkable city with good public transportation, great, free museums, and lively nightlife. Here are some of our recommendations:
Museums -
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Queensland Art Gallery: LINK
Queensland Museum (think Natural History Museum): LINK
Brisbane has the nickname Brizvegas - we are not sure why, but there is no shortage of bars, clubs, and places to eat, especially in Fortitude Valley. Some places that we visited in and around Brisbane:
Stone and Copper - a fusion of Indian/Thai/Malay - very good and not too pricey. Close to all the nightlife action of Fortitude Valley
The Beat Mega Club - multi-story, multi-room, 40-year-old gay club in Fortitude Valley. Drag shows, DJs - something for everyone.
The Wickham - historic hotel turned gay bar/pub with a beer garden. Very cute with an amazing happy hour. They have a lot of events.
Eat Street Northshore - extensive, 180 shipping containers with a large variety of food and beverage vendors. Lots of GF options. Many stages with different acts and performers. Just outside of CBD and only on Fri-Sun but def worth a visit.
A couple of other things to do and see in and around Brisbane:
We are also still being stalked by the dandelion fountains in Australia and saw a miniature version of the Charging Bull that is at Bowling Green in NYC. Another thing - Australians are SO polite that even the buses apologize for being out of service.
From Brisbane, we flew up the coast to Cairnes - heaven on earth. There are rainforests, rivers, reefs, and crystal clear waters. However, depending on the time of year that you visit it may also be stinger and croc season… There is no shortage of outdoor activities and tours to take. A couple of things that we did and would recommend:
Cape Tribulation / Daintree / Mossman Gorge Tour with Discover Tours Australia
Great Adventures Great Berrier Reef - cool experience but would book something else if you are specifically looking to dive
Fitzroy Island - hire snorkel gear - amazing snorkeling
There is no shortage of good food in Cairnes, however, we did cook in our Airbnb most evenings, below are a few that we enjoyed:
Dundee’s Water Front - right on the boardwalk, great calamari and kangaroo kebabs. They have another location at the aquarium and one of the walls is a huge tank
Copper Bar & Grill - good food right on the pedestrian walkway, so great people watching
Howlin’ Jay’s - bar with a good view of the pier. Really good happy hour and if you are looking for fried chicken and/or wings, this seemed to be the place.
Cairns is a very family-friendly place. There are a lot of free activities to wear the kids out and stay cool during the extremely hot summers. The Cairns Lagoon is a free public pool with BBQs and pavilions all around. As you walk the path that follows the harbor there are a ton of free parks and playgrounds, most with water features.
