BrisVegas!

Brisbane - Everyone that we spoke to were not that impressed with Brisbane as it was just another city and when you're on the East Coast, all you want is the sun, sea, sand and surf! So, we were not expecting much; but we quite enjoyed the place as soon as we got there so we decided that we would extend our stay for another two nights. For Tim and I, Brisbane was the third city we had visited in Australia so we wanted to give it a chance, and anyway I had my eye on doing the Koala Sanctuary which is nearby!

We were staying at the Palace Central Backpackers which is basically as central as you can be in Brisbane! We had arrived around midday but it was an early start from Byron, so we jumped on the internet before checking in and then when our room was ready we promptly fell asleep! Still not used to the backpacker life! We went out for dinner (thank you Aporto's!) and watched the football at this cool little venue; basically Brisbane has a some bars and restaurants in the middle of their shopping lanes, between all the shops and malls. You might think this would be the right mix for noise and idiots drunkurds in the street, but it wasnt like that at all, there was a really relaxed attitude and everyone was just out for a laugh, so there was a good atmosphere for the football match!

The next day, we wisited the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Basically this is Australia's biggest Koala sanctuary for injured or endangered koalas, ie, those that have no home left due to the bushfires or those brought in by locals that have been injured from falls etc... The sanctary is definately well run, and you almost get the feeling that you've walked into a small zoo with the amount of carers there are and all the other residents, from freshwater crocs, to emus, and various farm animals. Along with the koalas the other stars of the show would be the reserve full of kangaroos and other marsupials! So finally in one afternoon, we were able to more that fill our quota of Australian wildlife that we wanted to see! We arrived just in time to see a presentation on koalas and their lives, and then we went around all the various paddocks they had set up for their wallabies, birds, koalas, reptiles and farm animals. We then got to walk with the kangaroos and even sit with them and touch them. But it has to be said that my personal highlight, was getting to hold two koalas and rub noses with them! Tim and I also really enjoyed the Birds of Prey Exhibition in which we got to see Australia's largest eagle. All in all, this was a fantastic day out and we would highly recommend it. The staff were very informative and you really got to learn so much about these wonderful creatures in such a good and open environment!

Before we left Brisbane for Hervey Bay, we also took a walk through their parklands which had a boarded walkway through a rainfrest area. This was nice as it led you through to the Nepalese Pagoda which was given to Brisbane after an Asia-Pacific Cultural Expo. We also got to visit the man-made beach, which I kid you not, really is a beach with a salt water lagoon and a freshwater pool on the other side. They even have a lifeguard! Ths was probably one of the most bizarre things we have seen in a city so far for sure! Overall score for BrisVegas - Two Thumbs Up!

Brisbane, Australia