Brissy

It’s a slang term for the city of Brisbane, which seems to be a family-centric city. The streets and buses are filled with children and families on holiday this time of year. It was specifically evident at Streets Beach where from daybreak to nightfall you can find children of any age, families of any background, and colors of the wind wading, swimming, and relaxing in the pool/beach. The sun and sand of the parklands in South Bank are congregation grounds for picnics and fun in the sun while it lasts for summer break. And it seems that every child in the water knows how to swim. There were a handful of 3 year olds just doggie paddling back and forth in front of me all morning long. Some of the older kids (4-8 yrs old) were learning how to surf on mini surfboards. It’s no wonder the grown-up Australians are so adventurous and love the water. They start out so young.

Even at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, children with their parents attended every single animal talk and presentation. They were pointing at the variety of birds, asking about the different marsupials, and petting the koalas. At every turn, a parent was educating their child. There was very little crying or screaming. I didn’t see one tantrum. Again, family-centric and educational.

Brissy, geographically, is seemingly larger than Sydney and Melbourne. Things are more spaced out. Neighborhoods are broader and take longer to travel through. You can certainly walk to places, but that takes much longer relative to the proximity of things in Melbourne and Sydney. Using public transportation, including the public bicycle system, around the city and suburbs is very common and efficient. From my estimation, it’s a bit more expensive though. (I learned very quickly in the taxi from the airport to our hostel.) For example, a single zone ride on the bus was nearly $5. The only benefits are the free transfers within a particular time period and how spot-on-time they are throughout the network.

Plenty of things to appreciate about Brisbane, including The Collective Market, Eat Street Market, and Powerhouse, but we’re off to the Whitsundays.

Bakery Lane

Winn Lane

The Wheel of Brisbane

One of 3 sheep herding dogs on the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Sheep herding demonstration

The end result is the sheep have been gathered.

Baby koalas sleeping paw in paw.

Streets Beach in the evening is a popular hangout even after the sun has set.