Brisbane & Surrounds

From world-class museums to boisterous rooftop bars, craft breweries, and fine dining restaurants offering award-winning food and wine, has an exciting social scene with plenty of activities to add to your itinerary. Get adventurous right in the city by kayaking along the river and climbing the Story Bridge or slow your heart rate with a visit to Lone Pine Sanctuary where you can pat or cuddle friendly kangaroos and adorable . Just outside of the city you’ll find the rugged mountains of the with great hiking, wineries and retreats. Brisbane is also the perfect gateway city to the family-friendly Gold Coast, with its golden beaches and thrilling theme parks, and the quiet escape of the Sunshine Coast where visitors can swim with humpback whales and discover one of only two everglade systems on Earth.

Climate Averages for Brisbane (South East ) Brisbane Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max °C 29 29 28 26 24 21 21 22 24 26 27 29 Max °F 84 84 82 79 75 70 70 72 75 79 81 84 Min °C 21 21 20 17 14 11 10 10 13 16 18 20 Min °Fv 70 70 68 63 57 52 50 50 55 61 64 68 Rainfall 158 172 139 90 99 71 63 43 35 94 97 126 (mm)

International Flights arrive Brisbane

Brisbane: With its subtropical climate, open parklands and public spaces, world class sporting facilities, cosmopolitan alfresco eateries and the great Brisbane River at its heart, Brisbane is a city to be enjoyed outdoors. The compact city centre is situated on a single bend of the river and museums, galleries and heritage buildings are easily accessible. For a change of pace, you can explore the river on an enjoyable river cruise, or perhaps visit one of the wildlife sanctuaries located around the greater Brisbane area. Live music clubs, bars and discos to suit all tastes can be found across the city. Diners in downtown Brisbane are spoilt for choice – it is home to some of ’s most awarded chefs and restaurants. While there is plenty to keep you busy in the city, there is also the opportunity to venture further. Within 60 minutes of Brisbane there are beaches, islands, theme parks and wildlife. Read more Brisbane stay: Recommend 1-2 nights Top 4 Highlights for Brisbane: only 12km from the city is the world’s oldest & largest Sanctuary Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | spend the day exploring the Brisbane Botanic Gardens or Roma Street Parkland or ride/walk the New Farm Riverwalk | enjoy a swim, catch a band, enjoy a café lunch & meander Southbank | catch the City Hopper Ferry & enjoy the Brisbane River on the ferry which runs every 30 minutes & is free of charge.

Moreton Island: Catch a daily ferry from Brisbane for the 75 min journey

Moreton Island: Moreton Island is a natural wonder, just a 75-minute ferry ride from Brisbane. It is the third-largest sand island in the world, and an easy escape for overnight or a weekend. From exploring its natural beauty (most of it is National Park), connecting with nature, learning about its interesting history or getting your adrenaline running, there is plenty to do on the island. The protected sand island is known for its beaches and steep dunes, like Mount Tempest. On the west coast, a dive site features coral and tropical fish around a group of sunken boats called the Tangalooma Wrecks. A dolphin feeding spot is nearby. Humpback whales can be viewed from , the site of a 19th-century lighthouse. Restricted to 4WD only as no roads. Read more

Moreton Island stay: Recommend 2 nights

Bengel Family: Fantastic Island and beach. But the rooms were very simple, certainly not comparable to the room comfort and atmosphere of Crystal Greek Meadows. Also, it may be advisable to spend a bit more money in the Asian restaurant instead of going to the main restaurant - much better quality and less waiting. The kids liked the water and other activities very much, have booked quite a few. Pizzato Family: Moreton Island was perfect, its beautiful place and lovely with Kids. Top 4 Highlights of Moreton Island: Go Sand Tobogganing, climb to the top of big sand dunes, wax up a wooden board and launch yourself off the edge | Snorkel the Moreton Island wrecks, with plenty of coral, tropical fish and, if you're lucky, turtles | Feed wild dolphins, each evening as the sun is about to set, like clockwork up to 10 wild bottlenose dolphins visit the jetty at Tangalooma Island Resort. | Visit Cape Moreton Lighthouse, a great viewing point to spot migrating whales, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs, turtles and sharks below

Photos courtesy of Tourism & Events Queensland

The Sunshine Coast: Drive from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast: 142km or 1:33 hours.

Only an hour’s drive north of Queensland’s capital you’ll join the laid-back lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast. Leave your footprints in the 100km stretch of sandy coastline or take in the sweeping views from the volcanic peaks of the . Beyond the sparkling beaches and lush hinterland are communities that create the true essence of the Sunshine Coast. From the sophisticated village of Noosa, to the urban centre of Maroochydore, the easy-going charm of and the natural beauty of the Pumicestone Passage, each seaside spot has its own personality to get to know. Read more

Sunshine Coast stay: Recommend 3-5 nights

Johansson Family: Noosa Heads was over our expectations. We loved Noosa heads beach, rainforest walks, shopping, dining out. We had a really good time there; we did a lot, surfed, rented bikes... Tahvanainen Family: We really enjoyed Noosa. It had a nice mix of beaches, restaurants and places to just stroll and watch. We went to Tea tree bay, a really nice small beach in , close to Hastings Street, where you can see Koala bears in the trees while walking to the beach. We also took a day trip to Fraser Island and that was a fun and interesting trip (especially if you like bumpy rides in a 4wd). Hutchins Family: We enjoyed the food, the activities and the atmosphere. The Australia Zoo was a BIG hit! Giustiniani Family: In Noosa it was simple but good... We did a lot of water sports (surfing, body surfing, Jet Ski, stand up canoeing in the ) and really enjoyed the beach and the natural park. While jet skiing we saw wild dolphins just next to us which was very cool. Top 4 Highlights for the Sunshine Coast: Australia Zoo , allow a full day to enjoy all the animals, shows & cuddle a Koala | Beaches , take a swim or learn to surf at some of the best beaches in the world | Feed wild dolphins , visit Tin Can Bay to hand feed wild dolphins | Shop at Eumundi Markets , open Saturday & Wednesday mornings

Hinterland Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast: Drive from Brisbane to Sunshine Coast Hinterland: 91km or 1:10 hours | Drive from Brisbane to : 80km or 1 hour.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland: Escape to the crisp air, stunning views and fascinating towns of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. There's another side to the surf and sun of the Sunshine Coast - every bit as relaxing and just a short and picturesque drive from the beach. It's the hinterland - the lusher, cooler, fertile lands and fascinating little towns that lie just behind the busy throng of the coast. Art galleries, craft shops, country markets, excellent restaurants and comfortable bed and breakfast guesthouses await. Read more

Gold Coast Hinterland: The Gold Coast is a place of wonderful contrast and complement. Journey through a patchwork of rural plantations, vineyards, farmland and livestock estates on the way to more than 100,000 hectares of National Parks and reserves, networked with miles of enchanting bushwalking trails. Quiet country roads, just 30 minutes from the beaches, lead into canyons and valleys with their hidden secrets of natural wonders. Green Mountains, , in the hinterland of the Gold Coast and part of the Gondwana of Australia World Heritage Area, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to its waterfalls, wildlife and wonderful walking tracks. Read more

Hinterland stay: Recommend 2+ nights

Tahvanainen Family: Driving from Noosa to Lamington we took a detour through Surfers Paradise and that short stop there was enough… The Rainforest hotel had a really good kids club that our children really appreciated. They learned a lot about the rainforest and animals. Walking in the forest and seeing the abundance of wildlife and amazing plants and trees that grows there was a great experience, but I think we all enjoyed the drive up the mountain the most!! Thoms Family: The camping tour down the Gold Coast was fantastic. We enjoyed the absolutely human being free beaches with white sand and clear blue water. - simply amazing! Especially our daughter (<1 Year) enjoyed the clean and natural beaches. There is no waste, even on the unprotected natural beaches - simply perfect. Top 3 Highlights for the Sunshine Coast Hinterland: Chase waterfalls - Gardners Falls in Maleny and Kondalilla Falls in Montville. Both are fringed by rainforest and home to waterholes, perfect for cooling off in | Explore 55 acres of sub-tropical rainforest at the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve | Take a horse-ride, abseil or simply explore the walking tracks through the Glasshouse Mountains Top 3 Highlights for the Gold Coast Hinterland: Do the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk | Explore some of the amazing national parks including Lamington & Springbrook National Parks | Take the kids to the Glow Worm Caves on

Photos courtesy of Tourism & Events Queensland

The Gold Coast: Drive from Brisbane to the Gold Coast: 88km or 1 hour

The Gold Coast is one of Australia's leading holiday playgrounds. With 70 kilometres of sun-drenched beaches, World Heritage Listed rainforests, theme parks, shopping and nightlife, it's the Coast with the Most. The Gold Coast's star attraction is its beaches, including the world-renowned stretch of sand at Surfers Paradise. Beyond the beaches, discover laid-back neighbourhoods, a booming culinary scene and the Gold Coast's famous theme parks. And be sure to leave enough time for a trip into the subtropical hinterland for rainforest walks and waterfalls. Read more

Gold Coast stay: Recommend 3+ nights

Gerrits Family: Beaches are clean. Nice Sea. Some shopping opportunities. Schoenmaker Family: Nice area with beaches. Loved Tedder Street with the restaurants. Top 3 Highlights for The Gold Coast: Don’t miss a visit to the Theme Parks, including , Movieworld , , Wet’n’Wild Water Park & White Water World | enjoy a day exploring the shops and relaxing at the world famous Surfers Paradise Beach | visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to enjoy the native animals & cuddle a Koala

AET Travel (formerly Australia Expat Travel) can help build the holiday you are dreaming of. You can’t beat local knowledge. Engage with a specialist Travel Agent to make it happen & get the best out of your holiday. We offer professional service & trusted advice since 2004.

Next Steps: Please contact us with your travel dates & passenger details... Shanghai: Trudy Donald Mobile: 131 6227 5186 | Email: [email protected] | WeChat ID: trud001 Singapore: Rebecca Harding Mobile/Whats App: 9111 2488 | Email: [email protected] Australia: Vicki Baensch Mobile/Whats App:+61 439204084 | Email: [email protected] | WeChat ID: vickibaensch www.aettravel.com.au Please check out our latest client feedback reviews & for more ideas on where to go and what to do visit our blog page

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