Brisbane.
01. KICK BACK IN A BEER GARDEN
Brisbane’s beer gardens have stepped up in recent years. X Cargo (xcargo.com. au) in Fortitude Valley took a collection of shipping containers and transformed them into a hip drinking space spanning three levels, including a rooftop bar and Astroturf courtyard. A delightfully organic alternative is the outdoor area at Wandering Cooks (wanderingcooks.com.au) in South Brisbane, where you can relax surrounded by an urban herb garden in a unique “food and drink incubator”.
02. Take to the river
You haven’t really seen Brisbane until you’ve been on a CityCat ferry – the smoothest way to travel to the CBD, South Bank or New Farm Park. Another fun outing is the picturesque walk along the over-water pathway from New Farm to the CBD via the Howard Smith Wharves (howardsmithwharves.com). As the sun casts its last golden rays over the cityscape, consider paddling under the Goodwill or Story Bridge on a guided kayak tour (riverlife.com.au), followed by refreshments at the base of the dramatically lit Kangaroo Point Cliffs.
03. Savour high-end food
Any local gourmand worth their salt will tell you that Otto (ottoristorante.com.au) and Stokehouse Q (stokehouseq.com.au) are both worth a visit, as much for the chic food and wine as the enviable views of the city and river. But if they’ve actually got their finger on the pulse, they’ll also tell you that Donna Chang (donnachang.com.au) upped the ante when it opened its doors in September last year. It’s tucked away in one of Brisbane’s grandest historical buildings and offers topnotch neo-Chinese fare amid the sophistication of pastel-hued velvet-upholstered furniture, dramatic chandeliers and first-class service.
04. Enjoy the greenery
South Bank and Roma Street Parkland are Brisbane’s premier inner-city outdoor recreation spots. But venture beyond the city limits to the leafy riverside neighbourhood of Sherwood and you’ll be rewarded with 15 sprawling hectares of lush parkland, along with wetlands and lagoons that are home to an astonishing array of flora and fauna. Established in the 1920s, this heritage-listed arboretum devoted to Australian native trees (sherwoodarboretum.com.au) is one of the capital’s most significant green spaces.
05. Get your heart racing
Adrenaline junkies have the choice of climbing the soaring Kangaroo Point Cliffs or abseiling down them, while a Story Bridge Adventure Climb (storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au) offers the ultimate bird’s-eye view of Brisbane. Take the locals’ lead and hike through the surrounding forest to the top of Mount Coot-tha for an alternative but equally stunning perspective.