Byron Bay – I stopped here on the way to Brisbane because it is the Easternmost point on the Australian mainland. It must be a popular spot because it was fairly busy, can’t imagine what it is like during peak periods. There are a few parking spots near the lighthouse, the fee is $8 and you will probably have to wait for someone to leave before you get a spot. After you park and walk up to the lighthouse its a 300m walk down steps to the Easternmost point.
Brisbane – big city, population 2.6 million or 3.8 million if you include the sprawl. The river winds its way through the city and the CBD is squashed into one of its S bends with no place for roads which have been built on stilts over the water. The city is located in a flood plain and gets flooded regularly, the last big one being in 2011. Overall a nice place to visit, organised with good facilities.
South Bank, Queen Street Mall and Coot-tha Lookout
I visited the Queensland Museum, Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art all in one area. And a walk through the city.
Brisbane Museum, Casino, River Cruise and West End
Governor’s House and Parliament. The Lamington was named after Governor Lord Lamington or his wife but it should have been named after their chef, “the French-born Armand Galland, who was called upon at short notice to feed unexpected guests. Using only the limited ingredients available, Galland cut up some left-over French vanilla sponge cake baked the day before, dipped the slices in chocolate and set them in coconut. Impressed by Galland’s creation, Lamington’s guests were said to have later asked for the recipe. This version of events is supported by Lady Lamington’s memoirs. Coconut was not widely used in European cooking at that time, but was known to Galland, whose wife was from Tahiti, where coconut was a common ingredient.”
On my last day in Brisbane I went on a River Walk, this is one of the best things to do in the city. I started at New Farm and walked all the way to the Queen Street Bridge, just over 6km.
Chris's space 