Where to play
For almost three years, a small office inside an inner city Brisbane hotel served as the war room for the Allies’ Pacific campaign during the Second World War. Today, behind the glass doors of the MacArthur Chambers Hotel, you’ll find that office preserved as the MacArthur Museum, just as the famous general left it when he moved on in 1944. Sit on the conference table chairs where tactics were hammered out and watch rare footage of Brisbane during wartime.
Just 15 minutes from the CBD lies the green idyll of Mt Coot-Tha Forest, the city's defining backdrop. Enjoy sweeping city skyline views from Mt Coot-tha Lookout or explore 1600ha of eucalypt forest, rainforest gullies, creeks, waterfalls, walking tracks and bike trails.
Dip your toes into Australia’s colonial past by grabbing your togs and visiting the Spring Hill Baths, the oldest in the southern hemisphere. Built in 1886, the 25m pool, brightly coloured changing cubicles and wooden upper gallery have been lovingly preserved.
One of Brisbane’s more surprising finds is Underwood’s Chung Tian Buddhist Temple, a Chinese “palace” adorned with dragon heads, gargoyles and other mythical creatures. Wander the statue filled grounds or balance your yin and yang by taking a meditation class
For more than 60 years from the 1860s, St Helena Island’s maximum security prison was the destination for Queensland’s worst criminals. Today, the island in Moreton Bay is a picturesque national park, accessed by the Cat O Nine Tails Cruises catamaran. Stroll among the prison’s remnants for a reminder of a grim past, while watching for dolphins, turtles and the occasional dugong surfacing in the waters offshore.
Where to shop
If there is a shopper’s paradise in Brisbane then it might just be in Fortitude Valley. Starting at the top end of Ann Street, make your way north to the entry for Bakery Lane for the small boutiques, cute cafes and hip bars. The neighbouring Winn Lane, with its creative community of craftspeople, designers, and foodies, is further down Ann Street, as is the tree lined James Street, where you’ll find more than 130 speciality shops.
Housed in a refurbished 1950s cinema and home to more than 70 antique and collectable dealers, Camp Hill Antique Centre & Tart Cafe’s retro atmosphere is evident from the time you enter past red velvet ropes and see classic movies projected on to a big screen at the rear of the premises.
Where to stay
The Travelodge Garden City Hotel at Upper Mt Gravatt puts you within easy striking distance of the Brisbane CBD, close to Griffith University and even closer to a Westfield Shopping Centre, directly across the road. This 120 room, 3.5 star hotel features free parking, kitchenettes, wifi, premium bedding and a 24 hour front desk, while providing that little bit extra with childcare and the convenience of car rentals on site. Buffet breakfasts are also available in the hotel restaurant.
NRMA members can also save on car hire in Brisbane with SIXT with 15% off daily car hire rates and a free upgrade.
