Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and the third-largest city in Australia. Brisbane enjoys fine weather throughout the year; while summers are warm and punctuated by spells of rain and thunderstorms, winters are dry and sunny. The city has a friendly, laid-back atmosphere and is studded with numerous family attractions, chiefly cafés, restaurants, historical sites and artistic ventures. With Father’s Day to be celebrated on September 6, this a good time to plan your family getaway to Brisbane and find something that pleases everyone.
Children’s Art Centre
Providing an opportunity to nurture the budding artist in your child, the Children’s Art Centre houses two floors of multimedia artistic pursuits, related to exhibitions, to keep children riveted for hours. The latest exhibition called Art on the Wild Side engages works such as moving images, photography, and drawing from the Gallery’s Collection for children to discover how international contemporary artists use animals as a way to communicate and share ideas and experiences. Although the exhibitions permit entry by ticket only, the children’s centre itself is entirely free.
Australia Zoo
Thanks to the Irwin family, the Australia Zoo is your gateway to sweeping grasslands that are home to hundreds of exotic animals. Winner of Australian Tourism Awards for 2003-2004 in the category of Major Tourist Attraction, the zoo’s chief attraction is the Crocoseum featuring crocodiles. The other major draw is that of bird and snake shows. The main exhibits are native Australian animals such as kangaroos and wallabies as well as South Asian exhibits such as tigers, elephants, otters and Komodo Dragons.
Australia Zoo is little more than an hour’s drive from Brisbane. For a fun-packed day, hire a car with Hertz in Brisbane and drive down to the zoo for a thrilling all-day family outing.
Dinosaur Discovery
Take your family back in time to the Mesozoic Era at this incredible exhibition titled ‘Dinosaur Discovery: Lost Creatures of the Cretaceous’ at the Queensland Museum. This ingeniously designed presentation features two dozen life-size models of Dinosaurs brought to life through the technological marvels of animation, that will enable visitors to get up, close and personal with these now-extinct creatures. You will be able to closely observe what these mammoth creatures looked like, sounded like, and how they behaved and interacted with each other millions of years ago. Families in general and children in particular must experience this interactive and educational exhibition.
Lamington National Park
Get away from the cityscape with your family to breathe in salubrious air, amidst nature at the Lamington National Park. This World Heritage Area with its velvet-green rainforests, snarled trees, breathtaking views, gushing waterfalls, extensive walking trails, and exceptional natural beauty is truly a remarkable place to visit. A pleasant and scenic less than two hour drive from Brisbane, this destination beckons tourists and locals alike. Often referred to as ‘Queensland’s National Park’, the zone is abounding in exotic creatures including wallabies, flying foxes, dingoes and micro-bats. Unusual flora includes Red Cedar, Rosewood, Strangler Figs and nearly 90 species each of fern, orchid, lichens and fungi. So pack a picnic lunch and drive down with your family to this spectacular patch of green for a memorable day out.
