BRISBANE – THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLER GUIDE

Brisbane has been inundated with a slew of chic new bars in recent months. Here's some of the latest:   PONY BAR This rustic new stable serves a lengthy list of boutique wines from Australia and abroad, as well as creative cocktails involving smoke machines and dehydrators. You’ll find it above another noteworthy newcomer, Matt Moran’s Brisbane River Bar. ponydining.com.au   ALFRED & CONSTANCE There’s something here for all tastes with a rather eccentric mix of bar areas, each with their own theme and drinks menu. Among them is a beer garden, tiki bar, hidden cellar and a late-night dessert café and bar. The food offerings are also worth a...

Newly opened Bacchus restaurant is a poolside oasis in the heart of Brisbane, and a testament that the city is continually moving up in the culinary stakes, writes Megan Arkinstall.   I’m standing on my balcony at Rydges South Bank enjoying the view of the Brisbane River. My room is clean, comfortable and spacious, but I’m not here to inspect the room. I'm here to try out the new Bacchus restaurant and poolside bar downstairs that opened in October to much fanfare – Matt Preston hosted the red carpet launch featuring fire twirlers and roaming acrobats. I have an empty belly...

Does this seafood staple live up to its name? Tiana Templeman pulls up a chair Jellyfish is loved by locals and visitors like. But as with any love affair, a couple of annoying little problems could ruin an otherwise happy relationship. They won’t bother everyone equally, but when you’re paying around $40 for glorified fish and chips, they’re hard for your wallet to forgive and forget. Jellyfish certainly has the looks, with smart, modern decor and a stunning location by the Brisbane River. Floor-to-ceiling doors fold back to make the most of the view, and a separate bar ensures diners...

A good old-fashioned romantic weekend calls for a good old-fashioned hotel. Is the Stamford Plaza up to the task? Tiana Templeman finds out  Choosing somewhere for a romantic escape using a hotel’s website can be a bit like internet dating. Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise, but more often than not those attractive online photos are nothing like what you expected once you finally meet. It’s hard not to feel like a jilted lover when a hotel neglects to mention your view will have little in common with that gorgeous shot on the hotel’s site unless you pay for a...

Where is it? 93km north-east of Brisbane, in Caloundra How to see it for yourself? Drive five minutes north along the coastline from Caloundra. Dicky Beach is at the end of Beerburrum St. Why I love it “The wreck of MS Dicky, washed ashore more than 100 years ago, is an iron skeleton on the beach. The best time to have a look is just after sunset when the wreck shines red in the last daylight. An amazing spot!” – Hartmut Toepler, photographer Image by Hartmut Toepler...

There’s a glitzy city in the north where it’s summer all year round, but does Brisbane shine as much as it could? Brendan Shanahan takes a look. Photographs by Trevor Templeman. Brisbane is Australia’s third city. Of course, there are worse things than third place – last, for instance. Nevertheless, no-one really wants third. Sure, your Olympic karate bronze will go straight to the poolroom, but how long can you expect to dine out on tales of standing on the low dais, clutching a bunch of dried flowers while listening to the Japanese national anthem? A sporting analogy is probably unfair when...

Wouldn’t it be nice to stay in a hotel that surpasses all expectations? Could Quentin Long have found one? In a world of hype – where we are so used to being over-sold and over-promised, only to receive a shrug of the shoulders on check-out – it’s nice to find a hotel that goes the other way, delivering above expectations. To be blunt, The Miro’s website is uninspiring at best compared to the pleasant reality that awaits you in these serviced apartments. Part of the problem is that I’ve become cynical after staying in many hotels that looked better online...

Where to go and what to do to have fun in the sun in Brisbane this summer BEST BEER GARDENS Madame Hedges, Cloudland Great for: The über cool will love this futuristic beer garden. Details: 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. (07) 3872 6600; cloudland.tv Victory Hotel Great for: Live entertainment. Details: 127 Edward St. (07) 3221 0444; thevictory.com.au. The Plough Inn Tavern Great for: Thirsty travellers. Right on the main boulevard at South Bank. Details: Stanley St Plaza, South Bank Parklands. (07) 3844 7777; ploughinn.com.au BEST ROOFTOP BARS Lime’s Hotel Rooftop Bar Great for: Movies under the stars. Details: 142...

As compelling as the pied piper, Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern  Art is drawing record numbers, especially among the young  and young at heart. Brendan Shanahan, who professes to be neither, went to find out why. Images by Professor Dirk HR Spennemann  Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art, GoMA for short, is probably the best thing to have happened to the arts in this country since the National Gallery bought Blue Poles – and the best thing to have happened to Brisbane since Joh left office. Sure, the building looks like an upmarket mall and some of the art is little more than...

A $10 million refurbishment has given birth to Urban Brisbane, one of the best value for money hotels in the vibrant Queensland capital. Local Tiana Templeman checks in to check out just how affordable this inner-city stay has become. “Tie me up tightly,” says my husband, peering at the sash from his bathrobe. I walk slowly towards him and take the strip of fabric in my hand, see the words embroidered on it and start laughing. It appears he wasn’t making me an offer at all, but was simply reading out the jolly instructions stitched onto his bathrobe belt. Our...

Upcoming events in Queensland and Brisbane. APRIL/MAY NOOSA INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL May 17-20 This boasts more than 200 Australian and international chefs, iconic winemakers and restaurateurs. Foodies can revel in world-class cuisine, top drops and debates. There will also be an impressive line-up of entertainers, including Jessica Mauboy, Anthony Callea and Sneaky Sound System. noosafoodandwine.com.au OUTBACK TRAILBLAZER April 22-28 Get your engine running with this week-long 4WD event through outback Queensland, and help raise funds for Angel Flight. Expect magnificent waterways, scenery and wildlife, friendly competitions, prizes and a few characters along the way. outbacktrailblazer.com.au QUEENSLAND OCEAN SWIM...

Ever run into an old friend you haven’t seen in years and been amazed by how fabulous they look? That’s exactly how Tiana Templeman felt when she returned to the Sofitel Brisbane after a multi-million dollar makeover. (to The hotel, not to Tiana.) * Like all AT reviewers, Tiana visited the Sofitel Brisbane anonymously and paid her own way (although, since it was her birthday, hopefully her husband Trevor paid). She advises catching the Airtrain from Brisbane airport to arrive directly underneath the hotel at Central Station. This saves spending wads on a taxi and getting caught in traffic. It’s...

Brisbane is an odd city for hotels. It is one of the very few places where there are not enough rooms for the demand almost year round. (As an aside the best deals for Brisbane hotels is January) So the imminent opening of the Emporium Hotel is being excitedly watched by travellers and local industry alike. Located in Brisbane's booming design and art precinct Fortitude Valley, the hotel is aiming to lead Brisbane's claim to the new centre for Australian style. (It has some way to go but 'the valley' is starting to unearth some exceptional Australian design and style talent...