Beautiful Cathedral Of St Stephen Brisbane

The beautiful St Stephen cathedral which is located at Elizabeth street is a must visit. St Stephen cathedral is surrounded by many tall modern bulidings.It was built between 1864 and 1922, and extensions were made in 1989. This is the first Catholic Church in Brisbane. This amazing cathedral with beautiful sandstone towers and stained glass windows is also the oldest church in Queensland.

An amazing fact is Australia's only saint Mary Mackillop worshipped here when she lived at Kangaroo Point. Sister Mary founded the Sisters of St Joseph. Her mission was to educate the children of the poor. There are images of Sister Mary's including her amazing hand written words "nothing is too little to be noticed" which was to her sisters.

The design which is breathtakingly beautiful was designed by Gothic revival architect AWN Pugin. The first mass was celebrated in the church on 12 May 1850 by Fr James Hanly. Standing outside this church one feels great peace. Upon entering the church you will see the beautiful stained glass windows depicting aspects of St Stephen's life. There is much to see especially the developments that were made over the years in St Stephen Cathedral.

 

There are a number of things you will see in and around the grounds of  St Stephen Cathedral. The following is a list of what you can find:

 

1. Historic Chapel

 

2. Mary Mackillop - Australia's only saint

 

3. Mary, Women of faith

 

4. Stained Glass

 

5.Stations of the cross

 

6. Sanctuary

 

7. Crucifix

 

8. Baptismal font

 

9. Blessed Sacrament Chapel

 

10. Cathedral Crypt

 

11. Reconciliation Chapel

 

12. Francis Rush Centre- named after the fifth Archbishop

 

13. River of Stone - thirty blocks of sandstone that focus on the story of Stephen.

 

14. Empire Stakes -a cluster of posts carved from ironbark by indigenous artist Judy Watson.

 

Brisbane City Hall Christmas

One fun place to visit with your family is the Brisbane City Hall. Brisbane City Hall is a beautiful heritage-listed building which is located at the corners of Ann, Adelaide and Albert Streets. It is one of the most significant heritage and cultural icons visited by locals and tourists. City Hall is also known as the "People's Place". The main entrance of Brisbane City Hall faces King George Square. It's entrances are at both Ann Street and Adelaide Street. The building's exterior is made from ashlar coursed standstone, which gives a feel of being in a different era.

This beautiful building was built between 1920 and 1930. The design is Italian Renaissance style, which is symmetrical and has a very formal feel to it. There are six very long round beautiful Corinthian columns supporting the tympanum, which is the decorative triangle wall above the entrance. The tympanum  has a sculpture of people, a kangaroo, a bull and also a horse - depicting early settlement. There are three floors and a partial basement in the City Hall building.

The iconic clock tower which is 92 metres high is also part of the City Hall building and it is an important landmark, as well as the timekeeper of the city. Standing in Queen Street Mall, you can hear the clock's chimes, which is known as Westminster or Cambridge. The chimes are heard every 15 minutes and hourly and as far as Wynnum.

There are daily guided tours, which takes visitors to the Main Auditorium, Father Henry Willis Organ and the iconic clock tower. It is also where the Museum of Brisbane is located.

There is a huge Christmas tree placed outside the entrance of City Hall on King George Square in December. The entrance of City Hall is specially lighted up for the Christmas pantomime, which many visit in the evenings. This is a fun place to visit with family especially during Christmas. Both children and adults will enjoy the Christmas pantomime.

How to Walk From Brisbane City to South Bank Parklands

The South Bank Parklands is located in South Bank, which is very close to the Queen Street Mall and Brisbane's Central Business District [CBD]. The South Bank Parklands is along the beautiful Brisbane River. It is easy to walk from Queen Street Mall to South Bank. It is a short walk from Brisbane's CBD and is accessible by bus and ferry.

In order to get to South Bank from Queen Street Mall, you need to cross the Brisbane River. Firstly, you need to walk to William Street and then cross William Street. You will see a bridge, which is the Victoria Bridge.The Victoria Bridge is a 313m concrete bridge and was opened in 1969. It connects Brisbane's CBD with South Bank for both vehicles (including cyclists) and pedestrians. There are special walk paths for pedestrians on both sides of the bridge, which makes walking safe and easy.

The view from Victoria Bridge is simply breath-taking.  Looking down at the Brisbane River, you will see boats and ferries passing by. A slow walk is perfect, as the view from Victoria Bridge is amazing. especially when the sun sets. This is a fun and easy activity for families and it is for free.

 

 

 

 

The South Bank Parklands is one of my favourite places to visit in South Bank Brisbane. There are so many wonderful things to see and do in this amazing Parklands. It is amazing to see a rainforest in the city. Walking along the South Bank side of the Brisbane River feels like being in a place far away from a city. Just look at the other side of the river and you will see the tall buildings of Brisbane's CBD.

The rainforest is easy to explore and is child-friendly. It is well taken care of. You will need a few hours to explore the beautiful Parklands.The Parklands not only have a rainforest with ponds, flowing water, wooden bridge and a man-made Street Beach, there are plenty of  places to sit and read a book. The planning of the Parklands is brilliant as there are restaurants and cafes. You can also have a picnic, as there are plenty of seats for visitors.

There are two other special places to visit in the Parklands, that are The Wheel of Brisbane and the Nepalese Peace Pagoda. It is best to set aside a few hours when you visit the Parklands, as there is so much to see and experience. It is a beautiful and peaceful place to be in.

 

 

 

The Wheel Of Brisbane An Amazing Experience [South Bank]

An amazing fun activity to do in Brisbane is to go for a ride in The Wheel of  Brisbane. It is located at the South Bank Parklands, which is a short walk from Queen Street Mall. The view from above is amazing during the day and night. At night, the city looks amazing with the lights on. It is a fun activity for everyone and a great place to take photos of Brisbane city.

 

It is easy to walk from Queen Street Mall. Just walk to William Street, then cross William Street and you are at the start of Victoria Bridge that connects Brisbane city to South Bank. There is a walk path on both sides of Victoria Bridge, which makes walking safe and easy. The walk on the bridge to South Bank is amazing, and the view of the river with boats passing is especially amazing.

 

 

The Wheel is close to the Nepalese Pagoda and the Parklands, which offer plenty of wonderful places to visit in a day. It is family-friendly and lots of people walk to The Wheel of Brisbane at night too.

The view from the Wheel is simply amazing. It is a great place to take photos of Brisbane as you get a 360 degree view of the city.

The River of Brisbane is beautiful, especially at night. The Victoria Bridge can be seen from the Wheel.

Visit Gold Coast By Train From Brisbane

Gold Coast is a beautiful beach city which takes about an hour from Brisbane city by train.

Catch the train that travels direct to Gold Coast with few stops in between these two cities. The train journey is enjoyable as the coaches are air conditioned and comfortable. There are also special coaches where you cannot make noise, so if you are with young children you should move to the normal coaches. 

 

There are two train stations to catch the train to Gold Coast in Brisbane, which are Roma Street Station and Central Station.

Travelling to Gold Coast by train is affordable or if you drive, you can rent a car. There are buses, taxis and also the tram which are easy to use to move around in Gold Coast. You should buy a 'goCard' as it will be cheaper and easier to use on buses and train . The 'goCard' can be bought from News Agency in the centre of Queen Street Mall. There are many other places you can buy this card from.



 

There are many beautiful places in Gold Coast city, one such place that  is a must-visit is

Surfers Paradise. The beach is simply amazing. Being on the beach truly feels like being in PARADISE.

 

There are many wonderful hotels in Surfers Paradise, my favourite is the Grand Chancellor Surfers Paradise.

 

BRISBANE RIVER - Beautiful Nepalese Peace Pagoda

 

The Nepalese Pagoda along the Brisbane River in South Bank is a great place to visit. It is a short walk from Brisbane city Queen street. At the end of Queen street cross William street .You will be able to see the Victoria Bridge from the end of Queen Street which meets William Street.

 

Walk  across William Street and walk on Victoria Bridge to South bank. There is a walk path along Victoria Bridge [on both sides of the bridge] The view waking along the Brisbane river towards the Pagoda is simply amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRISBANE AIRPORT - BIG ,MODERN AND SPACIOUS

 Brisbane airport is amazing for its design. There is plenty of day light from the big windows which feels like being outdoors.

 The design of this airport makes it comfortable and pleasant for travelers.The trees inside the airport waiting area is a clever way to make the airport inviting. Plenty of seats for all and lots of shops.

 

Interesting art work and displays makes the airport interesting.

This is an airport that I will be happy to go to early.