Brisbane question
 

I am in Brisbane for the next 1.5 weeks (already been here for a week. It is a beautiful city). I was planning on renting a car next weekend and heading towards the Sunshine coast and Australia's Zoo, taking the long way there thru the mountains. It looks like Rt 31 heading NW out of Brisbane would be a great road to travel.

Is it worth the drive? Any other other good things on the weekend?

Thanks,

Karsten

When I was there, I was able to rent a 4X4 and camping gear for a three day tour of Fraser Island. It was amazing.

"Route 31" is the "Mt Glorious", a FANTASTIC drive with spectacular scenery, but...
it's the local bike road. Most are pretty cool with the cars but keep an eye out for the squids on the rice-rockets overcooking it. Some of the corners can catch you out too, decreasing radius sort of stuff. If it's decent weather,as you climb the hill you'll see some cars parked on the north side of the road for no apparent reason. They're at the swimming holes at the bottom of the valley you're climbing, which are good fun. Very limited parking. Word of warning, at the weekend lots of cops in unmarked cars hunting the bikers.

If you have a few days off consider Tangaloma (Tangalooma Island Resort | Tangalooma Holidays | Moreton Island Tours & Photos | Moreton Bay Brisbane Tours | Family Holidays QLD | Day Cruises), also pretty cool.

Have fun in Brisbane. It's a pretty safe city. Take care in Fortitude Valley away from the crowds. The walk along the river is good, especially at this time of year, but I wouldn't do it after dark. Resturants? Ecco is pretty good, not cheap. Best in Brisbane is Montrachet at Paddington, great food, less pretentious than most top-end resturants. Best coffee? Jett, 38 Chermside St, The Grange (Mon-Fri 6-2, S,S 8-12). Vanessa also makes the most fantastic slices, muffins, etc. Hassle to get to from the City though. The Sunday markets along the river are your typical Sunday markets, nothing special. Museum not really worth the effort. Botannical gardens good for a run. (again, care after dark).

Have fun.

BTW, if you're staying in the City have lunch at "Yi on Edward" (41 Edward St, 3211-8320). Vivian owns the place and she's great. Ask for "the meat pie" for lunch. House speciality, trust me, you won't regret it. (More than reasonable $$ wise). It's to a normal meat pie what a 959 is to a 924.

Thank you very much for the replies. 31 looked like it would be a great road to drive on the map. I might try to do it at least one way. Thanks for the warning on the bikers and the undercover cops too.

I've been to a few restaurants along Riverside. Great food. Some are on the expensive side. It definitely seems like a pretty safe city. I will check out Yi on Edward. The company I am working with while in Aus is right on Edwards by the Queen street mall.

Thanks for the heads up after dark. Coming from out of town, it is hard to know.

Karsten,
If you post a message on the NZ/Australia regional forum, you will likely get a few locals responding. There seems to be quite a few Pelicans in Bris.

Keep to the speed limit.

This country is in the middle of a revenue raising ticketfest! The fun police are becoming very sneaky in their methods.

Hey, you Aussies. When are Morton Bay Bugs in season?

Karsten, these are amazing, even better than Aussie King prawns. If you do go to Sunshine coast; Mooloolaba is fabulous and Noosa is just up the road.

Bill- we get them here as well, but you'll never see them in the shops. They are bycatch from the NZ scampi fishery (yeah, you never see them here either; all get shipped overseas!).
Live about 3-500m down. YUM.