Lucie Aurore
Brisbane is the capital city of the state of Queensland. Considered to be one of Australia's most developed and populous cities, Brisbane is a major business and commercial activity. Its awe-inspiring skyline, beautiful landmarks & open spaces, vibrant culture, and unique attractions make Brisbane a splendid destination for a vacation of family retreat.
Generally Brisbane has an all-year sunny climate. Thus, the weather is usually warm and bright, ensuring that outdoor activities could carry on unhindered. However, during the summer season it does tend to get quite hot, with the possibility of temperatures reaching an excess of 33oC. So if you are heading to Brisbane during this time of the year, it might be best to stock up on your preferred sun-tan lotion and avoid the staying outdoors if you are prone to sun burns. The city also gets quite humid during and around the summer months, so make sure you are ready for that. Apart from this, the weather is pleasant and quite predictable, but still, checking the forecast is always recommended.
Transport in Brisbane is not something that you should be particularly worried about, as the public transport system provides access to most parts of the city. But it is recommendable to have a rough idea of the layout, particularly the bus and trains routes, of public transport in Brisbane. Carrying a map will certainly help. Taxis also operate in most part of the city, so you have the option of taxis as well if you want to avoid public transport. Car and bike rentals are also quite popular in the city, so you might want to look out for them too.
Brisbane has a very low crime rate, but as the saying goes; 'it never hurts to be cautious'. During the day, visiting most areas of Brisbane is safe. However, there are certain areas which you might want to be cautious of entering towards the end of the day. One such area is the Out Suburbs, which have a higher crime-rate than other parts of the city. Fortitude Valley is another area which tends to have a relatively higher incident rate due to the higher number of pubs and bars in the area. Also, it is recommended that tourists stick to pubs and bars which are in the inner areas of the city, such as the Central Business District.
Brisbane has stringent anti-smoking laws, so look out before you light up. Smoking is banned in area where food or drink is served. Thus, it is not permitted to smoke in hotels, restaurants or cafes. Some of these institutions may have designated smoking areas, which you can access if you need to smoke. If not, head out to the street or a pub to smoke.
The legal age for the consumption of alcohol is 18, and this is a regulation that is strictly enforced in pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels in Brisbane. Thus, you may be required to produce a valid form of identification at any of these places, prior to ordering an alcoholic beverage. The most suitable form of ID for tourists will be their passport, so it might be best to carry it with you if you are heading out for a drink.
Although Brisbane is generally safe, tourists should carry all the emergency numbers with them. The number to dial to reach the police or ambulance service in any part of Australia is 000 or 112. Calls to 000 or 112 are free of charge. Apart from this, tourists should also carry numbers of their hotel or place of accommodation and other emergency numbers, just to be safe.
