Bountiful Brisbane

Brisbane is generally not the first city that comes to mind when people think of Australia. Tourists may even skip it altogether for a busier metropolis like Sydney or the artsy Melbourne. But a recent trip to this capital of Queensland became a revelation of what we've been missing out on.

CITY EXPLORATION

On the day we landed in Australia's Sunshine State, it was raining. Rain doesn't grace Brisbane all that much, according to locals. But even gloomy weather wasn't able to kill our adventurous spirit as we headed straight to the city's landmark: the Story Bridge. There is nothing like throwing ourselves into action right on the first day to make the most out of the journey.

We soon found ourselves strapped to the bridge's rail, taking tiny steps in our ascension on a guided bridge climb, with a gorgeous view of the city skyline and Brisbane River accompanying us. Open in 1940, Story Bridge offers one of only three bridge climbs in the world, with the other two being bridges in Sydney and Auckland. Being almost 80m up in the air was indeed thrilling. The level of safety precautions taken by the staff was also impressive.

The bird's-eye view gave us an amazing perspective into the city, but it was also equally impressive to get our feet back on the ground and we explored it that way. Brisbane is the kind of city we wish Bangkok could be -- a liveable, walkable city with great urban mobility and well-managed riverside public spaces. There are lots of green spaces. People were out jogging on long connecting walkways, even at night. Bicycles and e-scooters zoomed pass us on our stroll. Street art peppered different parts of the city and buildings.

We walked from the busy shopping street of Queen Street Mall before crossing Victoria Bridge to the waterfront area of South Bank. There's a museum, theatre, gallery and giant Ferris wheel -- an entire day could be spent here easily. Stroll through the walkway to a man-made beach and pool. Get a soak with the seagulls. Dine. Wine (or beer). Take a selfie inside the Grand Arbour with blooming pink flowers. Visit the Nepalese Pagoda. Have a BBQ and picnic. South Bank is a great lifestyle hotspot that is friendly for the entire family. There are also ferry terminals if you need to get to other parts of the city.

We continued our walk across the Goodwill Bridge, which offers separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists, into the City Botanic Gardens -- a big green space this side of the city. A long boardwalk that leads out of it brought us full circle to the Story Bridge, now being viewed from another perspective. On a good day, just try walking around. That may just be one of the best ways to experience and explore the highly-walkable Brisbane.

Outside of the CBD area, our private bus brought us to the nearby Mount Coot-tha. At its lookout, we got a great view of the expansive city skyline and distant skyscrapers that really stand out from this viewpoint. We also dropped by the Brisbane Botanic Gardens again on the way there, which is filled with towering trees, local plants and exotic species.

Coming from Asia, I think we can appreciate that Brisbane -- and pretty much Australia as a whole -- puts an emphasis into other aspects of lifestyle outside of shopping complexes. At the same time, it can be a little frustrating that shops do close early on most days (at least by Thai standards), but that is just a small inconvenience.

NATIONAL ICONS

Brisbane is also home to indigenous iconic animals like kangaroos and koalas. And the best place to get up close with them is the not-to-be-missed Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Established in 1927, Lone Pine is considered the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. About 130 koalas, plus over 70 species of Australian animals, including dingo, platypus, wombat and Tasmanian devil, reside here.

Within this abundance, the star of the venue is, of course, the koalas -- identifiable as grey fluffy lumps nestling on branches. They are often seen sleeping or munching on eucalyptus leaves. Otherwise, they are working! A koala's arduous task consists of being held by visitors and looking cute during a photo session.

According to the staff, one koala works about 30 minutes a day, about two to three days a week, then they have the rest of the week off -- these are in line with Queensland's koala-handling legislation. I liked that the staff were very attentive to the koala, and would swiftly switch to a new koala if one showed signs that they'd rather be eating or sleeping. All photo sessions were closely supervised by wildlife officers.

Afterward, we went inside the kangaroo's spacious enclosure. Some of them were hopping around. Some were lying in the sunshine. But they were eager to get close to humans, provided that we had kangaroo-safe food on us. The hair on its long snout tickled our hand as one nibbled the offered food. Don't forget to give them a good pat.

As a souvenir, a few of us brought mango-flavoured Koala's March biscuit boxes from the gift shop. The box says it's only available in Australia. We later found out it was made in Thailand.

ISLAND GETAWAY

If you have a free day to spare, then a trip to Moreton Island is a must.

The sight of pelicans on the sandy beach welcomed us as our ferry approached Moreton, which is the third-largest sand island in the world. While it's a great place for day-trippers, I'd recommend everyone stay overnight at the Tangalooma Island Resort -- the only resort on the island -- or even camp. There are so many activities to do here, one day simply just won't cut it.

But if you have limited time, then head straight for the highlights. I boarded the Marine Discovery Tour first, and the boat took us out on the clear blue sea where we got glimpses of green sea turtles and also got to circle around the famous Tangalooma Wrecks, a group of sunken shipwrecks with corals forming in and around them. The next time I go, I'll try snorkelling and kayaking.

After getting a little wet going up and down the boat, we went wild with the sand. A bumpy bus ride took us to a towering sand dune that was tiring to walk up, and also scary to come down using a plank as a sliding board. At the very top, the height did get us feeling hesitant. But, one by one, we placed the board at the edge of the dune, knelt, and lay down flat on our stomach. At a light push, we were off.

My turn came and went by very quickly. I slid down pretty fast and, halfway through, took a tumble. The board went flying one way. I went the other, rolling down a few metres on the sand. It was a blast, though. I got up, happily without a single scratch, and dragged the board to join the cheering group. Totally nailed it.

We returned to the resort to enjoy a seafood dinner. Then, it was time for our last activity of the day, and perhaps the most special one of all: feeding dolphins. Up to 12 wild dolphins visit the beach each night. We all lined up, each grabbing a fish from a bucket. A staff member brought two of us down at a time to the waiting dolphins. Half our bodies were soaked in cold water as we handed our fishy treat to them. The experience was quick, but it was simply magical to be in such close vicinity to these playful creatures. I can now cross that off of my bucket list.

TRAVEL INFO

• Thai AirAsia X recently launched direct flights from Don Mueang to Brisbane Airport. Four flights are available weekly. A return flight with 20kg of checked baggage, seat selection and meal start at 13,000 baht. A flatbed option is available for an extra fee. Flight time is about nine hours. Only two airlines operate direct flights from Bangkok to Brisbane, the other one being Thai Airways.
• To explore the city and get to nearby attractions, try Uber, bus or ferry. Bicycle-sharing and scooter-sharing services are also available.
• To get from Brisbane to Moreton Island, a ferry is available at Holt Street Wharf for guests of Tangalooma Island Resort. Another ferry company, Micat, leaves from the Port of Brisbane and welcomes both passengers and vehicles. Advanced booking is recommended.
• Admission into the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is AU$42 (910 baht) for a daily adult pass. Concession rate is available. Koala holding experience costs an additional AU$25 (540 baht).