Brisbane and the Southeast Queensland Region

On this page:

• Southeast Queensland’s habitats;
• What to do and where to stay in Brisbane

Southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales (subtropical eastern Australia) includes some special regions such as the Scenic Rim, the Rainforest Way, the Great Sunshine Way and Australia’s Green Cauldron.

The Lamington National Park and the Border Ranges National Park together form the largest area of rainforest outside of the tropics, not just in Australia, but anywhere in ther world, and have a martvellous system of walking tracks which together with the moderate climate throughout the year and being in a country free of major political strife, desparate poverty and large predatory animals, makes them one of the world’s most accessible rainforests

It is part of the third richest area in Australia in diversity of habitat and wildlife (after the wet tropics and the Stirling Ranges). Over half the bird species of Australia (including all of its raptors – eagles, falcons etc.) have been seen in this region. Land birds (such as koels, channel-billed cuckoos, dollarbirds and rose-crowned fruitdoves) and many wading birds regularly migrate, others appeariung less predictably as nomads or vagrants.

There are more mammal species here than anywhere else in Australia (including the country’s richest diversity of macropods – kangaroo family members), and a rich diversity also of reptiles, frogs and other wildlife. Many plant and animal species reach their northern or southern limits here, this overlap adding to the diversity.

There are also many creatures found nowhere else, including unusual species such as the hip-pocket frog (the male shelters the eggs and tadpoles in groinal skin-folds) and Albert’s lyrebird (one of the world’s greatest mimics).

All is not rosy. Spotted-tailed quolls (spotted carnivorous cat-sized marsupials), Coxen’s fig parrots, eastern bristlebirds and several other species once common are nowadays much rarer. Many trees and other plants are regarded as endangered. However, the region remains one of Australia’s top centres of biodiversity.

The Border Ranges

One of the world’s largest shield volcanoes (the centre of which is now known as Focal Peak, close to what we now know as Mt Barney) started to erupt about 24,000,000 years ago, followed by another of similar size whose centre is now called Mt Warning. Between them, and along with a slightly older volcano in what we call the Main Range, the gradual erosion of this high country created a highly scenic landscape and high-nutrient soils. The easternmost mountains are well-watered, but create a ‘rain-shadow’ to the western slopes and valleys, resulting in different kinds of forest, now harbouring a variety of wildlife.

The world’s largest tract of subtropical rainforest (’subtropical’ is between tropical and temperate) spans the Queensland/NSW border, including cool-temprrate forest with Gondwanan-linked Antarctic beech trees and a profusion of ferns and mosses on the moutain tops, lush palm gullies and massive trees in the typical subtropical rainforest, and “dry rainforest” (where plants are adapted to winter droughts on the western slopes). There are also several kinds of eucalypt forest, sheoak communities, heathlands and other vegetation types.

Wildlife is plentiful (although most mammals are small, and active only at night). Gondwanan-linked land-snails are especially diverse. Birds tend to be active (and often vocal) most of the day in the rainforests (as compared to more open habitats where far fewer are seen durinng the middle of the day). There have been at least 150 bird species and almost 50 mammal species sighted in the Border Ranges National Park.

Mt Warning is the plug from the centre of one of the ancient shield volcanoes. It used to stretch to the point where the photo was taken and beyond, and similar distance in all other directions, but the Tweed River and its tributaries have carved a wide and fertile valley over the past 20 million years or so. It is the focal point of the region now known as ‘Australia’s Green Cauldron.’

Marine Life

Humpback whales migrate northwards through here from around May to their breeding grounds in warm subtropical and tropical waters, then pass through again until October or November to return to the rich feeding grounds of Antarctica. They can often be seen from the coast on the mainland, or from Stradbroke or Moreton or other Islands, and there are several whale-watching tours. Dolphins are often seen from many parts of the coast.

Dugongs, unusual amongst sea mammals in being herbivorous, reach their southernmost limit in eastern Australia in Moreton Bay.

Sea turtles can be seen from coastal cliffs or during marine-based tours.

Small coral reefs fringe some of the islands, and the fish life, while not as diverse as the outer reef, is still impressive.

There are also beautiful white sandy beaches, some sheltered and some with pounding surf, rocky cliffs and intertidal platforms with many kinds of small creatures adapted to life in this difficult habitat, and mangroves which provide breeding grounds for many creatures important to the food web of fish and other sea creatures.

The Southern Queensland Wildlife Trail

Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, hinterlands and islands

Visit Wildlife Tourism Australia and follow the links for info on where to see captive and free wildlife within 2 hours of Brisbane. Most can be reached by public transport – ring the attraction/accommodation for instructions. Araucaria Eco Tours can also provide customized tours to any of these with sufficient notice.

Brisbane

Brisbane has ‘grown up’ since Expo 88, from what used to feel like an overgrown country town to a far more sophisticated city of considerable variety and attractive landscaping. It is the capital of Queensland, and located in the southeast corner of Queensland, giving it a subtropical climate. It is a subtropical city of cultural and natural diversity (the latter will be well-appreciated by browsing the information-packed little book ‘Wildlife of Greater Brisbane’ published by the Queensland Museum and available in most book stores). See below for suggestions of what to do in Brisbane.

Climate and weather

A subtropical climate means that although nights in winter can be cold they are very rarely sub-zero, and the days are usually pleasantly warm or mild. It also means lovely warm summer evenings. Summer days can be hot, but not as overwhelmingly or consistently hot as some parts of the tropics, and there are always cool green mountain forests to escape to within a short drive or bus ride. Some summer nights in Brisbane can be uncomfortably hot without fans or air-conditioning, but in the neighbouring mountains the temperature always drops back to a comfortable range during the evening.

Rainfall follows the tropical pattern of relatively wet summers and dry winters. This means a wealth of sunny days and clear starry skies in winter, interspersed with a few wet days now and then. Rain in summer does not come every day, nor does it usually last all day. If you experience a few rainy days, remember that without them we couldn’t have our wonderful rainforests. At times there will be spectacular electric storms, strong winds and flooding rains, but we do not receive the cyclones that sometimes strike the more northern coasts. Weather forecasts can always be checked by dialling 1196.

How to Get To Brisbane and meet Araucaria

Brisbane has an international airport. From there you can catch an air-train to the Brisbane Transit Centre on Roma Street, or a taxi to your accommodation. If coming from elsewhere within Australia, you can fly to the domestic airport (close to the international one, also serviced by the air-train) or take a bus or train from Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, or many other locations. All long-distance buses and trains arrive at the Brisbane Transit Centre

Some hostels have a courtesy bus which will pick you up from the Transit Centre. There are also a number of hotels and hostels close to the Transit Centre, which itself is just a few minutes’ walk to the main shopping area of Brisbane (Queen Street Mall) or across the bridge to Southbank and the Culture Centre (museum, library, art gallery and performing arts).

At the start of extended tours, we can pick you up from the door of your accommodation in the city or some southside suburbs. If you are staying further afield we ask that you meet us at our usual day-tour pickup point. Araucaria’s main pickup point for day-tours is a small parking bay on Roma Street next to the Holiday Inn (which is in the same building as the Transit Centre), across the road from Tin Billy Hostel and Transcontinental Hotel. It is a short walk from many other hotels (Explorers Inn, Ibis and others) hostels (City YHA, Yellow Subnarine and others and guest-houses (Annies Shanon Inn and others). If you are coming on a day-tour and may have difficulty reaching the pickup point on Roma St let us know and we can often pick you up from your accommodation or elsewhere. The main reason we pick up mostly from the Transit Centre is so that we can quickly get everyone out of city traffic and into the areas we wish to visit.

With prior arrangement, if it does not clash with the interests of other guests, we can pick you up from the airport on the morning of your tour. However we generally advise that you arrive at least the day before to get some rest after your journey. Brisbane also has plenty of attractions worth spending some time exploring (see the end of this page).

If driving yourself, let us know and we may be able to arrange to leave your car parked in the area we normally leave our tour vehicle if you can meet us there on the morning of your tour.

Where to Stay

Places very convenient for us to pick up from include:

• West End Apartments – close to a row of ethnic restaurants (Vietnamese, Lebanese, Thai, Greek, Mexican ….) 5 minutes walk to Queensland Museum, 10 minutes walk to Southbank., 20 minutes walk (across bridge) to city. Easy to pick you up from the door.
• Sapphire Resort – a little further up the road from West End Apatments, good value, and has its own Asian restaurant and cafe. Easy to pick you up from the door.
• Brisbane Backpackers -or Somewhere-to-Stay – hostels in West End
• Holiday Inn (adjacent to the Transit Centre, in same building), we can pick you up at the door, easy walk to main shopping district. A good choioce if you are catching the air train to or from the airport, as it leaves from the same building – also if you are catching a train to Australia Zoo or the Gold Coast or ore distant locations such as Cairns or Sydney.
• Tin Billy Hostel – very handy to public transport and easy walk to main shopping district ( we ask you to cross the road to meet us, as this is opposite the Transit Centre).
• Explorer’s Inn – probably the best value-for-money hotel in Brisbane if not wanting ‘frills’, very central and with its own restaurant. Rooms are a bit small and we can’t legally park outside, but if you don’t have loads of heavy luggage you can meet us under the bridge just down the road or at our usual pickup point by Holiday Inn (5 minute walk)
• Brisbane Hilton – in the heart of Brisbane’s main shopping area
• Sofitel – adjacent to Central Station and a short walk to Brisbane’s main shopping area
• Robertson Gardens Comfort Inn Motel – a bit isolated from shops etc. (it has its own restaurant, mid-range prices), in the suburbs but across the (rather busy) road from Toohey Forest which surrounds two Griffith University campuses, so you can take a stroll before breakfast looking for birds

We can also pick up from most other places in the city and southside – soe a re just a bit more awkward thsan others when traffic is heavy..

If you wish, we can recommend or book you into a hostel, hotel or guesthouse (B&B) for the nights just before and after your tour.

Where to Meet Araucaria Eco Tours

A common pickup point is in the small parking bayto the Brisbane Transit Centre on Roma Street (Holiday Inn end), directly across the road from the Transcontinental Hotel. This ensures that we are quickly out of the traffic and on our way to our first stop in the forest.

We also pick up from accommodation (see above) in the city or southside.

Dropping our guests off at their accommodation is never a problem unless they are staying some distance out of the city, in which case we can take you to a taxi stand or public transport – we will not leave you stranded in the dark at the end of a tour (we’ve had that happen to us more than once after tours).

More Things to Do in and Around Brisbane

• Queensland Museum – focus on Queensland’s natural history, present and past, land and sea. Some historical and cultural displays, and the physics of light. Often has special, visiting displays.
• Botanic Gardens – two Gardens: one in the city just a few blocks from Queen Street Mall and another – after a bus-ride from Adelaide St – at Mt Cootha.
• Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium (at Mt Cootha Botanic Gardens) – ask what special shows are screening.
• Southbank Parklands – just across the river from the city centre (an easy walk) and close to the city’s main museum, library and art gallery. Swimming, markets, restaurants, gardens.
• Queensland Museum – close to Southbank, and an easy walk from the city centre. Marine and terrestrial wildlife, fossils, history, physics.
• Lone Pine Sanctuary – ride a ferry down Brisbane River past a large fruitbat colony to this wildlife sanctuary with many koalas plus other wildlife.
• Riding a City Cat (ferry) down the river is one way of eploring (hopping on and off at various points or just relaxing and enjoying the ride (especially at night, with reflections of a variety of lights in the water).
• Rock-climbing or kayaking with RiverLife at Kangaroo Point, or climb the Story Bridge across the Brisbane River.
• Fortitude Valley and Chinatown – many Asian restaurants and shops, weekend markets.
• Many good restaurants are scattered throughout Brisbane – Mediterranean, Asian, seafood, vegetarian, and more. We especially like the cluster of ethnic restaurants around West End, southside.