Brisbane City Guide - $section

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Australia's third largest city has a relaxed, easy-going ambience that is well suited to its moniker 'The City of Sundays'. As the capital of the state of Queensland, however, it has a serious side too and despite it's laid-back aura it is filled with the cosmopolitan hustle and bustle of a major urban hub. Brisbane has several interesting districts, a good street cafe vibe, a wonderful riverside park, a very full cultural calendar and a vibrant nightlife. Arts and culture vultures head for the South Bank, where one finds the Queensland Museum with its interactive displays; the Queensland Art Gallery with its magnificent collection of works; and the Performing Arts Centre, where international theatre companies and performing artists take to the stage. There is plenty to keep shopaholics busy too, with the designer boutiques and department stores of Queens Street Mall ready to welcome visitors and numerous bustling markets dotted around the city. Sport, as everywhere in Australia, is also well catered for at the Gabba sports ground (cricket tests) and Ballymore, where the Wallabies often take on the world at rugby. The city is easy to explore on foot, and being at the centre of the region's favoured tourist attractions it provides the perfect base from which to make daytrips to surrounding areas.