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 | Brisbane Things To Do | Tips 41 - 50 of 423 |  |
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The main campus of the University of Queensland is at St Lucia - and is arguably the most beautiful campus in Australia. It occupies a site covering 274 acres, and is located along the Brisbane River. The original university, established in 1909, was located in the city, the current site of Gardens Point campus of the Queensland University of Technology.
Due to the need for more space, the university reluctantly accepted land for the St Lucia campus from Dr James and Emelia Mayne - reluctant, due to the bad reputation this very wealthy Irish immigrant family had, courtesy of their father, Patrick's, alleged murder of a man in 1849 - which was the source of his founding money to start a butchery business in Queen Street Brisbane. I have summarised the story of the "Mayne Mystery" as an Off the Beaten Path tip for anyone interested in murder and mayhem! Anyway, under pressure of need, the university did accept the land, and the beautiful campus was born.
James and Emelia Mayne were the last 2 of 6 never married children of Patrick and Rose Mayne, and were Queensland's most generous benefactors - active in a wide ranging area of charities and social/cultural developments. They were decent folk, who worked hard and were very generous, and contributed much to Brisbane. Sadly, they are little known, credited or honoured for their work.
Mayne Hall was opened in honour of the Mayne family in 1972 - and the university continues to derive an income as a legacy of the vast holdings of this wealthy family.
The campus itself is dominated by the central Great Court - a large open area surrounded by Art Deco style sandstone buildings, with distinctive gargoyles and heritage listen cloisters. The campus also has extensive sports fields and facilities, gardens, duck ponds and a bicycle track from the city. It is a beautiful sprawling affair, and well worth a wander.
A huge tip is that the pizza restaurant at the Schonell Theatre has the best I've have ever eaten - even in Italy. It has been there for decades! Address: St LuciaDirections: Take a City Cat ferry from the city
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| | | | Circuit the city by foot | Tip Rating: | | | | |
We often drive the 30 minutes to Brisbane on a Sunday morning, park at Southbank, and venture on a 7 km walk around the city, along the walking paths which circuit this area. Starting in the Southbank Parklands, and walking around the Brisbane River, along with dozens of walkers, joggers and cyclists - and occasional rockclimbers - we meander along, cross the Story Bridge walkway and loop back past Riverside.
There are Sunday morning markets along Riverside, where there are many places to stop for coffee and breakfast, shop or browse at the markets, and slow the pace a little.
Beyond Riverside, the pathway continues through the Brisbane Botanical Gardens, along this side of the river. There are mangrove pathways along the river, or you can stick with the greenery, pools and prettiness of the gardens themselves.
From the Botanical Gardens, the Goodwill Bridge returns the walker to Southbank - or, if you are city bound, walk back past Parliament House and back into the city.
There are plenty of things to see and do along the way, as well as points of historical inerest, artwork and just watching the locals doing their early morning exercise!
Walk takes a few hours, and a great start to the day.
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