Where to go?

Street scene in Ipswich - looking toward church

Brisbane, Queensland is in the south east corner of the state, on the Brisbane River.  For travellers, it offer so many opportunities to find interesting places to travel.  If you have/rent a car, there are many choices, almost endless, but this post is for those who choose to use public transport.

One of the things that many of us find, when we are visiting a city is that we want to see as much as we can, in the short time provided.  How many people return from a holiday exhausted because they have tried not to waste their time, and see everything - making every day a visit to some place or another.  

Buses and trains often given you 'rest time' while journeying to or from your destination, and you can choose public transport just to look and see.  Let me explain.  From Brisbane, you can catch a train north, to the Sunshine Coast (and much further north, but a return day trip as far as Nambour is what I am suggesting), south to the Gold Coast, to the outer suburbs of Cleveland or Sandgate - (both seaside places with lots to see), and Ipswich to the west. 

Recently a friend and I caught the train to Ipswich.  The weather was lousy (lots of rain, and at the moment floods in many parts of the state), and we just wanted to see things.  The landscape from the train window changes dramatically - from city buildings, suburbs, parks, over the Brisbane River, parks, bushland, past a prison, past golf courses, rural areas, wonderful tradition Queensland houses, to the Ipswich station, which is close to the old Ipswich Town Hall and other heritage buildings, and adjacent to the Bremer River (which too was in flood the day we visited.) 

We took a leisurely walk around, a few photos, (nothing much was open as it was a public holiday), and we waited for the train in a nearby hotel and won a few dollars on the poker machines!!!

We agreed it was an interesting day - well worth the time and little effort.  My visitor was able to see a little more of the Queensland - and we didn't get wet!  It did not rain while we did our short walking tour of the city area.

You can plan you train travel through this website.

It was a leisurely day - no rushing, sitting and walking (plenty of rest time), and most enjoyable. 

I recommend sitting in one of the quiet carriages (the last carriage in a 3 car train, or the first and last in a 6 car train), and please observe the rules.  No noise. No food in carriages, and do not put your feet on the seats.  (Shame to have these rules, but we do have the occasional person who does not seem to think!)

Check the website for train times and destinations, and costs.

Don't forget your Go Card.  

Bremer River in flood

Ipswich Town Hall Tower

Old Post Office

Post Office