The water looked a bit suspicious but the views, day and night, were pretty nice along the length…read morewe walked. Going east into town; http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-291b0icXW_k2UNYJNiWBw?select=6ozJY9nV9r4dfqP8Czu6IA#6ozJY9nV9r4dfqP8Czu6IA Going west to the convention center; http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-291b0icXW_k2UNYJNiWBw?select=1pJjcmdAPt1UwRSHhoE1YQ#1pJjcmdAPt1UwRSHhoE1YQ All shots taken handheld in auto-mode, go Sony!

It is hard to live in Brisbane and not appreciate the Brisbane River running through the city. It…read moreis iconic and acts like the main artery of the city. Whether it is Riverfire, or New Years Eve, the River is the centre of attraction with families friends and the community gathering together to watch Everyone I know has a memory of the river, whether it is jumping in near the UQ colleges in a ballgown after Emmanuel ball, waking up in the wee hours of the morning to practice rowing along the river, gracefully catching the CityCat and watching the tourists snap photos of the Brisbane City Skyscrapers, or watching as the river burst its banks and flooded half the city. One of my fondest memories is sitting on a friend's boat on New Years Eve and watching the fireworks reflect off the surface of the water. It is hard to sum up the history and importance of this river to Brisbane, or mention all the things you can do on the river like rowing or even just walking along the Riverwalk. The Brisbane River really is something special to the city and while it is not the most perfect, clean river in the world, it is ours and I wouldn't change it for anything.

In my opinion, Newstead Park is the nicest Sunday afternoon hang out in Brisbane. Granted, it's not…read moreas huge as New Farm Park, but the benefits of this are that there's often more space and less crowds. And the trees are beautiful! A friend of mine celebrated their birthday in Newstead Park recently and it had been years since I'd hung out there. We had an afternoon full of food, friends and fun. There's an infectious relaxed vibe to the place and it's hard not to relax when watching the City Glider ride by on the river. Oh, the river! It looks so beautiful from the angle, especially on a beautiful day. It would be a beautiful place to host a wedding or any special occasion. Another friend of mine from overseas has fond memories of Newstead Park and maintains that some of his best times in Australia were simply spent taking a picnic there with some friends and kicking a football around for an afternoon. It proves that it's one of the best picnic spots in all of Brisbane.

This park is small but perfectly formed. The river curves beautifully around the manicured lawns…read moreand there's plenty of gorgeous old trees for shade. Kids can roll around and scream without bothering anyone, and adults can eat cheese and sip wine while enjoying a relaxing afternoon (what is it about the river that just instantly chills you out?) This is definitely a great picnic spot and although it is popular it never feels too crowded.

This park is itty bitty people so don't be planning any volleyball or outdoor cricket! Sir Manuel…read moreHornibrook Park (I chuckle at the name every time like a 12 year old) is located on the Teneriffe Boardwalk next to Healthworks and is a gorgeous little green with perfect, uninterrupted views of the river. It's a great place to meet a couple of friends for a relaxed catch up, or even to take a special someone on a picnic date (hint hint, men of Brisbane). My girlfriends and I meet there regularly with fish and chips in the early evening to discuss lots of secret girls business. This park is leafy and sunny and gorgeous! A perfect place to stop and smell the roses (or Birds of Paradise, as the case might be).

People here are very accommodating and the place not to big but really peaceful to get a work out…read more Will be visiting again next month.

This is a no frills 24/7 gym in the Brisbane CBD. Honestly you can't ask for much more for…read more$12/week. The location is pretty conveniently placed on Adelaide Street just north of Central Station. Inside there is your standard fare of training equipment (treadmills, free weights, yoga mats, etc.) as well as 4 individual "pods" where you can take showers and change. Everything is well maintained and the staff is very helpful and courteous. To my knowledge, there's no other gym that is open 24 hours so this is definitely a godsend for when I'm working late at night. So in summary: good gym, good people, and low price equals a satisfied customer.

Got a chance to see the Belle Lume Sculpture and just wow! So very aesthetically pleasing to the…read moreeyes. Very sturdy and beautiful!

From the owner: Over the last 40 years the staff of Natureworks has produced the masters for most of the "high…read morequality" fibreglass life-size animal art currently being sold on the world market. Natureworks has been sculpting moulding and casting life-size wildlife for almost 40 years. The collection of moulds of sculptural features now numbers over 2000 different individual pieces. Casts can be made in a variety of materials from Fibreglass, Glass Reinforced Cement (GFRC), Hard-Coated Urethane Foam and Cold Cast Bronze. New pieces are being created all the time. They can be adapted for domestic use, playground or zoological standard and are designed, reinforced & finished to varying standards as appropriate to its use.

The Spring Hill Baths are an absolute gem, tucked away in Brisbane's inner city. First built in…read more1886, this 25m pool is completely covered and still has its colourfully painted changing rooms all around the perimeter of the pool. You don't want to do any hard-core swimming at the Spring Hill Baths; rather, it's a lovely place to float and soak up the beautifully restored surroundings and to imagine you've been transported back to Brisbane's yesteryear. As with all town pools, entry fees are a little pricey: Adult - $4.60 Concession - $4.00 Children - $3.30 Under 2yrs - free Hours vary between Summer and Winter, so best to check the website: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/whats-on/Whats-on-database/venues/index.htm?q_venue_id=464 Finish your visit to the Spring Hill Baths with a Boa Constrictor or Fizzer from the kiosk!

I'm a sucker for heritage buildings. I also enjoy lolling around in the water. The Spring Hill…read moreBaths have been providing me and many other Brisbanites with a lovely body of water to throw ourselves into since 1886. The multicoloured bather's pavilions that border the pool's perimeter remind me of the English seaside. They hold lots of swimming classes here so it's not ideal for laps, but as I said I prefer to loll around and look up at the sky. At only 25m, the pool isn't ideal for hardcore lappers, but it's a great place for a relaxing splash around. I love how the outside wall gives no indication of what lies inside, and the transition from city street to yesteryear swimming pool takes my breath away a little bit every time. On a hot day in the city, there's something so simple and satisfying about engaging in the timeless pastime of a swim and an ice block on the walk home.

Putt Putt seems to be an activity that has followed me my entire life. I remember vividly playing…read more weekly rounds of ultra competitive Putt Putt with my family on the Gold Coast as a kid. Since moving the Brisbane Putt Putt has since fallen off my radar... until now! A friend of mine recommended we go to Victoria Park (up near Kelvin Grove) and play some night Putt Putt for a bit of fun. Intrigued by the proposal I agreed and we made our way there around 7 o'clock that night. Initially I was a bit nervous that the repressed, competitive, Putt Putt demon within would bare all seven of its malevolent heads, however these concerns were soon alleviated due to the low admission fees and the presence of alcohol, which can be purchased and consumed legally on the course. Also, I was honestly relieved to notice that the majority of the people there were younger adults doing something a bit different with their Friday night. There were indeed kids and families around but they became adorable accessories to the evening, as opposed to tiresome obstacles. The course itself was in fact a lot of fun. Though there are no gimmicky windmills or miniature rollercoaster-things, the course still proved to be very entertaining. Each hole has three different levels of difficulty; so all players can still have a good time. Being the competitive psychopath that I am I insisted we play on the top-level of difficulty, which proved to be mostly accomplishable (all those years of competitive Putt Putting paid off). The entire experience was genuinely a lot of fun! I'm even sure I would of managed to have a good time even if I didn't win, which I did. Victoria Park is definitely a great way to break the mold and do something different with your mates around Brisbane. Though inevitably we all end up back in Fortitude Valley, Victoria Park Putt Putt is definitely worth a gander.

Putt Putt is definitely one of those things best done with a small group. Yesterday, I had my first…read moreattempt at putt putt and I have to say it is so much fun! I highly recommend if you are up for something a little different. You can of course, purchase alcohol as you make your way around the course. It has the potential to make the last few holes rather interesting. From selecting a stick that feels 'lucky', to taking that first nerve racking swing and everyone getting a bit competitive towards the end, it is genuinely a fun day. Girls, wear flat shoes and take a shoulder bag that won't get in the way. Holding a putter, a glass of wine, your ball and your bag can be a bit of a challenge otherwise!

Writing a review of a fitness centre you signed up for in the last month of 2014 is like gushing to…read moreyour gal pals all too early about that guy you've been seeing and getting the warm fuzzies from. There's still that early days chance that it's all going to fall into a heap and you're left rejected or perhaps the one doing the rejecting. But, let's run with the current feeling of warm fuzzies and stay positive that this new relationship I'm having with a particular fitness centre is on the up and up. I'm a sick creature that loves spin classes. Unfortunately, unless you're willing to sign up to a gym Brisbane is lacking a dedicated spin studio. Maybe there's a business opportunity here?!? A Brisbane Soul Cycle. I digress. I didn't want to sign up for any ol' gym and after following Function Well for a while on Instagram I made a time to speak to their membership consultant being equally excited and afraid of what I was getting myself in for. The membership fee is slightly high but realistically no more than 1 or 2 coffees a day over the course of a week, and for the ability to attend three spin classes a week (more if my schedule allows), plus an infrared sauna on site, general gym equipment and a stack of other high intensity classes - it works for me. Yes, like any gym, there's the incredibly buff guys, there's the women who work out in full faces of makeup and there's the fitness folk that are rocking the Paleo thing like no body's business - but I'm yet to feel or be made feel out of place. In fact, although I'm a solo rider and keep to myself, I genuinely sense there's a great community vibe at the club and people are there to support one another through each class. If group training is your thing they regularly run 8-week challenges and have a cross fit-style studio around the corner that is open 24 hours a day. It's a little something for everyone. The space itself has been a few different gym chains in the time I've lived in Brisbane and as such it's not as sparkling new as other venues. The equipment is however and isn't any different from other gyms if you're familiar. The female change room is modern with lockers available, showers, hair dyers and even magazines. There's also a physio, nutritionist and creche on-site. If you're looking for a place to kickstart your new year resolutions or just need a mix up of your usual routine, based on the early day warm fuzzies, I'd say Function Well could well be the place to check out. In the mean time, I'm going to keep enjoying the feeling I get after I walk out of a class here. Clear mind and strong!

From the owner: Function Well provides everything you need for physical improvement: we come equipped with the…read morelatest training equipment, as well as experienced and friendly personal trainers, performance coaches and health specialists. For those who are looking to take their CrossFit, gymnastics and weightlifting to the next level, we have our Athletic Zone. If you'd like to restore and rejuvenate your body and mind through yoga, massage, meditation and more, we have Restoration Zone. We offer stimulating training environments that enable you to achieve the body that you want.

Great experience clean bathrooms nice cold bubblers i did get touched by one of the staff member…read moreMichael other than that it was good

the facilities in this gym are great for getting a good workout in! they have cold bubblers all…read morearound the gym incase you get thirsty! also all of the boys in the gym were staring at my tight toned butt like a little pork bun and it made me feel very appreciated! someone smeared some feces on the walls of the bathrooms but if you ask me that just adds to the overall appeal and decor of the bathroom. i always felt at risk of being groped but to be honest its oddly comforting. overall very good gym would recommend!

This place is a bit of a weird one. Weird and wonderful…read more Technically, it's a large median strip that divides two main roads that lead in and out of Brisbane city. Instead of cheap, lame council placed agapanthus being shoved in the median strips, Centenary Place is home to some beautiful old fig trees, some grass, and just charming little garden beds. You'll always find corporate types taking their shoes off and getting blades of grass between their toes on their lunch breaks, and couples who are having a romantic reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the screaming city. If you're walking from the Valley to the city, or vice versa, it's a great place to stop and have a rest under the shade of an ancient old fig tree.

Some parts of Brisbane just need a little patch of green and the top end of the Valley is one of…read morethese, so Centenary Place is perfect. It's like an oasis in the centre of a busy four way taking traffic into and out of the city and over the Story Bridge. It's historic - opened in 1925 to celebrate 100 years of European settlement in Queensland - and green and shady and the best place to stop for a rest and cold drink after burrowing through the shops in the Valley all day. Oh, and there's a statue of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns there too!