Brisbane

Brisbane - Blessed Are They

Blessed are they who tend to Nature;s beauty, the given, with a tender touch for theirs shall be the health of living breathing space and the peace of the tree that radiates from within, the joy of the dancing shrub in the wind, the hurrah of the rolling waves, the melody of the ebb and flow, ebb, flow and ebb of the tides, the healing smile of the baby and the sweetness, indeed the freshness of the beaches and the sea that stretch to infinity, the infinity of the heart of love.

Blessed are they in whose hands the simple little gardens of Nature transfigure into lovely parks in which the children, right from beginning, take delight in the givens of Nature without which it is not possible for human beings to be here at all.
With this, it is welcome to Brisbane.

All over the place in Australia you see this loving care for Nature and tending touch for ecology in a way that even the city, the human creation with its restlessness of commercial knowingness and the frenetic pace of its pulse to pack the moment with meaning, could feel the warmth of the grandmother’s caress to whom the tale of how it all began remains a joy.
Brisbane. It got its name from John Oxley who gave the large river that he discovered the name River Brisbane in honour of the then governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane who sent him on an errand on board H.M.Cutter Mermaid. At that time, Queensland was still under New South Wales. Before then, as far back as 1797, Matthew Flinders had explored Moreton Bay. Queensland proclaimed its independence from New South Wales on 6th June 1859.
Here in Brisbane, the human creation, that smiling kid in the grandmother’s cuddling arms, has a secret behind it.

The secret is that behind the elegant skyrocketing eagles in flight yet rooted to the ground skyscrapers, behind the joyous frolics of the rolling waves, yes, behind the plush and plum of the greens to which Nature lay claim but which, without human care as it is the case everywhere in Australia would have degenerated into wastelands, there is a creative mind or a group of creative minds whose source of power is rooted in silence itself. They just don’t talk but do.

We got the secret of the heavenly radiance, eternal youthfulness and the potential for turning out the new of Brisbane in the publication of Brisbane City Council entitled,  “A Journey of Creativity and Culture. Creative City - Brisbane City Council’s Cultural Strategy 2003 – 2008.”

Here we have, in the publication, the powerhouse – there is even a place called Powerhouse in Brisbane; more on it soon – of what makes Brisbane tick and shall keep it ticking for as long as the clock ticks and tocks.

“Inspiring a creative Brisbane is a key theme in Council’s  Living In Brisbane 2010 vision and Creative City introduces the next stage in the integration of creativity and culture across Council programs. It includes strategies and actions to enliven the city, facilitate creative thinking, foster social inclusion, build the economy and strengthen local identity....

Creativity is essential in a rapidly changing world. Creativity facilitates new ways of thinking and new ways of solving problems – not only in the arts and cultural fields but in urban development and renewal, in ensuring ecological balance and sustainability, and in the creation of wealth and social cohesion. Creativity requires the ability to think through problems afresh, to discover common threads amongst seemingly disparate influences, to be willing to experiment, to rewrite rules, to visualise new futures and to have the courage to act upon those visions. 

Maximising a city’s creative potential requires certain conditions – the presence of ambition, will, resources, energy and leadership. Successful modern cities are open-minded, flexible, ambitious and able to harness the talent of their regions and beyond. They have the ability to foster strong cultural identity, to develop local, regional and international partnerships and to invest in a dynamic cultural life.  The challenge for Brisbane is to shape its own creative approach and move beyond established practices to new ways of thinking that will enrich the life of the city.” That’s it!

To get to the heart of Brisbane and have a full immersion in its pool of natural attractions and the wonderful products of human creativity, the visitor will need that which makes this city a standard-bearer in excellent planning and the harmonious blend of the natural and the human. That Eternal Radiance is Creativity. In the Council’s journal above, it is called thinking outside the box.

Study the tourists books and pamphlets but think beyond them! Explore.
Some of the places you may visit before or after exploring this city on your own are Brisbane Powerhouse which in addition to being a producer of contemporary performing arts is also  a multi-arts, dining and conference venue. For over thirty years, the building, the derelict power station, was a ghost until the Brisbane City Council breathed life into it. The artistic endowments of Brisbane Powerhouse include but are not exhausted by industrial structures with European flair, raw textures and graffiti walls, the concentration of excellence that earned the building a heritage listing. As a not-for-profit organization, Brisban Powerhouse is owned and supported by Brisbane City Council.

Other must-visit-and-be places in Brisbane are Mt Coot-tha Lookout where you can get a view of Brisbane. All you need is relax as the top Mt Coot-tha brings before you the whole of Brisbane including the skyline of Central Business District (CBD), the distant ranges and the Moreton Bay. The South Bank with its endless stretch of sandy beach reaches from without to the soul with balm. This place is a host to many festivals and fireworks throughout the year. The Culture Centre takes you on the journey of creativity in which at every bend and corner the attunement with the new takes hold of the beholder to a standstill.

You haven’t the fill of Brisbane’s natural attractions if you miss Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, a trip to the Brisbane River from where, as we said, Brisbane got its name which originated from, yes, we know the source already. Wait! Moreton Bay. That soil you are is the same where Brisbane began its story. But don’t say you are not told – the place is huge and enchanting with memory that endures forever with just a taste of it, just a piece of it. At Moreton Bay the visitor can do that which gives joy to imagination by indulging in it. Feeding wild dolphins for example. You can see them walking around like respectable grandmas, greeting you will shaking of the head that could pass for a nod of welcome in Taagalooma Wild Dolphin Resort.

Brisbane is a place you cannot visit in a hurry. It is the case that in eternity, time stands still. All that you have in eternity is the Now into which all that were and shall be are packed. That’s the feeling you get when you are in Brisbane. Every now is a new day. Every encounter is the birth of a new experience. That’s what you get when you visit City Botanic Gardens and walk through the mangroves and from there move to Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha, come down and take a train to Roman Street Parkland and from there to Story Bridge.

Wait! What of the Australian Zoo Brisbane made famous by Steve and Terri Irwin, located in Sunshine Coast? You can’t rush this amazing zoo and so keep them away the ringing and telling phones and other time-talking or shouting and clamouring pieces on you. Some of the demonstrations that make the lip part in wonder and the eyes becoming watery with emotion include crocodile feeding and snake handling, walking animals through the park to give the visitor of paradise in which all live together in peace. They are all conservationists, naturalists and environmentalists, the members of the team in Australia Zoo as you would get it from the horse’s mouth, yes from Steve Irwin.

These places of attraction and the place that is the home to them are a taste of honey. You will never forget them. Yes, Brisbane is a taste of honey.