Omigoshness. I look at Kidspace and think about my childhood spent roller skating across the living…read moreroom in a cramped apartment in Hong Kong and want to cry. We are so lucky in Australia to have so much space to spend on our children. When it comes to parklands, I'm pretty grateful for all the public parks across Brisbane but Kidspace in Chermside really stand out. It's been designed for all ages. There are picnic tables with BBQs and easy access toilets (including disabled facilities). For the older kids there are wide paths for riding, scootering, skating and a half sized tennis court as well. The play area is shaded and there's a great fort suitable for babies, toddlers and younger kids. Southsiders take note: This family friendly park is worth the drive.

The 7th Brigade Park is huge, apparently one of the biggest parks in Brisbane. It runs from Newman…read moreRoad in Geebung, all the way through to Murphy Road and Chermside Shopping Centre. I have only just recently discovered this park is all connected and now I've started walking through the park to the Chermside Library or Shopping Centre. There are two playgrounds or play areas, separated by large sports fields, trees and bicycle and walk paths. At the Newman Road end of the park, there is a playground and exercise equipment, as well as BBQ areas, shelters and lots of space for large groups. There are toilets down this end too. Towards Chermside Shopping Centre, along Murphy Road, there's a huge play area called Kidspace. Kidspace covers an area approximately the size of 5 homes and includes a large undercover play area, electric BBQ's, toilets, shelters, bench tables and seating. There's also a basketball ring and half court and a tennis court with a rebound wall. There is parking at both ends, and the gates to these parking lots are open from 6am to 9pm. A network of shared bicycle/walk paths run throughout the park, and there are exercise stations along the pathway - hurdles, chin ups and sit ups to name a few. 7th Brigade Park is also dog friendly. Dogs are allowed throughout the park and there are a couple of specific off-leash areas for dogs.

This terminal has a history, and is one of the cutest terminals along the Brisbane CityCats' stops…read more Hawthorne Ferry Terminal is another one. There are resident ducks that often hang out here at the old docking space next to the cottage-like terminal, so it's great for the occasional outing with kids. (I have a really soft heart for animals). If you're heading to Oxford St, this is the stop. Just walk off and go several streets down, and once you have reached the Memorial Park area, you're just starting to get into the main Oxford St predicint. There are a few spots to check out along the way: The Jetty Restaurant just off the terminal, Stalks and Stems for flowers/gift items, Bellissimo Coffee to name a few. There are also a few historical buildings in Bulimba - just look for the history information markers. Also the Riverwalk is just a stone throw away (starting just at the yellow posts in front of the Jetty. It's not a very long Riverwalk -- it takes you direct to a park where you can find a few covered picnic tables, playground, and a fenced dog park. You could continue the Riverwalk beyond for several meters (and walk the small pier). There are rumours that this terminal may be temporarily shut down for renovations in the near future, to add a bigger terminal ramp (?).

You know what I love about my memories here, the fact that when I first drove up this mountain to…read morethe lookout with a friend, he said to me, 'remember the blair witch project? This drive is going to be just like that'. Oh secret yay! Okay. Freaked me out? Yes. Similarities? Totally! This place seems crappy to drive up (compared to the spectacular views driving up Mt Cootha), but once you get up there, the view is very very pretty. Pretty awesome. You can even look across and see the other of the 2 lookouts in Brisbane. There have been stabbings up here late at night to early in the mornings (time yet to be determined) but if you ignore that, the people who shout (usually the young ones) the people trying to get it on (don't know why) and the hustle and bustle of a secluded hilltop, the view is breathtaking. It's not as popular which means, not so many people as well, always able to find a park, most of the time. There is a good riding path for intermediate to advance riders and it will definetely be a workout walking up here, why would you? If you're into views and mountains, check it out.

I remember driving up to Mt Gravatt Lookout about ten years ago prepared to admire the scenic city…read moreviews but scurrying away after some drunk bogans in a couple of utes shouted derogatory comments. It was so disappointing that the lookout was an abandoned cesspit inhabited only by derros at night. How times have changed. These days Mt Gravatt Lookout is a busy cycling track in the mornings. The 2km ascent is a decent work out for most experienced riders and not insurmountable for beginners. The entrance to the reserve starts at the end of Shire Road which turns off Logan Road. While there are some safe walking tracks along the reserve, it is unsuitable for runners. Furthermore the roads, which are narrow and winding, are shared by cyclists and cars. Be sure to pack a picnic basket if you want to take your time and bask in the panoramic views of the Brisbane CBD, Mt Coother and even the Glass House Mountains (on a clear day). If you don't feel like BYO, at the top of Mt Gravatt Lookout is a wonderful restaurant called Echidna Magic. I didn't get the chance to try it on my last visit but it's definitely on my list of restaurants to try. The view from this restaurant is amazing and it looks family friendly with an attached playground and the native education gardens. I'll be sure to write another review once I've experienced the Echidna Magic but so far Mount Gravatt Lookout is a five out of five.

I'm sure that not a lot of people get the time to remember that Anzac Square is actually a war…read morememorial. Most people are too busy using it as a shortcut from Adelaide to Ann St and vice versa - including myself. Which does make me feel a little bit sad. It was named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (known as the ANZACs) and was a memorial built for the men and women who fought overseas. It was officially opened on Armistice Day, 1930. At the top of the Square, almost at Ann Street, is the Shrine of Remembrance, which houses the "Eternal Flame of Remembrance" which, in its bronze urn, never goes out. Each of the 18 columns around the shrine represents the 18 years of peace we had after World War I. And the bottle trees in the park are to commemorate Queensland Light Horse Regiments, which served in South Africa's Boer War (1899-1902), while palm trees are actually Middle Eastern Date Palms and they were planted to celebrate Australia's success in the Middle East during both World Wars. And, of course, each year on Anzac Day (25 April), there's a dawn service held at the Shrine of Remembrance and in the Square itself.

What a beautiful, well maintained park and memorial in the center of the CBD, the world let alone…read moreBrisbane needs more of these type of public spaces. Both offering a shady, comfortable spot to relax, eat lunch, take in the greenery ( I say that cause apart from the botanical gardens there isn't enough of it about, and the scenery beyond the memorial's grassy borders is just cbd highrises and office blocks) and most importantly remember those who had past fighting for our country. One of my first memories of this place was on Anzac day 1997 when I, as primary school vice captain was asked to join in a remembrance ceremony in this square along with other representatives from schools all over Brisbane. I remember standing there on that central path hearing the trumpets sound and staring across the space admiring the statues and boab trees and eagerly waiting in anticipation to not only see the eternal flame and pay my respects but to shake John Howard's hand and recite the words 'lest we forget' - It was a beautiful moment for me and it cemented the significance of what this place represents in my heart and mind forever. Unfortunately at night this place on occasion, for some disrespectful people loses its significance and is tainted by acts of drunken or disrespectful behavior and vandalism - So I would suggest steering clear of it later in the evening and I hope that sooner rather than later that negative aspect of Anzac square passes.

I love the fact that the Go Between Bridge was named after the amazing awesome band The Go…read moreBetweens. That is right, it is named after a band not because it helps you "go between" places, although it certainly does this as well. The Go Betweens were an indie rock group that formed in Brisbane and if you haven't heard them then you should definitely check them out. The Go Between Bridge is a toll bridge. Whenever I see the word toll bridge my brain always reads troll bridge instead. While the bridge will certainly steal your money it won't actually clobber you with a club or anything like that. The best way to pay your toll is to invest in one of those gadgets that you stick in the inside of your windscreen. It will register and beep as the toll is collected and you almost don't have to think about it. The bridge itself is most useful to avoid traffic (especially at peak hour) and makes travelling from the south side to the western suburbs and inner city that little bit easier. It is also has a pedestrian and cyclist path as well. Because I am cheap, I tend not to use the Go Between Bridge unless I really have to but when I do it is always a breeze.

How does one give a bridge 5 stars? I mean, I can see someone who helped build the thing getting…read morepassionately proud, but to the rest of us it's not particularly an exciting topic. (Just in case, I googled "bridge appreciation" and can't find any societies of bridge fetishists. I'm not saying they're not out there, but not in dangerous numbers.) Well, this bridge manages to get 5 stars based on some traffic advantages. (That seems a sensible gauge. Who likes traffic?) My regular route of driving from Musgrave Road to West End is now cut short to a ridiculous extent. During rush hour, it'll take about a quarter of the time to use The Go Between Bridge as compared to the traditional winding back-street crawl towards its alternatives. The bridge's name was decided by a website competition ("Name That Bridge") in reference to Brisbane-based indie rock band The Go-Betweens. After this was revealed as the winner there was a lot of naysaying from some crowds, but I like it. It's a band but as a bridge it's also a go-between! (Yes, a terrible joke: I think it's my father speaking through me.) Finished in mid-2010, the bridge has proven to be a handy little traffic avoidance. You should buy the e-tag thing, or you pay a mandatory image processing fee of $0.47 per trip. Then you receive the unpaid toll notice charge in the mail, which is $6.50. The first unpaid toll notice reminder shoots it up to $13.35 and so on. So get the e-tag, unless you're rich or lazy. And that's okay.

A great bridge. Would bridge again…read more Traffic across is fine both ways in the morning, can get a bit congested going from South Brisbane to the City in the evening, particularly if there is an event on at the Suncorp Stadium. But it's free, and generally about as quick as the Go-Between (which is about $2.50 I think). Why go anywhere else for your bridging needs?

I think the William Jolly Bridge is one of my favourites in Brisbane. It is quite beautiful with…read moreits steel framed and cement arches. It is a product of Brisbane in the 1930s and has that old school, art deco charm and sophistication about it. It is a classy structure to look at, unlike some of the more modern monstrosities around (I am looking at you Kurilpa Bridge with your mess of cables). William Jolly opened in 1932 and was originally just known as the Grey Street Bridge. It connects Grey street in South Brisbane to Roma Street in the city. You can choose to either drive, walk or cycle across William Jolly but I have only driven. It has two lanes of traffic in either direction but this still gets congested during peak hour. The Go Between Bridge is close by and since this toll bridge opened it has eased traffic a little on William Jolly. Still for those of us too cheap to pay a toll, William Jolly is a lovely drive.

The Brisbane Riverwalk is one of the cities real gems. Not really a tourist destination, it's just…read morea great place to go for a jog with a few friends.

The Brisbane Riverwalk is now infamous for floating away during the 2011 Brisbane Floods and…read moresections of it having to be taken upstream by tugboats in order for it not to cause damage to the bridges downstream. So unless you can walk on water, the Brisbane Riverwalk just is not as functional as it used to be. Never fear however because there are still sections that are undamaged and there will be a brand new Riverwalk built in the near future. The Brisbane River really is the lifeblood of the city and having a walkway for cyclists and pedestrians was fantastic. You can check out the new design of the rebuild on the Brisbane City Council Website if you are curious as to what it will look like in the future. There is a $75 million dollar budget to rebuild the New Farm part of the Brisbane Riverwalk so hopefully they will come up with something good and flood proof for that amount.

What an intricate, eye-catching bridge. It's so mesmerizing any time of the day. Plus, when walking…read moreover it, you are amazed at the sights of the city and the height of the bridge. It's definitely similar to the London Bridge. At night time, it's visible from so many different areas and so picturesque. During the day, it's filled with noises of cars and little foot traffic. But the walking paths going both directions and on top and beneath the bridge, make it accessible to walk over it. Definitely a must when visiting Brisbane!

Opened in 1940 the Story Bridge is the longest cantilever bridge in Australia. It connects…read moreFortitude Valley to Kangaroo Point (I've been fortunate to live in both for some time). Ironically, for many residents of Kangaroo Point the small ferries and CityCat boats are nowadays a more convenient ways to get to downtown than this bridge, which is part of a highway shuttling people from southern neighborhoods to the north. Best part of the Bridge, for me, is that it lights up every night, often in a specific color commemorating an event. For example, on 14/11/17 it was lit in rainbow colours in recognition of the Yes vote .