Inspired by their performance at the opening ceremony of this year’s Commonwealth Games, I soon after booked tickets to watch the Bangarra Dance company perform at Queensland’s Performing Arts Complex (QPAC). Months later and it’s time to head to Brisbane to make good those tickets.
First leg of the journey takes us to Robina Train Station. Combine my love of trains with the costly price of parking in Brisbane and lately, we have found travelling to Brisbane by train a great option.
Where we stayed
We have booked an apartment (The Ivy and Eve) and located as it is a block west of QPAC, it means everything we need– the CBD, QPAC and Brisbane’s South Bank are within easy walking distance. The one bedroom, absolutely fully self-contained apartment on arrival appears to be brand spanking new and makes the $140 per night charge appear extremely reasonable.
There’s not much time between check-in and the performance start time so following a quick lunch we head towards the huge concrete monstrosity that is QPAC. Along the way, having done some quick research I regale Darryl with interesting facts like – in the 1840’s this South Bank was once the CBD area of Brisbane. In 1883, due to severe flooding, it was relocated to its current position.
Bangarra Dance Company
Founded 29 years ago, Bangarra Dance Company is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation and one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies. In their words, their “dance technique is forged from over 65,000 years of culture.” Today’s performance is Dark Emu – a seventy-minute piece of work based on Bruce Pascoe’s book of the same name. This book puts forward in award-winning detail, the argument that Indigenous Australians practiced cultivated food production and housing construction at the time of colonisation – that the hunter-gatherer myth was a convenient lie. While I find myself rapt for the entire seventy-minute performance, Darryl beside me fights off boredom. It’s the last time I will take him to a dance performance.
With our daughter Paige now living and studying in Brisbane, that evening we meet up at South Banks Spaghetti House and feast on delicious Italian food washed down with a glass or two of rose.
Day Two – River Cruising
We awaken to a day of hot sunshine and after a hearty breakfast of crumpets and coffee, head out to explore the surrounding area. West End is conveniently close and it’s the first time either of us has visited this quirky laid-back suburb. From here we head towards the river and our arrival coincides with that of a River Hopper. These Hoppers or small boats ply the area between North Quay and Sydney Street and are totally free. One can just jump on or off or do as we did – stay onboard and just admire the passing scenery. At times Darryl gets inundated with more titbits – for example, did he know that the Storey Bridge we are currently floating under has a twin, an exact replica that lives in Montreal Canada? Or, was he aware that during WW2, due to its strategic location to Japan, Brisbane harbour was the busiest submarine harbour in the whole WORLD?
The afternoon is spent browsing Queen St Mall, which was, surprisingly, back in 1827, home to a multi-story convict barracks housing over 1000 inmates.
Day Three
After another night in our gleaming apartment, we awaken to an overcast day with rain clouds threatening. The Brisbane Museum of Modern Art (Moma) is nearby and thus the morning is spent exploring its innards. As it is actually between exhibits at the moment, the visit is pretty disappointing. That afternoon, well-fortified by city life and culture, my Fitbit showing ample steps it’s time to farewell Brisbane and hop back on the train. And yes, that humble but delicious Australian icon called the lamington does originate here. It was created in 1900 at Old Government House for Lord and Lady Lamington.
