When going on a visit to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and not wanting to stay in, only close to, the central business district, an ideal convenient area for spending time at is Kangaroo Point. There is so much to see and do at Kangaroo Point that you will really enjoy being in this residential area of Brisbane. Known for its natural beauty with fabulous views of the city, the Brisbane River, and Kangaroo Point cliffs, it is a suburb that attracts people to live in as permanent residents or to spend time at as a semi-resident with a holiday house or apartment. Kangaroo Point also features easy and fast access to the CBD via the famous Story Bridge which has an incredible panoramic view for miles, from the top. As it is so near the CBD, the Highways to the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast are easily accessible as well.
Originally the indigenous Turrbal people lived in Kangaroo Point and it is one of the earliest areas settled in by the British. It is rich in history and character. At the turn of the twentieth century Kangaroo Point had a reputation for many street riots and gangs that were both rowdy and violent.
The Story Bridge
The Story Bridge opened in 1940 and this changed the suburb from a tiny sleepy village to one that was interesting and was now so easy for reaching the CBD. From one end it became a link to Fortitude Valley and at the other end to Woolloongabba and other suburbs in the east.
Now of course if heights don’t bother you it is possible to experience an adventure climb to the top, a distance of eighty metres up. Before a climb takes place you learn all about the Story Bridge’s history and other informative bits of interest on Brisbane that even residents are unaware of. Sunday mornings are popular for an abseil down the Anchor Pier into Captain Burke Park. The thrill of stepping over the edge to scale down a pylon of the bridge for thirty metres is quite a memorable event.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Besides the Story Bridge and Brisbane City Hall, the Kangaroo Point Cliffs are considered iconic status in the townscape of Brisbane. The pink and green stone, which is so distinctive and called Brisbane Tuff, was quarried and used in many of the early Brisbane buildings, and later on for making of roads and kerbs.
Important geological information is now gained from the exposed Brisbane Tuff. The floors of the quarry and cliff ridges have become parks and informal recreation spots. Abseiling and rock climbing enthusiasts enjoy using the cliffs, and you can amble along the riverside walkway and take in the view from a vantage point. The area is popular as a venue for various festivities as well. Next to the River Terrace on top of the cliffs, is a lookout that was erected in 1982 to commemorate seventy five years of scouting in Queensland.
Kangaroo Point is well worth visiting – there really is so many great things to do at Kangaroo Point