At the multi venue Queensland Cultural Centre South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Art Gallery are all there as well. Surrounding the centre are gardens planted with lush sub-tropical plants, developed and maintained by The Plant Management Company. The gardens are well looked after and the public is allowed access to wander through them at leisure. Throughout the centre there are restaurants and cafes, as well as bookshops and other facilities.
Nearby to the Cultural Centre in the same building, are the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s new radio and television headquarters and The Queensland Symphony Orchestra. This centre is also the home of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
The South Bank is a hive of activity from the existence of bars, restaurants, swimming pools, parklands and many paths for long walks. A pedestrian and bicycle bridge, the Kurilpa Bridge, was completed in 2009 as another amenity for the area.
Queensland Art Gallery
Formerly, the Queensland Art Gallery was known as the Queensland National Art Gallery. This gallery moved many times and settled in its present location at the Queensland Cultural Centre, South Bank during 1982. There is 4,700 square metres of viewing and display space that is inclusive of a water mall, water sculptures, fountains, gardens and an outdoor area.
The Queensland Art Gallery has a fine permanent collection on show, made up mostly of Australian and European artists. There is a range of Australian artworks ranging from 1840 until the 1970’s showcased, and the whole of the first floor is devoted to works by masters, including the works of Arthur Boyd, George Lambert, Sir Sydney Nolan and William Dobell.
The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
The huge contemporary design of the building housing the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art that opened in December 2006 is a mix of concrete, wood and brushed steel and well lit with natural light. The exhibition Halls showcase the Art of Australians from back in the 1970’s up to modern times with a variety of media and changing exhibitions. You see video, film, sculpture, photography and painting all alongside each other. The Australian Cinematheque has two cinemas and a children’s Art Centre in the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. This gives children an opportunity to interact with the galleries collection. The centre is complete with onsite cafes for resting and enjoying the sights of river activity and views of the city.
The Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum originally opened in 1862 and after many homes moved to the Queensland Cultural Centre during 1986. Besides the main museum there is also a permanent science exhibition, Sciencentre. Suitable for children of all ages, including adults, it plays a role of educating people of new developments occurring in the science world. Among the many exhibits on show in the museum, is the little plane flown by Queensland’s Bert Hinkler solo from England to Australia in 1928.
