|
by Jodi Panayotov
Eight of Brisbane's best family friendly bike rides dispel the idea that there's no such thing as fun for all the family:
Boondall Wetlands
An adventure ride of around 7-8km return through marshlands, paper bark forests and waterholes, this has some gentle hills, narrow bridges and plenty of winding trails so is best suited to those with some riding skills. While there are no on site options for refreshment breaks, Nudgee Beach foreshore park is a short hike by bike or car up the road and Nudgee Beach has a quaint little cafe. For older children and those with lashings of stamina this ride can be linked to Toombul via Kedron Brook. Park the car in the back streets behind Toombul Shopping Centre and take the exposed other worldly pathway all the way to Boondall, a ride of about 25 km return.
Red Hill Newmarket
This easy shady 6-7km return ride starts at popular local Woolcock Park and loosely follows Ithaca Creek (home to turtles, eels and ducks), passing through wooded glades, and grassy parklands, picnic spots and playgrounds on its winding way to the bushland of Banks St Reserve in Newmarket. About half way along is a little dirt trail bike circuit perfect for little ones to hone their Evel Knievel skills and except for one brief stint on a quiet suburban road, it is exclusive and traffic free. Finish with the lure of a picnic or barbecue and play in Woolcock Park on return.
Carindale Minnippi Parklands
A delightful green belt ride of about 9km skirting Bulimba Creek, this one starts in the back streets of Carindale, passing by the shopping mall and culminating at the spectacular Minnippi Parklands, which those with energy still to burn can circumnavigate before returning. Mostly flat except for the odd gentle slope, this is another well shaded ride along a wide concrete path that passes through scenic wooded glades, meadows, quaint wooden bridges and with an excellent playground as a halfway reward. The parklands themselves are an oasis of lotus covered lagoons, bird watching platforms, windy paths, picnic amenities and a quirky aerodrome themed playground.
Wynnum Manly
Following a sea front path all the way from Oyster Point Wynnum to the Manly Marina, this flat ride of about 10km return is scenic, mostly shady, road-less and full of interest points for children. On the way through the picturesque cotton treed parklands of the foreshore there are playgrounds, a water park, tidal pool and tiny sandy beach as well as multiple picnic and barbecue spots. Manly's foreshore park has a pool with water slides and on the nearby jetty, the Jetty Kiosk is a child friendly spot for an ice-cream or lunch.
Mitchelton Alderley
This partially exposed easy ride of about 8km return has something of a rural flavour as it begins at Mitchelton's Teralba Park and tracks Kedron Brook through remnant farmlands littered with cows and disused machinery as well as the odd sculpture and plaque to families that once worked the land. There are no roads to cross and the 'halfway' turning point is Alderley's popular Grinstead Park with its mega fort, frog colony and play things for all ages.
Scarborough Newport
As a bike ride for children, this one is best started at Jamieson Park at the far northern sea front tip of Scarborough and from there is about an easy 7km return waterfront trip to Newport, with one car park road to cross. The path, which s fairly exposed all the way, winds around an isthmus, a caravan park and Morgan's Seafood before joining the sea front again all the way to Newport. What it lacks in play equipment and shade it makes up for with exclusivity and Glass House Mountain views. Little Jamieson Park (and playground) is a charming spot for a post-ride picnic otherwise Reef Point Café by the caravan park is child friendly. On the way back stop by Scarborough Park for a cotton tree climb.
Sandgate Shorncliffe
This easy scenic ride of about 6km return follows the historical foreshore of Sandgate along the waterfront and all the way around the cliff base to the Shorncliffe Jetty. On the way it passes by stunning Queenslanders from its hey day as a seaside resort, through picnic grounds and playgrounds that are scattered along the sea front. Then it culminates in a jaunt along the heritage listed jetty and a beachfront play at Lower Moora Park which is also home to state of the art barbecue facilities and picnic pavilions.
Bribie Island Foreshore
Make a day of it with this idyllic beachfront jaunt less than an hour from Brisbane city. Starting by the protected waters of sea village Bongaree, the easy, flat protected ride of about 7km return winds its way along the shoreline via a myriad of parks, picnic and fishing spots and a boardwalk through a bird hide. Pack a picnic, dine beachfront at Blue Anchorage café bistro and bar or otherwise there's an on-water kiosk at the turning point of the ride at Sylvan Beach.
© Must Do Brisbane
  hot suburban coffee
by Jodi Panayotov
Brisbane's suburbs, once places of fear and loathing for serious coffee drinkers, are now home to a new crop of espresso joints that would be right at home in the inner city. But, fortunately for the locals, they choose not to be.
Sprouting at a rate faster than you can say 'single origin', some of the locations where they can be found are the least expected yet all are run by passionate coffee types who know their beans. Here is a sample of nine of the best:
Dandelion and Driftwood
Another north side success story, Dandelion and Driftwood stands in a gold class of its own. The brainchild of master roaster Peter Wolff (who has mentored some of Brisbane's best coffee roasters) and his partner Penny, the exquisite coffee comes served with an air of finesse and its own calling card.
Slinky Espresso
Looking as if it accidentally got beamed onto the edge of Fairfield Gardens, local coffee nuts have been thanking their lucky stars that it did, providing a happy alternative to shopping mall coffee hell. The beans at Slinky are Genovese and all handled by trained in-house baristas.
Qwerk Espresso
For the best coffee in Wilston, head a couple of blocks south of the village to an old converted shop on a leafy corner. Under its awnings a cluster of bods sit perched on mismatching furniture and inside the tattooed baristas keep the Genovese coffee flowing and indulge their creativity with artworks on the crema.
Dudley St Espresso
While Annerley shopping centre businesses come and go, this funky little espresso house festooned with collectables for sale has become firmly entrenched as a community hub. Locals gather for the ambience, service and the reliably good coffee and leave with the odd Ansett ANA poster or pith helmet.
Elixir
Since setting up a roastery and on site coffee lounge in a light industrial neighbourhood dominated by smash repairs, Elixir has been the success story of the north side, with its Italian style beans the coffee de jour of many a great cafe around town. Owned by brothers whose parents set up the first Italian coffee roastery in Brisbane at the Valley's Cosmopolitan, Elixir coffee runs in the blood.
Has Beans
There's nothing has been about this psychedelic little coffee nook at one end of a Camp Hill shopping centre. Campos coffee is the order of the day and it's made by expert hands. Well worth making a detour for.
Bang Coffee Bar
An outpost off Old Cleveland Rd, Bang is the East side's go-to spot for West End's BlackStar fair trade coffee, which is also sold by the bag here. A side of novelty to the coffee-drinking is the in-house petrol pump turned drinks fridge and the Campbell soup can light fittings.
Bean on Dean
New kid on the block in a cluster of old shops atop a hill in Toowong, industrial chic coffee lounge Bean is the area's best kept secret, but not for long. The Campos coffee here is served taste and picture perfect as its surrounds every time.
Grindhouse Specialty Coffee
Like all the best things in life, Grindhouse is tricky to find, tucked away down an alleyway between a bunch of Stones Corner shops, but the reward for looking is some of the best coffee on this side of town. A hessian bagged ceiling keeps things real and cosy as does the art that makes random appearances, the service is mega friendly and the beans are their own signature blend from Supreme Roasters.
© Must Do Brisbane
good gift shopping
When the occasion calls for a unique original gift these Brisbane gift shops rise to the occasion. Read more »
designs on recycled fashion
Designer fashion can be found at a fraction of the price at these preloved and outlet boutiques. Read more »
best kids parks in brisbane
Brisbane's best children's parks are putting the fun back into child's play. Read more »
day tripping in scarborough
Take time out at this scenic seaside village with great eats, walks and parks and that was once home to three world famous musicians. Read more »
a markets revival
For an ever growing flock of Brisbane shoppers weekends mean market time, whether it be organic, flea, farmer's, ethnic, fashion, eco or community. Read more »
dog's day out
Every dog may have its day but not many get to have a day out so here are seven great day trips for dogs and their companions. Read more »
waterfront dining
Waterfront dining is no longer an oxymoron, thanks to these Brisbane establishments where the waterfront and decent food happily coexist.
Read more » (also published in the Brisbane Times)
brisbane city secrets
Behind the facades of Brisbane's city buildings are a side to Brisbane nobody ever sees historical places and relics that range from the beautiful to the macabre. Read more »
day tripping in samford
The picturesque village of Samford may be tiny but with fabulous cafes, a tapas bar, parks, rail trails, a historical pub, markets and a museum there's plenty to fill a day. Read more »
a fine vintage
Like the best things in life good vintage is hard to find, but here are some Brisbane vintage boutiques that make it a whole lot easier. Read more »
go bush in the city
You don't have to travel far to find Brisbane's best bushwalks, all of which are unique in their own way. Read more »
(also published in The Brisbane Times)
great second hand book shops in brisbane
From rare, antiquarian, out-of-print, niche genre books to classics or pulp fiction, Brisbane's second hand book shops have it covered. Read more »
breakfast abroad in brisbane
Breakfast may have a reputation for being the most boring meal of the day, but some Brisbane eateries beg to differ. Read more »
(also published in The Brisbane Times)
day tripping in wynnum
Wynnum's summer temperatures may be several degrees cooler than Brisbane central but there are plenty more reasons to visit this charming seaside village. Read more »
about must do brisbane
What
Must Do Brisbane is the guide for discerning Brisbane residents and visitors who believe that life's too short to eat bad food, drink bad coffee, shop exclusively in malls, watch endless TV or waste time searching the web for what the alternatives might be.
Be it where to eat and drink, take a walk, a bike ride, see a show, shop, visit a gallery or a market, take in some history, entertain the children or roam with the dog, we have Brisbane covered, with over 1500 pages or three years of fabulous things to do and see, all tried and tested independently and anonymously by us.
Know where to find the Cypriot cheesemaker who sells from a factory in his house, the secret suburban boutique selling pre-loved Vivienne Westwood, the drive-in you can take the dog to or the coffee lounge in an air raid shelter? How about the latest laneway wine bars, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr's fave Brisbane restaurant in the hills or the BYO food beer den? Or fifty great budget places to eat out with children that don't start with Mc or Hungry, the best 15 family bike rides and the city's only Polish market? We do and they're all on the site along with plenty more gems where they came from.
How
Every week, rain, hail or humidity we trawl the streets of inner and outer Brisbane, on foot, bike, public transport (when we can afford it) and car, leaving no stone unturned and no tunnel un-burrowed to find the great stuff we know is out there, before reviewing and categorizing it so it's all only 2 clicks away. For the easily bored, this means new things are added to the site all the time.
Why
As a totally independent, non-government, no kick-back, no cash for comment website MDB is a bit unusual (and possibly a bit troppo) but what motivates us is a love for our city and an unwavering keenness to share all of the great things we keep finding out there.
When
We (one Editor and writer and a small posse of back-up creative pals) have been doing this for nearly three years now although it took us that long to hand craft and build the Must Do Brisbane website, which was launched in a secret Must Do location in late 2011 and went live shortly after.
Who
I'm Jodi Panayotov, the creator, editor and writer of Must Do Brisbane and in a past life a flight attendant, intrepid world traveller, author and freelance writer. I was born and fled from Brisbane at a tender age when it was illegal to walk five abreast in the street and in recent years I've returned to reacquaint myself with a city that bore almost no resemblance to the one I left.
I'm also a member of the Brisbane Times Bloggers Army so from time to time features from this site appear in Brisbane Times online. And I'm also lucky enough to be a sometime blogger for Gram Magazine, the new Brisbane café culture foodies mag which has just hit our streets fresh from its success in Melbourne.
While after checking out thousands of Brisbane places and things to do, I think I know a fair bit about the place, there's always a lot more to learn, so please send in any suggestions of great places and things to do if you don't see them on the site.
• Send your Brisbane events & suggestions here »
|
art_design_store_pg.jpg "Go to (M) Art & Design »")
