Brisbane — home to delectable cuisine, exciting outdoor adventure, stunning beaches, hip bars and restaurants, and a giant Ferris wheel. With so much excitement in it, and the fact that you keep coming back for more, you’d think that you’ve seen and done it all, right? Not exactly.
From extreme sports, to sunbaking, to arts and crafts, there’s definitely loads to do in Brisbane. But if you’re looking for something that’s a little more out-of-the-box, good old Brissy has a quirky side that few know of. Want in on the fun? Check out some of our favourites:
Playing with Giants
We’re not talking about really big people here, believe it or not the giants are the actual games. Imagine the mischievous fun of assembling crude words in scrabble, except everyone else can have a laugh at the gigantic letters.
On the last Thursday of each month, the Brisbane City Council in association with Sinousity, turns the King George Square into one big fest of enormous board games and massive fun. They have everything from Uno to Scrabble, Yahtzee, Monopoly, chequer, and even a massive chessboard. While you won’t be able to ride and move the chess pieces with magic like in the Harry Potter series, you’ll still have loads of fun and a little exercise moving the pieces across the board.
No need to wait for a blackout, or when the Internet goes down, or while camping, or during downtimes on holiday to play. It’s great big fun for the whole family and your best mates. If travelling solo, Game Night is an awesome way to meet new friends and have quirky fun.
Roll with the Pros
If you’ve ever been inspired by the queens of Kansas City Bombers (1972), or Whip It (2009) if you were too young for the first movie, then your dreams of becoming a roller derby queen can come to reality. Whether you’re in it for fitness or you just want to try a sport that’s a little out of the box, the Sun State Roller Girls can help you achieve just that.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been skating since you could walk, or if you’ve never touched a pair of roller skates in your life, the ladies at SSRG can train students at all skill and fitness levels. Don’t worry about not being good at it right from the bat. SSRG promotes empowerment, personal growth, health, and well-being in a safe space with warm, friendly people.
To gear up with the girls, you will need quad skates, a helmet, mouthguard, elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads. While SSRG does have a few second-hand safety gear available for loan, stocks are limited and aren’t guaranteed. The good news is you don’t have to start with top of the line equipment since they can get quite expensive. Just ask your local store about Fresh Meat packs – they’ll have all the equipment you need and are more cost-effective when you’re a beginner.
Have a Futuristic Nap
Smack bang at the Brisbane CBD’s Queen Street Mall, where convenience with style is the main offering. Feast your eyes and rest your heads in the technological wonderland of the Next Hotel with tablets, downloadable apps, and all other bells and whistles. The hotel itself is impressive in modern design and impeccable service. Couple that with a handy little device that lets you control the air conditioning, order room service, turn on the telly, and so much more, and you get a high tech experience making you feel like a boss. The fact that you have access to four mini-bar items per day doesn’t hurt either.
While staying in a techy hotel is awesome, you’re probably thinking that it’s not quirky enough for this list. What gives the Next Hotel that quirky edge is its futuristic sleeping pods in the In Transit Zone. Perfectly crafted for a comfortable nap, it’s the best place to get a quick shut eye before your flight.
Whether you want to play with the giants, roll with the queens, or sleep like you’re in the future, there’s so much to see and do in Brissy to feed your quirky desires. You’re going to want to stay for more than a weekend so make sure you book your Brisbane car hire and accommodations before you head out. Happy Travels!
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
