Brisbane

Also here is the Sciencentre, an educational fun house with over 100 hands-on, interactive exhibits that delve into life science and technology. — Lonely Planet

On the eastern flank of New Farm Park stands the Powerhouse, a once-derelict power station that’s been superbly transformed into a contemporary arts centre. — Lonely Planet

At the base of Mt Coot-tha, these 52-hectare gardens have a plethora of mini ecologies on display: cactus, bonsai and herb gardens, rainforests, arid zones. — Lonely Planet

This is the best place in Australia to cuddle a koala—and one of the few places where koala cuddling is actually still allowed. — Frommer's

With a roof clad in Mt Isa copper, this lovely blanched-white stone, French Renaissance–style building dates from 1868 and overlooks the City Botanic Gardens. — Lonely Planet

A spectacular sight at night with its floodlit vertical rock face, the 20m Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the southern banks of the Brisbane River offer outdoor climbing and abseiling during the day. — Lonely Planet

Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) prompted the renaissance of a city once considered a cultural wasteland. — Condé Nast Traveler

Convict-built in 1829 on the site of the city's original timber wharf, this was Brisbane's first stone building and remains the oldest occupied one in Queensland. — Fodor's

Crowded out by skyscrapers, Brisbane's lovely old domed Customs House (1889) is so darn aesthetically pleasing it’s hard to imagine it was ever a functional building. — Lonely Planet

The retired naval frigate Diamantina and the steam tug Forceful are the most eyecatching ships at the Maritime Museum. — The Telegraph

This Edwardian baroque edifice overlooking the river stands on the site of military barracks from the original penal settlement, flanked by bronze statuary. — Fodor's