Lathams News: KANGAROO POINT IN BRISBANE AT SUNSET...

Our time in Brissie has been pretty hectic with babysitting our grandchildren and looking after house hold chores and cooking at Chloe's whilst she is couch bound with her foot, so it was nice to escape for a couple of hours late in the afternoon to take a stroll along the river front at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane..

Kangaroo Point is located directly east across the Brisbane River from the Brisbane CBD. It is actually situated on a peninsula formed of harder rhyolite rock which the Brisbane River flows around, and it is this rock which makes the rock climbing in this area very popular...

The northern tip of this peninsular is connected to the central business district and the suburb of Fortitude Valley by the very iconic Story Bridge. The landscape of Kangaroo Point is predominantly high rise apartments towards the tip of the peninsula while the southern end is predominantly low-medium apartments and old Queenslander type house.

Party boat in action.

Few other suburbs in Brisbane can match Kangaroo Point fir its views and natural beauty. Standing atop of these ancient cliffs, you get unmasked views of the river, city and mountains and it really does show the city at it's very best, whether it is the sun rising in the morning or setting in the afternoon and then the magnificent city skyline as it lights up in the evening.

We drove into the city during peak hour traffic, probably not the best time of day to go but initially we took a walk on the upper level of the cliffs looking down onto the river.

After wandering along the upper bank we headed for the car to drive down and park on the lower level so that we could wander along the river's edge.

This bottom level was a hive of activity with so many people riding and exercising along this stretch of the river...

There were lots of people setting up to abseil the cliffs.

Arriving at the foot of the cliffs we were greeted by beautiful parklands, bikeways, playgrounds, and lovely riverside picnic and barbecue spots. The artwork and sculptures along the river bank were very impressive... they were installed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of World Expo 88 by the Brisbane City Council.

The "Man and Matter" series consists of 12 steel sculptures installed along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs Boardwalk. They were originally commissioned for the riverside promenade of Brisbane's World Expo 88. Referencing the World Expo 88 theme of "Leisure in the Age of Technology", the sculptor Cole, considers the relationship between humans and technology through simple visual symbology and the redressing of the traditional limitations of sculpture. The iconic red figures are a lasting homage to the World Expo and also a recognition of Brisbane's advancement into the 21st century. The artwork apparently have recently been restored as part of the Council's artwork restoration and relations work fo the 30th anniversary.

It was quite spectacular to be on the river bank as the city lit up. It is almost like fairyland. We should make more of an effort to drive into Southbank to appreciate it more often. It is only the parking that stops us. It really was a lovely way for us to finish the day.

On our way back to the car, we walked along the bike way below the beautiful rhyolite cliffs which were lit up with lots of tiny lights which allows climbers to climb these cliffs at night... Surprisingly there were a heap of guys climbing the cliffs, and lots of folks on bikes zooming along. Wouldn't want to get in their way...

There was a little lookout onto the river just beyond where our car was parked, so we walked out onto it to take one last look at the city all lit up before heading heading home... I am so glad that we made the effort to drive into the city, even in the crazy traffic, because this time spent together wandering along the river bank was just want we needed after a hectic few weeks...