When in Brisbane, do as the locals do: live it up. There's no better way to enjoy this city, Australia's only subtropical capital city- a warm, sunny place which deserves much more than a brief stopover on the way to greener pastures.

Brisbane's long been saddled with a reputation for being a boring country town on the western coast. That is perhaps valid if all you want out of a holiday is high-falutin' entertainment, classy opera, towering old buildings, historic museums and the rest of the works. If you're willing to settle for something different- like all the mangoes you can eat in one sitting, or a warm hug from a cuddly koala- then Brisbane's for you.

The capital of the Sunshine State- Queensland- Brisbane is the epitome of sunshine: warm, friendly, happy-go-lucky. The city curves gracefully around the Brisbane River, its streets lined with mauve-flowering jacaranda and shady palm trees; contemporary steel-and-glass buildings stand cheek-by-jowl next to century-old timbered houses; and koalas rule the roost in the nearby Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the largest in the country. Within the city, a host of art galleries and museums showcase the art and history of the city and the state.

`The City of Sun Days'- how apt. Brisbane's sunniness is legendary, and its warmth is the enduring type which can stay with you long after your vacation's ended.