Living in Brisbane
Employment whilst in Australia
Food and shopping
Brisbane is the State capital of Queensland, with a population of approximately 1.6 million people. The region enjoys a sub-tropical climate with temperatures reaching the high 30s in the summer and the mid 20s in winter. With most days being bright and sunny, you have to be unlucky to experience a rainy day in Brisbane.
The city itself is a mix of modern architecture and heritage buildings. Visitors to Brisbane can stroll along its many leafy streets, riverside walkways and parklands, while still only being a short distance from the lively city centre. Shopping, entertainment, sporting facilities, dining, art galleries and theatres are all within easy reach by public transport.
Getting around the city couldn't be easier with bus, train and ferry services readily available. The CityCat (ferry service) is one of the best ways to see Brisbane - it's cheap, offers frequent services and provides excellent views of the city.
Brisbane is within an hours drive from both the Sunshine Coast and the world-famous Gold Coast, with its miles of golden beaches and excellent surfing conditions. The Gold Coast is also home to exciting theme parks such as Dreamworld, Seaworld, Warner Brother's Movie World and Wet and Wild.
To the east of the Brisbane, visitors and residents can easily access the beautiful waters of Moreton Bay, where fishing and sailing activities are plentiful.
To the west, picturesque country drives await the traveller. Brisbane has a domestic and international airport, making for easy travel around Australia and New Zealand. With daily flights to every major city in Australia, visitors can use Brisbane as their base to access some of the country's most popular destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns.
Employment whilst in Australia
International students are allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week on student visas. However, competition is high, so be prepared to accept casual employment in any area.
Food and shopping
Brisbane and Queensland prides itself on having a multicultural society. As such, there are many types of foods and restaurants available including Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian and European. Restaurant prices vary from approximately $6 for a first course to $15 and upwards for a main meal.
Familiar ingredients for home cooking are also readily available in specialist markets and stalls.
Grocery stores and supermarkets are open 7 days a week, most with a 9.00pm closing time Monday to Friday.
Other stores, such as clothing outlets, have business hours of 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday with extended hours on certain weeknights. Saturday and Sunday trading hours are similar to those during the week, although many shops will close earlier.
To find out more about Brisbane, visit the Our Brisbane website.
Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE CRICOS provider code - 02007K
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