About Brisbane
The Internet Class is hosted by The Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies , at the St. Lucia Campus of The University of Queensland .
The venue for the three day class is the University of Queensland Graduates & Staff Club, 41 Staff House Road, UQ Campus, St. Lucia. More details about the class venue are available on the program page.
If you are interested in participating in the class and are not from Brisbane, click on these links for more information about Brisbane , in particular visa arrangements for international visitors, transport , accommodation , eating out and other helpful information , such as child care facilities, conversion rates, and rental car companies.
Brisbane is Australia's third largest city with a population of 1.5 million, and is the state capital of Queensland. It is a friendly, but cosmopolitan city with a laid-back attitude to life, good street cafe scene, world-class entertainment, cultural facilities, and a lively nightlife.
- About Brisbane
- Transport
- Accommodation
- Eating out in Brisbane
- Other Helpful Information (including Childcare )
- Visas
About Brisbane
Located in south-east Queensland, Brisbane is situated 25km upstream from the mouth of the Brisbane River. The central business district features a number of public parks and squares, the heart of the city being the two-block Queen Street Mall, a pedestrian shopping precinct. The city centre is connected by bridge or cross-river ferry to South Brisbane and the Cultural Centre which features the Performing Arts Complex , with its four major performance spaces, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum and the State Library of Queensland . It is also the stopping off point for the Southbank Parklands : 16 hectares of parks, playgrounds, restaurants, and an artificial sandy beach (patrolled), all set in lush tropical gardens.
For visitors arriving by bus, train or airport shuttle, the Brisbane Transit Centre is 500 metres from the city centre, and connected to the city's extensive suburban rail and bus network. The airport is located 15 kms north of the city.
Want to know whether to bring your bathing suit or an overcoat? Check out the forecasts on the Bureau of Meteorology website, or the table of average temperatures (Brisbane's average minimum/maximums are 19°C - 29°C for December).
Brisbane offers a wide range of entertainment options, and shopping - Brisbane City Life offers an online guide to what's on.
Helpful Links- Brisbane Stories is a community website that provides information, history and other material about certain Brisbane suburbs.
- The Brisbane City Council website contains information about all Brisbane suburbs, as well as details about council services and transport.
- Lonely Planet gives a tourist's-eye view of Brisbane.
- Whereis Online provides you with access to online maps for Brisbane, Queensland and other cities/areas in Australia. To locate the University of Queensland on this site you need to put Sir Fred Schonnell Drive, St Lucia, QLD into the search engine. The University of Queensland Campus is situated in area at the bend of the river from the end of Sir Fred Schonnell Drive.
- To locate various areas at UQ please visit the University of Queensland Map site and select the St. Lucia Campus. Links through to the venue for the Internet class are available on the program page.
Transport
A taxi from Brisbane airport to the city and the Stamford Plaza costs around $A25; to Toowong (where additional conference accommodation is) or the UQ St Lucia campus about $A35. Both the campus and the suburb of Toowong are about 10-15 minute bus ride into Brisbane city. There is also a less expensive bus service from the airport into the Brisbane city bus terminal.
Airtrain commenced operations on 7 May 2001, and full schedules can be found at Airtrain site . Airtrain links Brisbane's International and Domestic airport terminals with Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Airtrain is fully integrated with Brisbane's existing metropolitan electric heavy rail system (QR Citytrain). Airtrain services operate from 5.30 am to 11.30 pm (Eastern Standard Time), running on average four times an hour to and from the Brisbane CBD, and twice an hour to and from the Gold Coast. Fares are A$10.00 one way to Brisbane City. A trip from the Domestic Terminal to Brisbane City takes 20 minutes. 
For guests staying at the Stamford Plaza, the nearest railway station is Brisbane Central. The hotel is a few blocks away, but there are nearby taxi ranks. Guests for Benson Court or Club Crocodile, change trains at Central or Roma Street stations for the Ipswich Line. Toowong station is an 8 to 10 minute trip from the city. Details, including a timetable, can be found on the Queensland Rail website . More transport info is also available on the Translink website.
Getting to The University of Queensland - St Lucia Campus
- By car - and parking...
The main entrance to the St Lucia University of Queensland Campus is along Sir Fred Schonell Drive. From Brisbane's Central Business District, Sir Fred Schonell Drive is most easily accessed via Coronation Drive. Undercover visitor parking on campus is available in two multi-level car parks on Sir Fred Schonell Drive. See map . Parking restrictions and daily fees apply during weekdays. On site 'pay and display' uncovered metered parking is also available. Make sure you have coin change available. For more details see: http://www.traffic.bs.uq.edu.au/. As the class is being held during the summer semester parking should not be as difficult to find as during other semesters, but charges will still apply.
- By ferry
The CityCat ferry is the most enjoyable and often the most convenient means of getting to the St Lucia campus. The campus CityCat terminal is located near the corner of Sir William MacGregor Drive and Blair Drive. For timetables and further information, try the TransInfo Journey Planner . See map .
- By bus
From Brisbane's Central Business District, the Brisbane City Council bus routes which run directly to the University of Queensland are the 407 (Rocket), the 412 (Express), and the 411. Other BCC bus routes which stop here are the 402 (Toowong), the 403 (Indooropilly), the 427 (Chapel Hill), the 432 (Kenmore) and the 414 (West Taringa). The main bus stop on the St Lucia campus is located at Chancellor's Place near the J.D. Story building. See map . For timetables and further information, try the TransInfo Journey Planner .
- By train
The nearest train station to the St Lucia campus is Toowong, on the Citytrain Ipswich Line. From Toowong Station, cross Benson Street and catch a bus to UQ -- the 402, 411, or 412. For timetables and further information, try the TransInfo Journey Planner .
TransLink now provides one single public transport network covering south-east Queensland from Gympie North/Noosa to Coolangatta and west to Helidon.
Accommodation
There are several hotels and motels, colleges and backpackers conveniently situated near the University.
Hotels
Stamford Plaza is located in the centre of the central business district, beside the historic City Botanical Gardens and is a convenient five minute walk to the CityCat ferry services to Toowong and the University of Queensland.
| Stamford Plaza Brisbane Cnr Edward and Margaret Streets Brisbane 4000 ph +61 (07) 3221 1999 fax +61 (07) 3221 6895 toll-free (within Australia) 1800 301 391 email nicollepyle@SPB.Stamford.com.au |
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Superior Rooms $A155.00 per night
Revervations will be required to be guaranteed with either a credit card number or a deposit equivalent to the first night's accommodation. When making your reservation you will need to quote "UQ Internet Class 04" at the time of booking to access this special rate.
Motels
We have also made arrangements with two motels in the Toowong area--a suburb adjacent to the UQ St Lucia campus--which will provide special rates to class participants. All the motels are roughly the same distance from the campus and conference location--around a 30 minute walk, a 10 minute bus ride, or a 5 minute taxi ride. Toowong is a lively suburb--10 minutes to the UQ campus in one direction, and 10 minutes to Brisbane city in the other--with lots of shops, cafes & restaurants.
| Club Crocodile Toowong Villas 911 Ascog Terrace, Toowong, Brisbane. ph +61 (07) 3371 4855 toll-free (within Australia) 1800 777 092 |
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Recently upgraded to 4 and a half stars.
Studio Room $90 per night
1 Bedroom Apartments $A115* per night
2 Bedroom Apartments $A130* per night
3 Bedroom Apartments $A160* per night
(GST included)
Book directly with Club Crocodile Toowong Villas .
| Benson Court Motel 61 Benson Street, Corner Benson & Macdonnell Streets, Toowong, Brisbane 4066 ph +61 (07) 3870 4444 fax +61 7 3870 3244 toll-free (within Australia) 1800 350 244 email: reservations@bensoncourt.com.au website: www.bensoncourt.com.au |
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Studio Unit from $A88 per night - $98 per night for 3 people
Family Unit A$105 per night for 1-2 people
(GST included)
Book directly with Benson Court and mention that you are attending the Internet Class 04 at the University of Queensland to obtain the special rate.
College Accommodation
Some short term on-campus college accommodation is also available. Prices range from $30 a night upwards and all on campus colleges are a short walk to the Internet Class 04 venue. Please contact individual colleges for details about their short term accommodation rates.
For more detailed information about each college, please click here to transfer to the main University College Site.
On-campus college accommodation at UQ during the class should be possible to secure, as most students will have left for the summer break. However some colleges do close for the summer, while others offer some casual accommodation - please contact them direct - addresses can be found at this website . Early booking and pre-payment is essential for on-campus accommodation.
More information about accommodation closer to the centre of Brisbane is also available at the bottom of the University's short term accommodation page.
Further Accommodation Information
If you would like information about other accommodation options in Brisbane, please consult the Yellow Pages listings below or visit Accommodation Online for Brisbane at: http://www.accomline.com.au/brisbane.htm
Brisbane Yellow Pages Accommodation Listings
Eating out in Brisbane
Where to eat on Campus (Maps)
Where To Eat Off Campus (Reviews and Ads)
- De Groot's Best Restaurant Guide (Reviews)
- Brisbane City Heart (Go to Leisure -> Cafés / Restaurants
- South Bank Parklands Restaurants and Cafés
- Yellow Pages Dining/Eating Out Listings
Other Helpful Information
International visitors can get an idea of the current exchange rate with an online currency converter .
Time differences between Australia and other parts of the world can be worked out by visiting the World Time Server site
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/
Visas
Please note this information is advisory only - all visa requirements must be checked direct with the Australian diplomatic office in your country - click here to transfer to the Department of Immigration Website.
"Every non-Australian person coming to Australia needs a visa which must be applied for and entered into their passport, either as a label, or as an electronic travel authority - ETA .
For class participants, the appropriate visa is a Business (Short Stay) visa, even if some tourism activities are planned for part of the stay in Australia. It is called a 456 visa if it is issued as a label into a passport (fee of $A65 payable). The 456 visa can be applied for at an Australian diplomatic office overseas.
It can also be issued as a 977 visa if it is issued electronically as an ETA, that is, no label (no fee payable - $20 service charge). At post discretion, one or more visits each of up to 3 months can be made on the 456 visa within 12 months of its grant. The 977 visa allows a single visit only for up to 3 months within 12 months of grant."
Source: http://www.immi.gov.au
Child Care Information
Some childcare units on campus at UQ offer casual short term care, but it is subject to availability. For full addresses and details of the various places, please visit this website: http://www.uq.edu.au/equity/childcare.html . All people working with children in Australia must have police clearances and often appropriate child care qualifications, and the hourly rates reflect this increased level of professionalism.
It also pays to check with the hotel/motel where delegates are staying, as often they can organise childcare for their guests. The Stamford Plaza advise that their concierge can organise baby sitting.
Other possibilities include Dial an Angel - or contact them direct on 07 3878 1077.
Charges start from $52.50 for a three hour minimum booking and then $12 an hour after that - all the staff have police clearances or childcare suitability cards and have a previous experience in childcare with referees checked thoroughly -Website is http://www.dial-an-angel.com.au/ Brisbane office contact person is Lyn at angels@powerup.com.au . Their staff are allocated on the basis of the preferred age of children for the carer, ie, some people prefer and have extensive experience with babies, others prefer toddlers etc.
Dial an Angel can be organised up to 48 hours in advance, although in an emergency, can make bookings inside that time frame but may charge extra to find someone at late notice.
Car transportation
Participants preferring to use taxis or to hire a car can use the following links to search the Yellow Pages.
If you know the name of where you are going, the street name or the kind of place you are looking for, the WhereIs street atlas can provide a map.
Queensland Australia