I went to Brisbane last year for a long weekend to see Coldplay in concert. It's a nice, relaxed city but it's a city none-the-less. I'm not a great fan of shopping malls but it did seem to have its fair share! There are some nice spots, including a fake beach(!) along the river in the centre.

More specifically, I wanted to share with you a restaurant we visited when there. It's called Tukka and the the degustation menus (a set menu that gives you a little taster of all their dishes) is fantabulous!

In just one sitting you can try smoked kangaroo, Tasmanian possum, croc, native berries, emu and seared wallaby!

Ideal for those foodies on a weekend stopover, or who have just a few days in Australia, but want to sample the flavours of the country.

I thought the prices were remarkably cheap, especially considering it takes an entire evening to get through the five courses! Degustation menus, without wine, start at around AUS$70 per person.

Here's the link - warning, you may need tissues to mop up the drool! http://www.tukkarestaurant.com.au/index.html

We visited Surfers Paradise in July 06 and had a great time. Our hotel was Sufers Regency and was super, but if you prefer a sea view make sure your room is near the top!! The locals were really friendly and it was a great base for visiting the theme parks, which was the intention of the holiday.