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The 100 | In the city
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PORT ADELAIDE, SA
A targeted urbane renewal plan,
close commuting proximity to
the city centre and an influx of
young creative types have seen
the formerly industrial suburb
of Port Adelaide become one of
the South Australian capital’s
hotspots. It is certainly one of its
most colourful locations thanks
to the Wonderwalls street art
festival, which took place for the
third time in March this year.
The resulting artworks creep up
the sides of buildings and
stretch along walls; search them
out, with regular stops for coffee
along the way (try The Folklore
Cafe or Drummer Boy). PHOTOGRAPHY: VISIT VICTORIA(^89)
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BRIGHTON, VIC
Brighton is the perfect
place to spend a day, with its
best-of-both-worlds inner-city
location and laid-back beach
vibe. Any outing here (it takes
about 30 minutes by bus from
Melbourne’s CBD) should start
with a stroll along the beachfront
checking out the historic,
multi-coloured bathing boxes.
With that box ticked, head to
Church Street and its surrounds
for the plentiful cafes (try
Brighton School House Cafe on
St Andrews Street or the famed
Royal Brothers and Lickings
Fine Ice Cream on Church
Street), bars and shopping.
CANBERRA, ACT
We say it often enough here
at Australian Traveller, but in
case you missed it: Canberra
is great! The comparisons
with Sydney and Melbourne
have become redundant as our
national capital establishes
its own identity as a city of
culture – the National Gallery
of Australia would win an arm
wrestle with some of the world’s
best galleries – great food and
wine (think Braddon and cold
climate wines), and headlining
festivals like Floriade. All of
which explains the satisfied
grins on the faces of the locals
here. Lucky ducks.
TOOWOOMBA, QLD
When it comes to regional
cities with capital city swagger,
Toowoomba takes the prize.
If you didn’t know better, the
cafe-packed laneways and
vibrant street art might suggest
Melbourne, but this city of
over 115,000 inhabitants,
the gateway to the Darling
Downs, has its own uniquely
laid-back, friendly vibe.
See the city at its most vibrant
during The Streets & Lanes
Festival, held each year over
the Easter weekend, when
its streets and public spaces
are given over to performers,
music, food and fun.
REGIONAL CITIES ARE NO
LONGER SECOND CITIES
TAMWORTH: This New England city
is earning quite the reputation as an
emerging foodie destination, with loads of
local producers, a dedicated food festival
- Taste Tamworth in April with pop-ups,
long lunches and food markets – and
interesting new restaurants cropping up.
GEELONG: An hour and a bit drive from
Melbourne, this city of 250,000,
designated by UNESCO as a City of
Design in 2017, is forging a new identity
for itself, anchored by initiatives like the
‘Green Spine’ rejuvenation of the city
centre, the vibrant waterfront, home to
interesting restaurants like Wah Wah Gee
(pictured) and new civic developments
like the award-winning Geelong Library
and Heritage Centre.
BUNDABERG: The Queensland coastal
city has all the elements needed to stamp
it as a city on the rise, from a thriving
regional art gallery to a microbrewery
(head to Bargara Brewing Company’s
Brewhouse on Sunday afternoon when it
goes off) to a growing food scene – visit
during Taste Bundaberg Festival in May.