BRISBANE

lways the bridesmaid, but never the bride — travellers in search of a city break have often overlooked Brisbane in favour of Melbourne or Sydney, while those making the visit have often stayed only as long as it took to escape to the beaches of the Sunshine Coast. But that’s history. With its sights set on hosting the 2032 Olympics, Brisbane is all about the future, with a wave of new hotels, restaurants, bars and cultural venues transforming Australia’s third-largest city into a destination that rivals its southern siblings. There’s the Galley of Modern Art, the eye-popping street art on Fish Lane and the nightlife of Howard Smith Wharves, plus Fortitude Valley’s heady mix of rock, queer, glam and pub