“Brisvegas”
Brisbane ( ( listen)) is the capital and most populous city of Queensland, and the third most populous city in Australia. With an estimated 2018 population of 2.5 million, and the South East Queensland region which is centered on Brisbane, encompasses a population of more than 3.5 million. The CBD stands in a peninsula on the Brisbane River, located 15 kilometres (9 miles) from its mouth at Moreton Bay. The metropolitan area extends in all directions along the flood plain of the Brisbane river valley between Moreton Bay and the Great Dividing Range, sprawling across several of Australia’s most populous local government areas (LGAs); including the City of Brisbane which is the most populous LGA in Australia, as well as Moreton Bay Region, Logan City, City of Ipswich, and Redland City. The demonym of Brisbane is "Brisbanite".
One of the oldest cities in Australia, Brisbane was founded on the homelands of the Indigenous Turrbal and Jagera peoples. The city’s origins began with the Moreton Bay Penal settlement, and was founded by the British Empire as a place for secondary offenders from the Sydney. For a short period the settlement was known as Edenglassie, before being renamed after the river in which it stood-which in turn was named after the governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane. Initial free settlement occurred at Zions Hill in 1838, and later in 1842 was opened to free settlement. Brisbane was designated as capital of Queensland in 1859, and the subsequent development of the city was hampered by disasters like the Great Fire of Brisbane in 1864, and the Great Flood of Brisbane in 1893. Later during World War II the city was instrumental to the defence of the nation, and acted as the Allied headquarters for the Pacific Theatre. After the war, the city became an important destination for immigrants into Australia, transforming the city’s development and population.
Brisbane has been called the ‘Cultural capital of Australia’, with prominent national institutions including A