Queensland

Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city (1.6M, Sydney 4M, Melbourne 3.4M) and Queensland with a 23% share Australia’s tourism is the second most important destination for domestic and overseas visitors. However, this boon for restaurants is not concentrated in Brisbane, the capital, but split with the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and tropical north Queensland.

Due to Queensland’s importance as a tourist destination, Gold and Sunshine coasts and Port Douglas are home to a larger number of ‘big city style’ cafes and restaurants than the resident population would indicate.

Only 10.6% of Queenslanders living in the major urban areas were born outside Australia in non-English speaking countries. Ethnic cafes are not the norm in Queensland, except for the Gold Coast which has some of Australia’s most elaborate Japanese restaurants.

The climate ranges from subtropical in Brisbane to tropical in the north. Hot, wet and steamy in summer with warm winters. And a recent (September 2000) relaxation in licencing law allows restaurants to serve liquor without meals as a right and to sell packaged liquor.

Also, see Andrew Corrigan on Queensland wine regions.