Brisbane is the capital and most populous city of Queensland, and the third most populous city in Australia. Its estimated population is 2.5 million as of 2018, while the South East Queensland region, which is centred on Brisbane, encompasses a population of more than 3.5 million. The CBD stands in a peninsula on the Brisbane River, located 15 kilometres 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 , 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, founded by the British Empire as a place for secondary offenders from 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. Initially free settlement was prohibited within 50 miles of the penal colony. However a German missionary settlement was permitted at Zions Hill in 1838. Following the official closure of the penal colony in 1839, Brisbane and the surrounding districts were available for free settlement from 1842. Brisbane was designated as the capital of Queensland in 1859. 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 cultural institutions including; Australia’s largest art gallery, the GOMA, and its largest theatre precinct, QPAC. The city is also home to nationally important cultural sites and precincts: South Bank Parklands, City Hall, St John’s Cathedral, Queen’s Wharf historic precinct, State Parliament, ANZAC Square, Treasury Building, The Old Windmill, and West End. Brisbane is also known for its skyline, with many of its skyscrapers amongst the tallest in Australia, including 1 William. A main feature of Brisbane is its Queenslander architecture which forms much of the inner-city’s built heritage. Brisbane is often used as a gateway to access regional areas such as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Moreton and Stradbroke Island, and the Gondwana Rainforests. It is also the main international gateway to state icons, the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, and the Whitsunday Islands. In 2016, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked Brisbane as a Beta world city.
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