Tennis Star Ash Barty's Local Tips For Brisbane
Australian tennis champion Ash Barty shows off the local’s side to Brisbane with her recommendations for experiencing the city.
Australian professional tennis player Ash Barty at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria © Tourism Australia
Ashleigh Barty is an Australian professional tennis player and is top ranked in the world for women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Barty holds numerous singles and doubles titles, including a Grand Slam singles title at the 2019 French Open, a Grand Slam doubles title at the 2018 US Open (with CoCo Vandeweghe) and the 2019 WTA Finals singles title. Here, Ash gives us her local tips for a visit to Queensland's capital city of Brisbane.
Where to stay
Streets Beach, South Brisbane, Queensland © Tourism Australia
Travel tip
Brisbane is home to Australia's only inner-city, man-made beach. Streets Beach, located on South Bank, is patrolled by life guards all year round.
South Bank on the southern banks of Brisbane’s river is a great area to base yourself; there’s areas for kids to play, and plenty of fantastic restaurants. It's easy to get to other areas of the city from here, too.
What to do
North Stradbroke Island, Brisbane, Queensland © Tourism Australia
The Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha are beautiful on a hot sunny day. A day trip on the ferry to Stradbroke Island is a great thing to do, too – Straddie is one of my favourite spots to visit. For sports fans, there is always plenty to watch in Brisbane – AFL and cricket at the Gabba (nickname for the Brisbane Cricket Ground), rugby at Suncorp Stadium, and of course the tennis at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
I’m a Queensland girl at heart. I love Far North Queensland, I think there are some amazing places along the coastline as well as inland within the communities. With my indigenous heritage, this area is really special to me.
Where to eat
The Little Larder, New Farm, Queensland © Tourism and Events Queensland, Andrew Watson
Fun fact
Vegemite and Marmite can both be described as strong and salty, but they're certainly not the same. Vegemite has a more intense flavour, which means the key to a great Vegemite on toast is a very light layer.
The New Farm neighbourhood is a popular area full of awesome cafés; there is something to suit everyone. A good coffee with scrambled eggs, avocado and Vegemite is my favourite breakfast!
What to buy
Queen Street Mall, Brisbane, Queensland © Visit Brisbane
Queen Street Mall in the heart of the city is the best place to shop. It’s a pedestrianised shopping mall, and has a bit of everything. A toy koala is always a good Aussie souvenir to take home!
When to go
Brisbane International, Brisbane, Queensland © Tennis Australia
Brisbane’s weather is great all year round, so there really isn’t a bad time to visit. I may be biased, but I’d have to say the best event is the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament in January.
