When many travellers think of Australia, they think of Australia as a tropical paradise with beaches, mountains and perhaps kangaroos in the vineyards.

But Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, which is located on the east coast of Australia, does not exist. Despite the enchanting scenery and beautiful times in Brisbane and Queensland, there are plenty of reasons to turn to this must-see destination - consider it a day trip or even a week. Due to its location in winter, the city is better protected from the cold, but it does rain particularly heavily, as in January 2011 when it was flooded by the Brisbane River.

Forget the warm weather, Brisbane is also home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, and a beautiful beach park.

Try climbing the kangaroo cliffs in the afternoon or abseiling down, or try climbing and having something to eat and drink in the evening by the river. If you're a little more familiar with the city, try a volunteer service that gives visitors the opportunity to connect with real Brisbane locals who work to tailor your itinerary. So treat yourself to a visit to Brisbane and pamper yourself like a local, forget what you know about your peers and experience all that Australia has to offer. You might spend some time on the beach, then have a drink and eat by a river every night, meet some of your friends, experience Australia's most beautiful beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, and of course the great beaches of Brisbane.

International students might come across them, check out a few of them to learn more about where to apply and study in Brisbane. Read on to find out why studying in Brisbane might be the perfect option for you.

Brisbane is an emerging city with a number of distinct features that could make it the perfect city for overseas study. Brisbane, with its high quality of life and education, is behaving like a more modern city than many other cities in the world.

It is home to the University of Queensland and the Queensland Institute of Technology, as well as a number of other universities and colleges.

The coastal city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland, is surrounded by the Great Dividing Range of mountains and is located at the southern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef and on the western edge of the Gold Coast of Queensland, the second largest city in the state. While the capital cities of Sydney and Melbourne have grown and flourished, becoming major economic and cultural centres for their respective states, Brisbane has lagged behind. The city of Greater Brisbane was recognized as a city in 1902, South Brisbane was added in 1912 and formed the first major metropolitan area of the city with a population of about 1.5 million people. Australian cities, although the Gold Coast has not been upgraded as much as Brisbane due to its proximity to the coast.

The South Bank has even more arts and cultural opportunities, including the Brisbane Art Gallery, Queensland Museum and Australian Museum of Contemporary Art.

International students can take a range of courses at world-renowned schools, many of which are located in Brisbane, and you can potentially still forget what you have learned about this diverse, emerging and upcoming city. If you choose to study in Brisbane and want to graduate, you will study at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, such as the University of Queensland, the Australian Institute of Technology or the Queensland College of Engineering. Whether you have chosen to study in Melbourne, Sydney, Melbourne or even New York, there will still be many other students exploring a new city and working towards their degree.

If you're looking for the ultimate Australian experience, a visit to Brisbane would not be complete without a stop at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. If you want to get a taste of the lives of Australians living in these conditions, you can't miss this stop. Brisbane City Markets offers local produce and unusual delicacies, with vendors selling everything from meat pies (don't sleep on the meat pie, you won't want to) to Australian delicacies such as macaroni and cheese.

A koala sanctuary with lone pines is home to a variety of Australian wildlife including koalas, kangaroos, leopards, mackerel and other wildlife. The nature reserve is located 12 kilometres from the city centre and is a popular destination for koalas and kangaroos as well as other wildlife events.

The Brisbane River runs through the city centre and many of them run along its river. City Botanic Gardens is located in a bend in the river and is bordered by the Great Barrier Reef National Park and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Brisbane River is lined with a variety of wildlife including kangaroos, koalas, leopards and mackerel.