Brisbane Is Home

Bunk Brisbane is a backpackers’ lodge in Brisbane’s nightlife area of Fortitude Valley. It’s on the corner of Ann St and Gipps St in the Valley, and as you can see from the picture above, there is a bus stop (citybound buses only) right outside.

Click here to see exactly where Bunk is located.

Read more to see larger pictures and more info about the neighbourhood.

This is NOT a quiet part of town. Ann St heads directly into the city, Gipps St is a feeder road into the Storey Bridge, a major Northside/Southside crossing point, you’re about 175 metres (195 yards) from the nightlife zone and Bunk Brisbane shares a venue with its own licenced club, Birdee Num Num.

In the day, there are often beggars in the Valley Mall and Brunswick St, so having a few spare coins on hand would be a good idea.

The Queensland Police Media Unit reports three armed robberies (knives, not guns, two by the same person) and a robbery with violence between 18 December 2006 and today (February 12 2007).

The two armed robberies were in Brunswick St, on February 8th, about 400m and 250m from Bunk Brisbane.

The robbery with violence was in Brunswick St, about 330m away, on January 18th.
The other armed robbery was in Martin St, about 410m away, on December 18th.

Also, 99 people were arrested on New Year’s Eve in the Central Brisbane police district, which includes the Valley (but also Brisbane City and Southbank).

Inspector Ben Hainbidge said that this “was actually comparable other nights in the city.”

Fortitude Valley is the hub of the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgener/intersex/queer nightlife in Brisbane, and so there have been reports of anti-gay abuse and attacks in the Valley. A survey done by Walksafe Queensland in 2004 found 64 incidents of verbal abuse and 22 physical attacks that year. It’s not as if people get bashed all the time, but keep your wits about you.

Having said all that, the Valley can be great fun. Venues all over the place, and the city council has made sure that residents can’t move in and then complain about the noise from live music venues that have been there for years. For more info about what is happening in Brisbane on the weekend, check out the Brisbane Links page, which includes links to the best nightlife guides in Brisbane.

Got a story about a backpacker lodge, or a night out in Brisbane? Let me know in the comments.