Brisbane might not have the hustle and bustle of Sydney or Melbourne, but it is still a vibrant cosmopolitan place which 1.6m people call home.

Situated on the Brisbane River, the capital of Queensland, Australia's north-eastern state can claim to be the country's third largest city.

As well as being a regular on the Ashes calendar since the 1930s, it has hosted a number of major international events over the last two decades, including the 1982 Commonwealth Games and Expo 88.

It is a far cry from Brisbane's origins as a dumping ground for the worse convicts from the New South Wales colony.

Australia's indigenous population inhabited the Brisbane region as long ago as 40,000 years before a European settlement and many of the city's place names still retain their original Aboriginal names.

But it was after John Oxley led the first European exploration into the region in 1823, that a convict penal settlement, notorious for its harsh treatment of prisoners, was established in the area.

Free settlers finally pushed for the end of the convict settlement in 1837 and gold rushes provided the catalyst for growth and led to Queensland becoming a state in 20 years later, with Brisbane as the capital.

But many of the structures built by early prisoners from English, Scottish and Irish backgrounds still stand across the city as reminders of Brisbane's convict past.

These days though, a relaxed atmosphere pervades the city. With the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast just an hour's drive away in each direction, it is not surprising.

Dubbed "Australia's most liveable city" by its inhabitants, Brisbane has everything a major city should offer in shopping, theatres and culture.

Enjoying a sub-tropical climate and surrounded by hills and lookouts, there is plenty of lush scenery to visit during the day.

By night, the city boasts an impressive nightlife, which has led some locals to call it "Bris Vegas".

All in all, visitors are likely to find more than enough to amuse themselves with.