Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Christmas in Brisbane

I will be spending the Christmas day in Brisbane. Will there be any food establishments open in the downtown area?

Thanks.

Some restaurants will be open for sit down buffet / set course meals at fairly high Christmas prices. If you are keen on this, you should find somewhere you like and try and make a booking asap as they will most likely sell out.

Most fast food and low end restaurants will be closed, or will open for a few hours in the morning (eg some of the chicken type takeways)

Shops will be closed as well, but some very small convenience (7-11 type stores) will be open.

Brisbane is VERY dead at Christmas. Most of the big hotels have buffets if you like that type of thing. I know the Royal on the Park does tables of 10.

Are downtown Brisbane & Sydney likewise VERY dead on Good Friday--Holy Sat.--Easter Sun.--Mon.? So far I intend to do & Sydney Holy Wed. PM--Good Fri. lunch/ church service, Noosa/Coolum beaches on the weekend, then drive to Brizzy on Easter Mon. or Tue. PM.

China Town is normally open in most cities and very busy in Sydney, including the shopping centre above Paddy's Markets.

Good Friday yes - Easter Sat - not sure, Sun - a bit, Monday - not really. Caveat - its 6 years since I lived in BNE full time.

From my recollections over easter for Brisbane (oh, and although I live in BNE, I havn't been around for Easter either this year or last)

Good Friday - Most places will be shut.
Holy Saturday - Most places will be open. It really is like a normal day (although most staff get paid overtime to do work on that day, so some places may charge surcharges)
Easter Sunday - Pretty quiet. Not as quiet as Good Friday, but most places will be shut.
Easter Monday - Just about normal trade on this day. Some places will be shut, but a lot will be open (see caveat for Holy Saturday above re overtime).

Oh-so-thank-U for your answers. It sounds like UR talking about shops & stores & other daytime things.
What about pubs/ nightclubs that weekend in Brisbane? Or Noosa? Also, in most cities Mon. is the deadest pub night of the week--holiday or not.

So far I am scheduled to leave Alice Springs on Wed. PM April 4. Also, I experienced Sydney for New Year's 2003 --> 04 but missed a few things. I have never done Brisbane.

Pubs and Clubs...

Hmmm. I think you'll find things a little dry in both Brisbane and Noosa over the Easter weekend :)

Both cities are in the state of Queensland.

For Queensland, check out this factsheet which should give you the information you require (Note opening times are at the discretion of the individual pubs - ie they might be closed Sunday/Monday night). Cabaret licenses do exist, but aren't really that common. Adult Entertainment licenses are basically for places that are a little seedy and feature naked ladies, but are not houses of ill-repute.

http://www.liquor.qld.gov.au/_Documents/Fact+sheets/Easter+trading+(consumers).pdf

Oh-so-thank-U, AusMal!
First, I laughed at the term "Good Friday Eve" for Maundy/ Holy Thursday :D !

Here in the USA Good Friday is just another Friday night in bars, as church-goers do so in the daytime. It is not even a public holiday: Banks are open or closed at their choice (some close 12N--3PM in honor of Jesus' hours on the Cross,) & mail delivery is normal! Easter Sunday is the big closing day, when many bars & restaurants close even if open on normal Sundays.

NEWS FLASH!!
Originally when I bought my ticket, the only no-fee change allowed was the day of my return from BNE to home. But now due to a sched. change sticking me in LAX for 6 hours :eek:, I can get a full refund on the trans-Pacific flights & start over :D !
So now I will fly ASP or AYQ--SYD on Wed. or Good Friday PM, then SYD--home on GF or Easter Sun.
Brisbane/Noosa will now be around the 2nd week of March, at the beginning of my time in Oz.

I think you'll find Sydney has more "normalised" trading hours over Easter than Brisbane.

There is a PDF issued each year by their liquor licensing branch, but I couldn't find a good version of the one from last year.

From what I saw, it was pretty much normal trade in bars/pubs/clubs, but take away liquor sales were restricted.