I actually thought BNE was a pleasant city. A nighttime ride on a CityCat yields gorgeous views for cheap! The selection of museums along the South Bank was quite decent--for a midsized city. And that's the thing--I don't think it should be considered for this thread, as it's not a world city or major travel city. (I think it only entered this thread because someone mentioned not finding a bad city anywhere in Australia/NZ.)

And while CBR may appear to be bland on the surface, I actually found the collection of museums and other attractions there well worth at least a day (I wish we'd have been able to spend more time). I was especially impressed with the Australian War Memorial--we were in there for two hours before closing and could have spent another two easily. As for national capitals, I'd agree with you and would rate it a bit below WAS, which I would rate as a second-tier destination (although I always enjoy visiting WAS). Like BNE, it's not a major world city or travel destination and is best experienced while passing through the area.