Brisbane, Australia: Background information when reading Boy Swallows Universe

Brisbane, Australia

This article relates to Boy Swallows Universe

Brisbane (pronounced "brizz-binh"), the capital city of Queensland, Australia, is the setting for Trent Dalton's debut novel Boy Swallows Universe. In an essay in the Weekend Australian Magazine, Dalton describes his hometown with his trademark literary flair: "Brisbane is a bat-sucked mango wedged in your mower blades...Brisbane is all five senses working toward a sixth. It smells like mangroves and boiled mud crab and tubs of pineapple pieces on cannery conveyor belts."

That said, Brisbane offers much for the modern tourist to experience, and also has a distinctive history. The city began as a penal settlement in 1824, built by British colonists on indigenous lands. After World War II, waves of immigrants arrived from Europe and Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam. More recently, the city has seen an influx of immigrants from China, India and the Middle East, creating a multicultural sense of place with seasonal festivals and myriad cuisines and entertainment venues.

With a population of 2.5 million, Brisbane is Australia's third largest city. Situated where the Brisbane River flows into Moreton Bay, the Port of Brisbane is developing into a significant port, connecting Australia with Pacific Rim trading partners. Key imports are automobiles and machinery; exports include coal, meat products, cotton, minerals and other commodities.

The Gold Coast region (about 40 miles south of Brisbane) hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games, featuring two events set in Brisbane. With year-round sunshine, activities like cricket, rugby, cycling and water sports are popular with all ages. The Sunshine Coast stretches to the north and the Gold Coast to the south.

Much as San Francisco is known for Victorian architecture, certain Brisbane neighborhoods are noted for their Queenslander style houses. Queenslanders feature corrugated tin roofs and timber siding with large verandas. They're sometimes built on stilts or tall foundations to withstand floods.

Early commerce was agriculture-based (pineapple, sugar cane, grain, livestock, fruit, nuts, seafood and timber). Now, Brisbane is an expanding commercial center with a skyscraper-studded skyline to reflect its prosperity. A wide variety of multi-national corporate offices, and growing internet-tech and tourism sectors drive the economy. Tourist attractions include Sea World, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane River cruises and tours of the regional XXXX Brewery. A giant Ferris wheel was built in the South Bank Cultural Centre to celebrate Queensland's 150th anniversary in 2008. Rainforests for bushwalking, surfing beaches and scuba resorts are a short day-trip from the city center. Recent efforts to honor traditional Aboriginal culture include museums, galleries and educational tours about indigenous ways.

For those yearning to connect with the world of Boy Swallows Universe protagonist Eli Bell, it's still possible to tour the vintage landmark Brisbane City Hall Clock Tower (where a suspenseful scene from the novel takes place). Until the 1960s, the Clock Tower was the tallest building in town. Now it's been eclipsed by new skyscrapers, but its massive 3- to 4-ton bells still mark the quarter-hours and every hour. Brisbane offers something for everyone; maybe someday even a walking tour of Eli Bell's neighborhood.

Brisbane skyline, courtesy of Choose Brisbane

Queenslander, courtesy of The Conversation

Filed under Places, Cultures & Identities

This "beyond the book article" relates to Boy Swallows Universe. It originally ran in May 2019 and has been updated for the April 2020 paperback edition. Go to magazine.