A recent trip to Brisbane turned into an unexpectedly rich experience—not just professionally, but personally. I was in town for work, based out of our Brisbane office, while my son Liam was completing his Year 12 work experience with my uncle, an environmental architect. It’s not every day you get to travel interstate for school work experience, let alone spend the week bonding across projects, puzzles, and Queensland city nights.
We based ourselves in a serviced apartment with fantastic views over Brisbane, a perfect hub for the week ahead. While I headed into the office, Liam joined my uncle on-site and in studio, shadowing real-world architectural planning and sustainable design conversations—something far more immersive than a typical high school placement. He soaked it up.
In our downtime, we made the most of the city. Electric scooters became our go-to transport for dessert hunting and general exploration, gliding through Brisbane’s walkways and laneways in search of something sweet. Ben’s Burgers was a definite highlight—“Dealers of Delicious” isn’t just branding, it’s a mission statement. Burgers well worth a detour.
As the week wrapped up, we turned the pressure up—not at work, but in a series of escape room challenges at Fox in a Box Brisbane. Across multiple sessions, we found ourselves handcuffed, locked in coffins, separated in prison cells, and solving everything from schematics to murder mysteries. The standout experience was the Escape from Prison room—intensely collaborative, cleverly designed, and just the right level of devious. We managed to break out with just 9 seconds to spare, thanks to a last-minute safe crack and a fair bit of yelling (in good spirits). If you’re into immersive puzzles, this is a must-try.
We also took in some live sport with a trip down to the Gold Coast to watch the Titans take on the Eels at Cbus Super Stadium—yet another tick on our growing stadium checklist. It was a special moment giving Liam his first corporate box experience, made even more memorable by the chance to meet past and present players, including a former Eels favourite of ours, Nathan Peats.
One evening we caught up with another parent-son duo—a friend of Liam’s also in Brisbane for work experience, coincidentally traveling under a similar family arrangement. The four of us shared a great dinner, exchanging stories from our respective roles and reminding ourselves how valuable these real-world experiences can be.
All in all, it was a remarkable week—not just a business trip, not just school credit, but a genuine chance to connect, explore, and make memories in a different city. Brisbane delivered, and we’ll both be better for the time spent there—professionally and personally.
