'''Brisbane''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|r|ɪ|z|b|ən|audio=En-au-Brisbane.oga}} {{respell|BRIZ|bən}},<ref>{{cite book |title=Macquarie Dictionary |publisher= The Macquarie Library |year=2003 |page=121 |isbn=1-876429-37-2}}</ref> {{lang-yxg|label=[[Turrbal language|Turrbal]]|Meaanjin}}) is the largest city in Australia and the [[List of Australian capital cities|capital]] of the [[States and territories of Australia|state]] of [[Queensland]]<ref name="qpn">{{cite QPN|4555|Brisbane|access-date=14 March 2014}}</ref> and the [[list of cities in Australia by population|third-most populous city]] in [[Australia]] and [[Oceania]], with a population of approximately 2.6 million.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Regional population, 2021-22 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release|website=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=20 April 2023|access-date=18 May 2023|archive-date=30 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330092152/https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release|url-status=live}}</ref> Brisbane lies at the centre of [[South East Queensland]], which includes several other regional centres and cities. The [[Brisbane central business district|central business district]] is situated within a peninsula of the [[Brisbane River]] about {{convert|15|km|0|abbr=on}} from its mouth at [[Moreton Bay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/brisbane-and-greater-brisbane|title=Brisbane and Greater Brisbane|publisher=Queensland Places|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127011630/http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/brisbane-and-greater-brisbane |archive-date=27 January 2014}}</ref> Brisbane is located in the hilly [[floodplain]] of the Brisbane River Valley between Moreton Bay and the [[Taylor Range|Taylor]] and [[D'Aguilar Range|D'Aguilar]] [[mountain range]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/information/about-brisbane?sc_lang=en-au#:~:text=Geography,km%20across%20South%20East%20Queensland.|date=16 January 2022|website=Visit Brisbane|access-date=16 January 2022|title=About Brisbane – Visit Brisbane|archive-date=16 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116013234/https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/information/about-brisbane?sc_lang=en-au#:~:text=Geography,km%20across%20South%20East%20Queensland.|url-status=live}}</ref> It sprawls across several [[local government in Australia|local government areas]], most centrally the [[City of Brisbane]]. The [[demonym]] of Brisbane is ''Brisbanite''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/03/21/3969035.htm |title=Is this the average Brisbanite?|last=Kent|first=Lucinda|date=21 March 2014|website=[[ABC Radio Brisbane]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831151144/http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/03/21/3969035.htm|archive-date=31 August 2014|url-status=live|access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/linguafranca/2012-10-13/4309334#transcript|title=Names for where we're from|date=13 October 2012|website=[[ABC Radio National]]|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=20 April 2019|archive-date=22 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222072405/https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/linguafranca/2012-10-13/4309334#transcript|url-status=live}}</ref>
The [[Moreton Bay penal settlement]] was founded in 1824 at [[Redcliffe, Queensland|Redcliffe]] as a place for secondary offenders from the [[Sydney|Sydney colony]], and soon moved to [[North Quay, Brisbane|North Quay]] in 1825 on the banks of the Brisbane River, so named for British army general and [[Governor of New South Wales]] Sir [[Thomas Brisbane]]. [[Lutheranism|German Lutherans]] established the first free settlement of [[Zion Hill Mission|Zion Hill]] at [[Nundah, Queensland|Nundah]] in 1838, and in 1859 Brisbane was chosen as Queensland's capital when [[Separation of Queensland|the state separated]] from [[New South Wales]]. By the late 19th century, the city had grown into a major [[port]] and centre of immigration. During [[World War II]], the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] command in the [[South West Pacific Area (command)|South West Pacific]] was based in the city, along with the [[MacArthur Chambers|headquarters]] for General [[Douglas MacArthur]] of the United States Army.<ref>{{cite web |title=South West Pacific campaign |url=https://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au/south-west-pacific-campaign |website=Queensland World War II Historic Places |date=30 June 2014 |access-date=22 January 2016 |publisher=[[Queensland Government]] |url-status=live |archive-date=24 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424214526/https://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au/south-west-pacific-campaign }}</ref>