How to find the best street art and public sculptures in Brisbane

The best public art in Brisbane includes the Overseer and Dialogue on Queen Street, the City Roos on George Street and the statue of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop inside St Stephen’s Chapel. Walk Brisbane offers an art and design walking tour that takes in the top public artworks.

Brisbane may not have Melbourne’s street art scene, Sydney’s harbour cruises or Perth’s majestic park, but it does have its charms. One thing in the Queensland capital’s favour is a commendable attitude towards public art.

Unless you’re actively looking for public art in Brisbane, however, you might miss some of the most interesting works. These include ‘The Overseer’ by Cezary Stulgis – a metal, robotic, somewhat pensive looking figure whose legs dangle down above the food court at 300 Queen Street.

9 brilliant Brisbane experiences to book in advance

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary tickets (or entry plus river cruise combo) – hold a koala and see lots of adorable native wildlife.
Brisbane River cruise – see the key sights and learn about the city on the way.
Story Bridge Adventure Climb – walk along the top of Brisbane’s famous bridge, with 360 degree views.
Combine the Southbank Parklands, City Botanic Gardens and Kangaroo Point Cliffs on a fun Segway tour.
Helicopter flight – see the city from a bird’s eye view.
Kayaking tour – choose the night tour to see the city light up, the day tour to enjoy the sunshine.
XXXX brewery tour – see how Australia’s most famous beer is made.
Guided wine flight tasting – get an Aussie wine introductory course.
See Brisbane’s spooky side on a city centre ghost tour.

Dialogue by Cezary Stulgis - one of the best pieces of public art in Brisbane — Dialogue by Cezary Stulgis is one of the best pieces of public art in Brisbane. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Further along the street, there’s another piece by Stulgis. This one, made out of cast bronze and called Dialogue, involves a man looking like he’s sulking next to a woman with her arm over her chest. He looks rebuffed; she looks prepared to accept absolutely none of his nonsense. Stulgis has a real knack for imbuing his characters with emotions, and telling a story with them.

Public art in Brisbane: Street art

Stunning street art is part of the mix now, too. On the side of the Telstra Exchange Building is Claire Foxton’s almost photo-real mural portrait of social worker Alethea Beetson. It’s one of several new additions to the cityscape that have come courtesy of the annual Brisbane Street Art Festival.

Perhaps the most stunning individual piece of work, however, is inside St Stephen’s Chapel. In 1998, John Elliott made the most remarkable statue of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. MacKillop was the first Australian to be sainted by the Catholic Church, and the statue is lifesize. Up close you realise that it has all been sculpted from the trunk of a 100-year-old camphor laurel tree. The detailing is remarkable, and it has a room-dominating effect.

6 supreme Brisbane day trips that will improve your holiday

Moreton Island day trip – with kayaking, sandboarding and snorkelling or with dolphin-feeding and desert dunes adventure.
Springbrook National Park glowworms and rainforest tour – including Tamborine Skywalk.
Eumundi Markets day trip – Australia’s best markets, plus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Noosa.
North Stradbroke Island day tour – with cruise, wildlife spotting and guided walk.
Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
Maialia rainforest walking and wildlife tour – visit lesser-known D’Aguilar National Park.

Public art in Brisbane: the City Roos sculptures

Perhaps the most beloved of Brisbane’s public art works, however, are the City Roos. These steampunk-esque metal kangaroo sculptures are made out of scrap metal. One lounges on a bench, with spanners for arms, fan blades for ears and a long bolt for a nose. The City Roos can be found on George Street.

The City Roos on George Street, Brisbane. — The City Roos on George Street are arguably the best loved examples of public art in Brisbane. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

A good way to discover public art in Brisbane is to take a specialist walking tour. Walking tour company Walk Brisbane offers several options for exploring the city. The $60 art and design tour, focusing on Brisbane’s public art, runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.