What are the best things to do in Brisbane, Australia?
The best things to do in Brisbane include Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, river kayaking tours, the Southbank beach, Fortitude Valley nightlife and the Queensland Museum.
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and, by most measurements, the third largest city in Australia. It is often seen as merely a gateway to the rest of Queensland. The Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island, Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays tend to have more appeal.
But there are plenty of things to do in Brisbane (not Lisbon!) if you spend a few days there. It’s a dynamic, fast-changing city that has become a lot more visitor-friendly in recent years. This will ramp up towards the 2032 Olympics, which will be held in the Queensland capital.
Things to do in Brisbane city centre
Things to do in Brisbane city centre include the Museum of Brisbane inside the grandiose City Hall. The Museum of Brisbane tells the history of the city, and is as good an introduction as any.
Heritage really isn’t Brisbane’s strong suit, however. That said, the Brisbane Arcade connecting Queen Street and Adelaide Street is a rare foray into preservation. The Brisbane Arcade brings some 1920s glamour to its indie store inhabitants. These specialise in everything from antiques and watches to model-making and chocolate.
The public art in Brisbane is much more engaging. Burnett Lane is essentially one giant art project. Even the road is painted to represent Australia’s transition from green coast to red outback. For coffee and breakfast here, try warehousey-looking Felix For Goodness.
Elsewhere, the city centre is sprinkled with weird sculptures. The City Roos on George Street – kangaroos made out of scrap metal – are especially loveable.
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.
Things to do at Kangaroo Point
Brisbane’s largely about the Brisbane River rather than the beach, and the best way to explore is by kayak. Riverlife runs paddling tours taking in the City Botanic Gardens, city centre and Kangaroo Point Cliffs. The latter is where the more adventurous can try their hand at abseiling or rock climbing afterwards.
At the far end of Kangaroo Point is the Story Bridge. It’s possible to climb the Story Bridge. This is done in a similar manner to the Sydney BridgeClimb or Adelaide Oval Roofclimb, for tremendous views over the city. Have a beer or seven at the classic Australian pub, the Story Bridge Hotel, afterwards.
The Story Bridge connect Kangaroo Bridge to Fortitude Valley. The Valley is Brisbane’s main nightlife district, and plays host to Brisbane’s Chinatown. In the last decade a cool laneway scene has cropped up in Fortitude Valley. Look down Wynn Lane and Bakery Lane for some of the more interesting shopping. The Valley merges into craft brewing hotspot Newstead – home of the Newstead Brewing Co.
Brisbane River cruises
Several cruises operate along the Brisbane River, but Miramar Cruises heads to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Fig Tree Pocket. 12km south-west of the city centre, this sanctuary is where you can hold a koala. You can also hand-feed the kangaroos, chatter with the cockatoos and watch the dumpily comical wombats lumber around at Lone Pine.
Cheaper versions of Brisbane River cruises are available on the City Cat ferries. Take one to Eat Street Northshore, where hundreds of shipping containers have been turned into hawker-style food stalls. Musicians play live on stages sandwiched between them. The food on offer is globe-spanning, from Japanese pizzas to Peruvian paella.
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.
Things to do in Brisbane: Southbank
Bar and restaurant-packed Southbank is Brisbane’s cultural hub. The Queensland Museum covers the state’s reefs, rainforest and outback dinosaur heritage. Nearby Fish Lane is the city’s street art hotspot, and hosts fun restaurants such as Julius Pizzeria.
If the sun’s out on Brisbane’s Southbank, though, beeline it to Streets Beach. This massive artificial, sand-surrounded lagoon offer safe swimming in the city. It’s busy, but it ends up being more appealing than Brisbane’s rather disappointing real beaches. But if you want to go to the coast, the Manly to Wynnum walk offers an education on the local mangrove systems.
Where to go on Moreton Bay
The Brisbane River empties out into Moreton Bay, where you’ll find much better beaches. Go north to Redcliffe, and you can also so see a street devoted to the Bee Gees.
A 75 minute ferry journey from Brisbane, Moreton Island combines beachy beauty with extraordinary experiences. These include sandboarding down giant dunes, hand-feeding dolphins in the shallows and snorkelling around the 15 Moreton Island shipwrecks. It’s possible to go camping on Moreton Island, too.
Offering similar sandy adventures is the even bigger North Stradbroke Island. The Stradbroke ferry takes 25 minutes to get there.
Other Moreton Bay islands are less famous. Take the Coochiemudlo Island ferry for a day out on low key but charming Coochiemudlo Island, or go camping on Bribie Island.
Alternatively, you can head west of the city to the rainforests and hills of the d’Aguilar National Park. The Lake Wivenhoe Lookout near Mount Glorious is the best photo stop.