Brisbane
Tourism Sites
Brisbane River Cruise
🧠 Fact: The best way to explore the city’s skyline and riverfront sights.
💡Tip: Take a cruise to Lone Pine for a two-in-one day out.
Info - Brisbane River Cruise is a relaxing way to explore the city from the water. These cruises glide past riverside parks, bridges, and historic buildings, with options for sightseeing tours, sunset sailings, or hop-on-hop-off city routes.
City Botanic Gardens
🧠Fact: Brisbane’s oldest park, right in the city center.
💡Tip: Perfect picnic spot — bring a blanket and relax riverside.
Info - Back in the city, the City Botanic Gardens offer a peaceful retreat by the river’s edge. This historic parkland is filled with walking paths, ornamental ponds, and rare plant species. It’s an ideal place for a riverside picnic, morning jog, or gentle stroll under towering fig trees.
Eat Street Northshore
🧠Fact: A container-style food market packed with global eats and live music.
💡Tip: Go at night — it lights up and the vibe is electric
Info - For a lively evening experience, Eat Street Northshore is Brisbane’s ultimate outdoor dining precinct. Set inside converted shipping containers along the riverfront, this bustling night market is packed with global street food stalls, dessert bars, craft breweries, and live entertainment. Open on weekends, it’s a favorite with locals for its upbeat atmosphere, creative eats, and waterside views.
Glass House Mountains (Day Trip)
🧠Fact: Ancient volcanic peaks offering epic hikes and scenic lookouts.
💡 Tip: Bring hiking shoes — some tracks can be steep but worth it
Info - A little further out, the Glass House Mountains Day Trip makes for a spectacular escape. Located about an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, this cluster of ancient volcanic peaks rises dramatically from the hinterland. Popular for scenic lookouts, bushwalking trails, and local farm produce stops, it’s one of Queensland’s most photographed natural landmarks.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
🧠Fact: The world’s first and largest koala sanctuary.
💡Tip: Get there early to beat the crowds for koala cuddles.
Info - Animal lovers can’t miss the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary. Set in a leafy riverside location, this beloved attraction is home to over 70 koalas, along with kangaroos, wombats, and native birds. Visitors can hand-feed kangaroos, hold a koala, and learn about Australia’s unique wildlife through daily talks and encounters.
Mount Coot-tha Lookout
🧠Fact: Offers panoramic views over Brisbane and beyond.
💡 Tip: Great for sunrise if you’re an early riser — fewer crowds too
Info - The Mount Coot-tha Lookout is Brisbane’s best natural viewpoint, just a short drive from the city centre. From the summit, you’ll get sweeping views over Brisbane, the winding river, and out to Moreton Bay. The lookout precinct also includes a café, walking trails, and the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at the base of the mountain.
Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
🧠Fact: One of Australia's premier visual arts institutions.
💡Tip: Entry to the main exhibitions is free — ideal for culture lovers
Info - Art enthusiasts should head to the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), one of Australia’s top cultural destinations. Set along the Brisbane River at South Bank, these twin galleries feature a dynamic collection of Australian, Indigenous, and international works. QAG showcases classic and contemporary art, while GOMA focuses on bold, thought-provoking modern exhibitions and immersive installations, often with free entry.
Roma Street Parkland
🧠Fact: One of the most spectacular subtropical gardens in a city.
💡Tip: Great for morning walks — less crowded and super lush.
Info - Rounding off the list is Roma Street Parkland, one of the world’s largest subtropical urban gardens. Right near Brisbane’s CBD, it features themed garden areas, waterfalls, and shaded picnic spots. With its tranquil atmosphere and beautifully maintained grounds, it’s a favourite spot for relaxing or attending seasonal outdoor events.
South Bank Parklands
🧠Fact: A riverside precinct with gardens, restaurants, and even a man-made beach.
💡 Tip: Don’t miss the free swimming lagoon — perfect for a chill day
Info - A favourite with both locals and visitors, the South Bank Parklands stretch along the Brisbane River and offer 17 hectares of lush gardens, walking paths, restaurants, and attractions. Highlights include Streets Beach, Australia’s only inner-city man-made beach, plus riverside picnic spots, weekend markets, and cultural venues like QPAC and the Queensland Art Gallery. It’s the perfect place to unwind and soak up Brisbane’s relaxed lifestyle.
Story Bridge Adventure Climb
🧠Fact: One of only three bridge climbs in the world.
💡Tip: Twilight climbs offer the best city views — golden hour magic
Info - For an adrenaline kick and unbeatable city views, the Story Bridge Adventure Climb takes you to the top of Brisbane’s iconic cantilever bridge. This guided climb offers 360-degree views of the river, city skyline, and surrounding ranges, especially spectacular at sunrise or twilight