Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland – Australia’s second largest state by area. In just one afternoon in Brisbane, you could swim at a man-made beach, wander through a rainforest, catch a movie, enjoy a meal, browse market stalls, and more – all without leaving the inner city. Brisbane is a lively subtropical paradise with thriving food, coffee, music and arts scenes – all just an hour’s drive away from the world’s best beaches on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
Things to do in Brisbane
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Only 12km from Brisbane City, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary with 130 koalas. Hold a koala, hand feed kangaroos and meet a large variety of Australian wildlife in beautiful, natural settings.
South Bank Parklands
South Bank is Brisbane’s premier lifestyle and cultural destination. Located on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, its 17 hectares of lush parklands, world-class eateries, stunning river views and hundreds of delightful events all year round make it the perfect place to relax and unwind.
Mount Coot-tha, Queensland
Brisbane Lookout at scenic Mt. Coot-tha has been a favourite destination for locals and visitors for more than a century and has been made new again! Improvements to the renowned Summit Restaurant and popular Kuta Cafe, as well as ongoing improvements to the Mt. Coot-tha, gives everyone a reason to keep coming back!
A ‘must see’ for all visitors to Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha’s Brisbane Lookout offers spectacular panoramic views over the CBD all the way to Moreton Bay. Walking tracks are abundant through the National Park and the Lookout itself showcases a historical timeline of this iconic destination. A bustling café and award winning restaurant ensure the precinct caters to all visitors. Only 7kms from the CBD, the Brisbane Lookout is stunning in the day and a romantic wonderland of lights at night.
Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is a single institution located across two adjacent river-side buildings in the Cultural Precinct at Brisbane’s South Bank. Our vision is to be the leading institution for the contemporary art of Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
QAGOMA holds a Collection of over 17,000 works of historical, modern and contemporary art, and stages a dynamic program of Australian and international exhibitions. We are home to the Children’s Art Centre which collaborates on interactive artworks with leading artists from around the world, and the Australian Cinémathèque, the only dedicated cinema facility in an Australian art museum.
Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
With over 1,000 stores across four diverse shopping districts, offering an incredible array of retail and entertainment options, it is easy to see why Queen Street Mall attracts over 26 million visitors every year. Wander through the alleyways and back streets and discover cafés and bars filled with the city’s trendy crowd. Catch some street performers, magicians, dance troupes and musicians with their scheduled performances on the special stage near George Street.
City Botanic Gardens
The City Botanic Gardens are Brisbane’s original botanic gardens and are located on the Brisbane River. Features include sculptures and ornamental ponds.