The Best Travel Guide to Brisbane (UPDATED 2021) | ArrivalGuides.com

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Oceania Australia Brisbane

Overview

Brisbane

Lazy beach days

The guide was updated: 2021-05-17

Brisbane is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with excellent restaurants, beautiful riverside parks, a busy cultural calendar, and a lively nightlife. Its fantastic weather year-round has allowed outdoor activities to thrive and develop a vibrant café culture.

Queensland's capital city is surrounded by some of the state’s major tourist attractions and there is an abundant choice of day trips. Explore the coast for the golden beaches or go inland for some of the region's serene bushland — there is something for everyone here.

Facts

Population:	2.28 million (2016)
Currency:	Australian Dollar (AUD) $1 = 100 cents
Search Accommodation:	Hotels »
Emergency numbers:	Police, fire, ambulance: 000 Poisons Information: +61 13 11 26
Newspapers:	The Courier Mail Queensland Times Brisbane Times
Website:	www.visitbrisbane.com.au
Opening hours:	City retailers trade Mon–Thu 9am–6 pm, Fri 9am–9pm, Sat & Sun 9am–5pm
Tourist information:	Brisbane Visitor Information and Booking Centre The Regent, 167 Queen Street Mall, Brisbane P: 07 3006 6290 E: visit@brisbanemarketing.com.au Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–4pm. Closed: Christmas, New Years Day, Good Friday, and Anzac Day

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Section in Brisbane

Beach, art and food. Mix and match those three options any way you like and get the most out of Brisbane. Take a walk through the air-conditioned halls of QAGOMA or catch the breeze riding on the the tiny red CityHopper vessel. Lay down your towel and rest your feet in the warm sand of Streets Beach at South Bank. The food is a whole other delicious story. Check out local farmers’ markets and pluck a few fresh treats from the numerous free public garden beds.

Moreton Bay Escapes

Moreton Bay Escapes

Moreton Bay Escapes offer tours to astoundingly beautiful Moreton Bay Marine Park and Moreton Island National Park. Their tours are a good match for outdoorsy people and their guides are experienced with senior first aid.

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Ever wanted to climb a bridge? The Story Bridge at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane is one of only four legally climbable bridges in Australia. With the height being the equivalent of a 22-storey building, it is not something for the faint hearted! Make sure you stop in at Story Bridge Hotel for a celebratory drink afterwards.

Gallery Of Modern Art aka QAGOMA

Gallery Of Modern Art aka QAGOMA

Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art are the largest, modern and contemporary art galleries in Australia. The complex is situated at the Kurilpa Point on the Brisbane River.

Mount Coot-tha

Mount Coot-tha

Mount Coot-tha is one of Brisbane’s most popular tourist destinations, but also offers an escape from the city life through its 220 hectares of natural bushland and native wildlife that make up the Mt. Coot-tha Reserve. See the breathtaking panorama of Brisbane City all the way out to the ocean at Moreton Bay from the observation deck. There are also a handful of bushwalks around the vicinity of the Lookout. The hillside is dotted with picnic areas equipped with gas barbecues.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha

Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha

The original Botanical Gardens were established in 1855 and were located on Alice Street on the south-east side of the city. Due to the proximity to the river, the gardens have been flooded eight times which lead to the new botanical gardens at Mount Coot-tha. Don't miss the Tropical Display Dome — a large geodesic dome.

South Bank Parklands

South Bank Parklands

South Bank offers 17 hectares of lush gardens, lawns, beach, restaurants, cafes and shopping. Both tourists and locals frequent the Riverside Walkway and flock to the area during music and arts festivals.

XXXX Brewery Tour

XXXX Brewery Tour

XXXX Brewery Tour is an iconic brewery in Brisbane. Learn about the history, how to serve the perfect beer and of course taste a couple of cold ones. The tour takes around 90 minutes and you are invited to taste four beers.

Springbrook and Tamborine Rainforest Tour

Springbrook and Tamborine Rainforest Tour

Book one of these tours for a full day packed with adventure. Walk through Springbrook and Tamborine National Parks and drive through the beautiful Numinbah Valley. You will see rock pools and waterfalls in a lush rainforest. Don't forget to stop at Natural Bridge to check out the Glow Worm Caves.

Lovers' Walk and Shorncliffe Pier

Lovers' Walk and Shorncliffe Pier

This scenic 2.5km walk takes you along the shoreline from the 350m long timber Shorncliffe Pier to the former Sandgate Baptist Church. It's great for dog walking, jogging, taking in the ocean and mountain views. Grab fish'n'chips from one of the local vendors and enjoy the sunset.

CityHopper

CityHopper

Brisbane City Council is runnings a free inner city ferry line called CityHopper. The tiny red boats cruise between six stops in central Brisbane between North Quay and Sydney Street, New Farm. The service runs every 30 minutes.

Brisbane City Markets

Brisbane City Markets

Brisbane City Markets delivers a premium selection of gourmet food and ingredients. Browse artisan goods, buy some premium meats and trawler-direct seafood, bite into a freshly baked loaf of bread. The original market at Reddacliff Place is a favourite for city workers, local residents and tourists. The second location at Cathedral Square is smaller in size, but is more heavily focused on quality street food.

Howard Smith Wharves

Howard Smith Wharves

Right underneath the north end of the Story Bridge is a trendy waterside development with restaurants, bars, a huge brewery and a hotel. Enjoy a cold one from the large green space and take in the river view.

Fairy light trees at Captain Burke Park & Gardens Point

Fairy light trees at Captain Burke Park & Gardens Point

Here and there around the inner city, you will find secluded fig tries covered in fairy lights. Perfect location for a romantic moment or a little photoshoot.

The Wheel of Brisbane

The Wheel of Brisbane

The iconic Wheel of Brisbane takes you up 60 metres above the ground for a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view of the city. The gondola is fully enclosed and air-conditioned, and seats up to 8 people. One ticket gets you for revolutions within 10–15 minutes. The ride is especially magical during sunset.

Book a winery tour

Book a winery tour

Of course, you could get all the best Australian wines without leaving Brisbane's city limits, but what could be better than meeting the people whose hands made the wine and taking in the atmosphere of a lush winery. Book a tour or get into a car with a designated driver, and don't forget to back a picnic basket. We suggest heading south to discover the Scenic Rim’s wine, beer and spirit makers.

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