Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Cuddle a koala and hand-feed kangaroos just minutes from Brisbane city at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. Get up close and personal with Australia’s unique wildlife including over 130 koalas. Travel to the sanctuary via an enjoyable river cruise from South Bank. More information. Recommended by visitor centre.
Australia Zoo
Undoubtedly a highlight of any visit to Queensland is a trip to Australia Zoo. Made famous by the antics of Steve and Terri Irwin and their global documentaries ‘The Crocodile Hunter’, the zoo is a living legacy to Steve and his wildlife conservation efforts. Visitors can experience live shows in the Crocoseum, as well as a large range of Australian, Asian and African animals. More information. Recommended by visitor centre.
Tangalooma Day Trip
For the quintessential sun, surf and sand experience, located an hour boat cruise from Brisbane visitors can enjoy a day trip to Tangalooma Island Resort. Cruise through the picturesque Moreton Bay Marine Park to the beautiful Moreton Island, the third largest sand island in the world. Tangalooma offers over 80 land and water activities to enjoy including snorkelling the ship wrecks, sand tobogganing, 4WD through the National Park, quad bike rides, and the unforgettable experience of hand-feeding wild dolphins at sunset. Recommended by visitor centre.
Beach and Rainforest Day Trip
The Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise are Australia’s premier tourist destinations and Mount Tamborine is our most popular local hinterland destination. Experience the best of Australia in a day trip, located only one hour from Brisbane. Enjoy the experience of beautiful beaches in the morning, lunch in the boutique vineyards, and a walk through the lush rainforest in the afternoon. Enjoy a swim and shop at Surfers Paradise before climbing the mountain to Tamborine for a restaurant lunch, wine tastings, stroll through Gallery Walk (exploring the arts and craft shops, hand-made jewellery, brewery and cheese shop) before ending the day with a relaxing walk through the rainforest to Curtis Falls. Recommended by visitor centre.
Mirrabooka Indigenous Experience
Experience the spiritual wonder of an ancient culture through traditional dance, music and storytelling on the inner-city banks of the Brisbane River. Meet the local Brisbane Indigenous Tribe Riverlife Mirrabooka and share in rich Aboriginal culture presented by the Yuggera Aboriginal dancers. Develop an awareness of the diverse aspects of contemporary Aboriginal culture by witnessing and participating in traditional song and dance passed down over many generations, primitive fire starting techniques, playing of Aboriginal musical instruments (such as didgeridoos) and listening to Indigenous educational talks that offer an insight into Aboriginal life and history of this ancient land. Recommended by visitor centre.
Great Barrier Reef Day Trip
Experience the wonder of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef in a day with a short one hour flight with Seair from Redcliffe, Brisbane to Lady Elliot Island. Visitors can enjoy the short private flight; a full seafood buffet lunch and beverages on the island, followed by an afternoon snorkeling and diving the iconic reef or exploring the island at leisure. Recommended by visitor centre.
Guided City Walking Tour and South Bank Cultural Precinct
For a cost effective program option visitors can experience a free guided city walking tour with passionate and knowledgeable locals, The Brisbane Greeters. Discover hidden secrets of the city and experience a first-hand look at Brisbane with tours available across a range of topics such as art and culture, food and wine, indigenous culture or river history. Enjoy a guided tour through the inner-city South Bank Parklands, home to Street’s Beach and Australia’s most visited major cultural attractions, then explore the cultural precinct with spectacular exhibitions at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, and Queensland Museum. Greeter’s tours are available in over 25 languages. Recommended by visitor centre.
Lamington National Park
Declared in 1915, Lamington National Park covers 21,176 ha and boasts extensive walking tracks along the McPherson Range, which allow visitors to explore the area’s forests, creeks and waterfalls. Dramatic lookouts in Lamington afford views over the Gold Coast, south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Lamington is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, which includes the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, most of the world’s warm temperate rainforest and nearly all of the Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei cool temperate rainforest. Lamington National Park offers a wide range of walking opportunities ranging from easy strolls to challenging full-day hikes. At dusk pademelons graze on the grass, and bowerbirds can be frequently seen. More information can be found at the National Park web site. Recommended by Di.
North Stradbroke Island
North Stradbroke Island is a place to exhale. Spend a day, a week or a month here and you will feel the importance of this cultural paradise. Known as Minjerribah to the traditional owners (the Quandamooka People), Straddie has a natural beauty not often seen and a spiritual connection not often felt. Just a hop, skip and jump (drive or train and ferry) from Brisbane’s CBD and you’ll feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of life. Mobile phone coverage is patchy, the ocean is a twinkling turquoise blue and the waves roll in day in, day out. More information. Recommended by Di.
Pampering
Enjoy a relaxing day out commencing with an exquisite high tea at Stamford Plaza, followed by a trip out to Sirromet winery for a wine tasting tour and lunch overlooking the scenic countryside. Or try your hand at learning some culinary skills at James Street Cooking School and enjoy your hand-made feast of fresh Australian seafood and produce afterwards. Alternatively enjoy being pampered with a relaxing massage or mud therapy treatment at the luxurious Stephanies Spa Retreat, or shop until you drop in our premier shopping precinct in the Queen Street Mall with VIP private experiences such as a pearl lesson at Paspali Pearls or a luggage packing class at Louis Vuitton. Recommended by visitor centre.
Shopping
This vibrant shopping and lifestyle precinct lies at the heart of Brisbane City and is arguably Australia’s most successful pedestrian mall, playing host to over 26 million visitors a year.
The Queen Street Mall offers an unrivalled mix of local, national and international labels and flagship stores. More than 700 retailers have made their homes here - many enjoy mall and street frontage, others are tucked away inside world-class centres and heritage-listed arcades. Queens Plaza, the latest jewel in the Queen Street Mall crown, is a must visit. Other long-time favourites include Wintergarden, Broadway on the Mall, the magnificent and historically significant Brisbane and Tattersall’s Arcades, Queen Adelaide Building, MacArthur Central and The Myer Centre.
The Queen Street Mall is not merely the state’s shopping hotspot, it has long been considered Brisbane’s city heart; the place you head with friends and family if it’s fun and entertainment you seek. Over 1,000 events take place throughout Queen Street Mall each year. In addition, there is a cinema and casino right on the Mall, and parklands, museums, galleries, salons, day spas, restaurants and bars can be found in the surrounding Brisbane City streets.
Art and Culture
South Bank is Brisbane’s cultural epicentre with a thriving precinct of dedicated, world-class theatre, arts and educational institutions. Find out more
Tours
Take a segway tour along the river, or go for a paddle. There are lots of adventure tours available.
Climb the bridge for a fabulous view of Brisbane.
Quench your thirst
From drinking cocktails on rooftop bars to sinking beers and billiards in underground music dens – Brisbane City offers no shortage of variety in its nightlife.
During the week, knock off for aperritivo, on Fridays kick on with co-workers and on weekends come in with a date for riverside drinks. Raise your glass to the 5.01pm club! Great places to unwind with a drink
Whether you judge a coffee shop by its machine, the length of a barista’s beard, single origin offering or variety of brew methods – let’s face it, Australians are total coffee snobs. When it comes to good coffee, Brisbane knows its stuff and if you hate to be disappointed – stick to the below list and we promise you’ll be in safe, coffee-tamping hands.