Skip to main content Skip to footer site map

Brisbane, QLD

Make a journey to downtown Brisbane and you’ll realise how beautiful a city can be. You will find a unique combination of the old and new – where sandstone cathedrals blend seamlessly with steel and glass skyscrapers, modern architectural design is teamed with a healthy respect for tradition.

Brisbane Australia

Down at street level a network of grassy parks, drooping palm trees and a river that snakes through the heart of town reflects the sub-tropical environment in which we live. Pristine, colourful, adventurous, inviting and open; these are all accurate descriptions of the heart of the city. And another thing you’ll notice about Brisbane – the pace is just right.

As Queensland’s capital, Brisbane has it all. Spend lazy afternoons ordering creamy cappuccinos and dozing by the river, step it up a notch by throwing yourself into any number of adventures, abseiling the cliffs at Kangaroo Point, climbing the Story Bridge or all kinds of water sports.

But of course, the spectacular surroundings may well slide into your subconscious once you set your heart on some serious shopping.

Simply no better place in Queensland to indulge in retail therapy, over 650 store trading seven days a week. Start in the Queen Street Mall – almost a kilometre of shoppers’ paradise. Stroll along to the City’s chic shopping strips and arcades before heading to boho precinct Fortitude Valley (known as ‘The Valley’), you’ll find the edgiest young designs, jewellery and fashions imaginable.

Brisbane skyline

South Bank’s Little Stanley Street should be next on your shopping list, a little urban sophistication right by the river. Last but not least, why not dig your way through downtown’s weekend outdoor markets; you never know what you might find. Original, eclectic, or just downright fashionable – if you can’t find what you’re shopping for in downtown Brisbane, it simply doesn’t exist.

The Brisbane Region

Come to Brisbane and you’ll discover a region that’s not only filled with energy, you’ll also find it’s filled with endless things to do.

Sophisticated and progressive, dynamic and diverse, Brisbane delivers on all fronts. Visitors and locals alike delight in the very best in food, wine, arts, entertainment and major sporting events, all surrounded by a unique environment of relaxed sub-tropical flair. There’s exciting shopping, a buzzing night time scene, and no end to the range of outdoor adventures on offer, such as sailing, surfing, hot-air ballooning and Four Wheel Drive excursions.

Brisbane shopping

You’ll also find this region to be a hotbed of creative free thinking, with local artists, musicians, writers, jewellers and fashion designers all making their name on the international stage.

At the same time, this is a place without pretension, a city with its feet planted firmly on the ground. And that’s exactly what so many people love about Brisbane.

From the sun and sand drenched islands in the east, to its cool and crisp mountain rainforests in the west – and all the attractions of a vibrant, modern city in between – Brisbane offers the best of both worlds.

Popular Tours Around Brisbane

Dine by the river

Dining out in Brisbane is as culturally colourful as the city itself. The atmosphere is delightfully al fresco with an emphasis on original menus focusing on fresh, unfussy food and wines with flair.

Creative menus offer local delicacies such as Moreton Bay bugs and fresh tropical produce alongside exotic Asian delights, simple Mediterranean meals and traditional European fare.

The choice of restaurant settings is unlimited. Watch boats pass by while tantalising your tastebuds at any number of the city’s stylish waterfront restaurants and brasseries. Or head for Brisbane’s inner-city precincts and peruse the menus of dozens of top outdoor eateries.

You’ll find Italian cafes, fast and fun noodle bars, all-day breakfast joints, wine bars and truly outstanding brasseries.

Fortitude Valley is home to Brisbane’s Chinatown where you can taste the cuisines of the Orient from Chinese and Korean to Vietnamese and Malaysian.

Cafe-restaurants abound in West End, on the southern side of the river. A hub for students and artists, the bohemian, multicultural centre is best known for its delicatessens, Vietnamese and Turkish restaurants, grocers, coffee and tea merchants.

Many other precincts offer fabulous dining such as the fashionable Park Road Milton with its cafe terraces. Clusters of cafes and the city’s finest dining spots can be found on Racecourse Road, Ascot. While at the foot of the Story Bridge, a new precinct is emerging with bustling new restaurants and bars.

On the banks of the river

Australia’s northernmost capital city blends the vitality of the city with the leisurely quality of a country town. It spreads over both sides of the Brisbane river, which bends its way through a gently hilly landscape before spilling into the boat-lover’s paradise of Moreton Bay.

The city is clean, safe and open, with many parks and a mixture of old sandstone and sparkling modern buildings. The inner-city suburbs are full of lovingly restored weatherboard Queenslander homes, their tin roofs and generous verandas enshrining the old casual, sun-warmed lifestyle embraced today.

Backpackers love Brisbane because it’s cheap to eat, party and get around in, with a good choice of safe, quality accommodation. Gay travellers also recognise Brisbane’s charms, enjoying a high level of acceptance, a thriving nightlife and a growing list of excellent bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

Queen Street Mall, in the city’s centre, is the most successful shopping hub in Australia, with heaps of fashion, food and specialty outlets.

Across the river, South Bank Parklands offers superb waterfront dining, and is a short walk from the art gallery and museum. And you haven’t really enjoyed a pub until you’ve tried some of Brisbane’s beer gardens.

Brisbane southbank

Try a river cruise, or a ferry ride to one of the delightful islands nearby: Tangalooma, where you can feed wild dolphins, or North Stradbroke where you can disappear among the dunes.

Relax in sunny Brisbane

Known as the City of Sun Days, Brisbane enjoys great weather, a relaxed pace of life and all the cosmopolitan bustle of a major urban hub.

It doesn’t seem to matter what time of year it is – there’s always something exciting happening in this vibrant city. You’ll find the best in arts and culture, entertainment and sports events as well as good food, wine and shopping.

For arts and culture, the serious head to South Bank, home of the Queensland Museum, with its hands-on interactive displays, and the Queensland Art Gallery, its walls adorned with a magnificent collection of artworks.

You can catch a world-class performance at the Performing Arts Centre where international theatre companies and performing artists take the stage along with Australian performing arts companies.

For exciting sports action, find a seat in the stadium to see local rugby league champions, the Brisbane Broncos, take to the field. During winter, rugby union fans head to Ballymore to watch the Wallabies take on the world. Over at the Gabba sports ground, the Brisbane Lions fight off challengers in the Aussie Rules football code. In summer, the Gabba lights up for international cricket tests and one-day matches.

If you want to shop, head for the designer boutiques and department stores of Queens Street Mall and check out the bustling markets around the city.
Music, dancing, partying, live shows, good times – there’s plenty more going on in the City of Sun Days and fun nights.

The best family attractions

Brisbane is situated nicely between the playgrounds of the Sunshine Coast an hour to the north, the Gold Coast an hour to the south, and Moreton Island just off the coast.

The Gold Coast packs several destinations in one. This region has swimming, a cluster of theme parks featuring anything from dolphins to film-making, alfresco and waterfront dining, a busy nightlife and more shopping per square kilometre than anywhere in Australia.

The Gold Coast is bounded by historic Beenleigh to the north and Cabarita Beach – just over the New South Wales border – to the south. Between lie 70 kilometres of coastline, including spectacular South Stradbroke Island, and a string of vibrant beachside precincts. The stretch’s 35 patrolled beaches include Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, and Main Beach, known for their surfing and swimming opportunities.

Gold Coast, Australia

A game of golf isn’t hard to find on the Gold Coast , which has 40 resort and championship golf courses. If you’re more interested in unique animals, the Gold Coast is still the best place to handfeed native birds and cuddle a koala.

Just 30 minutes’ drive from the beaches is the Hinterland, Australia’s largest reserve of subtropical rainforest, with 160 kilometres of walking tracks, and Springbrook and Tamborine national parks.

Here you’ll find stunning vistas and waterfalls, and rare flora and fauna. You can head for the camping and abseil adventures, or curl up in the mountain and rainforest hideaways.

The Gold Coast offers accommodation to suit every budget, with a collection of luxury hotels, rainforest retreats, serviced and self-contained apartments, family camp sites and motels, tourist parks and hostels, bed-and-breakfast and farmstay accommodation.

Nearest Airport: Brisbane

Where to stay?

Experiences

  • 18-35's
  • Active
  • Romance
  • City
  • Cultural
  • Eco Tourism
  • Food and Wine
  • Historic/Heritage
  • Honeymoon
  • Indulgence/Luxury
  • Relaxation

Popular Activities

  • Off Road Driving
  • City Sightseeing
  • Cruising
  • Cycling
  • Dinner Cruising
  • Golfing
  • Lunch Cruising
  • Scenic Flight
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Nightlife
  • Beach
  • Food and Wine

About Brisbane

  • Locality: Major urban locality
  • Brisbane Postcode: 4000
  • State: Queensland
  • Region: Brisbane
  • Latitude: -27.46901
  • Longitude: 153.02481
  • Elevation: 19m
  • Population: 9460
  • Median Income: $36816
  • Area (Sq/km): 2.074
  • Timezone: Australia/Brisbane

Explore The Outback

Australia has a vast remote interior, much of it largely untouched. By night, the outback is deathly quiet, with the only light provided by the stars and the moon - a perfect oportunity for stargazing. Explore the isolated heart of the country, meet and connect with Aboriginal people and experience one of the oldest living cultures in the world. Go ‘walk-about’ and immerse yourself with Australia’s endless outback horizons.

Outback Experiences

Luxe Accommodation

Enjoy a distinctly Australian luxury experience, such as the unforgettable reefs, islands, beaches and coast; rugged mountain ranges, rainforests and vast national parks; and the many vibrant food and wine regions. Take a once in a lifetime adventure and discover the sheer indulgence of experiencing the wonders of Australia in style and stay in total luxury.

Australia has wide variety of accommodation options to suit most budgets and travelling preferences. Choose from luxury lodges, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks as well as youth and backpacker hostels.

Accommodation

Glasshouse Mountains

The Glasshouse Mountains in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast are actually the cores of 20 million year old volcanoes. The sides of the volcanoes have eroded away leaving only the hardened rock spiremountain cores we see today. Learn more about this awe-inspiring landscape.

Glasshouse Mountains