Explore with Amie

Rather than sharing another walking route this week, I want to throw it back to when I was Australia at the beginning of 2023 and share my must see and do sights in Brisbane, Australia. If I was to rank the cities that we visited, Brisbane would probably be my second favourite. It is very close behind Sydney though! The climate in Brisbane was the first time I was like damn, this is humid. The weather was significantly warmer because of the humidity which made exploring a little more difficult. Still, I had an absolutely incredible time in the city and want to share the advice I have for your trip to Brisbane.

The Practical Bits

How long do you need there?

We stayed in Brisbane three nights as part of our longer eight week journey up the East Coast. Obviously, it depends on how long you’re staying in the country but, if you are travelling the east coast like we were, 4 days was enough to see all the city and have one day trip outside of it. However, if you want to go further out from the CBD and visit the nearby islands, you may need to stay for a few more days.

Getting there

The usual backpacker route for this portion of the trip is a stop in Surfers Paradise and then onto Brisbane which takes just over an hour on the Greyhound bus. However, there is also an international airport about 25 minutes outside the city centre. It also has flights to many other destinations in Australia. On our return home, we flew from Cairns to Brisbane and then onto Sydney so, if you are wanting to fly from another area of Australia, this is an option too.

Where to stay?

There are many budget friendly options in Brisbane, including hostels. I would recommend looking at websites included HostelWorld and Booking.com to get the best deals. We stayed in a female only room and met some great people who we explored the city with for the rest of the time we were there.

Things to See in the City

South Bank

South Bank is a fabulous area of the city and is a must-see area of Brisbane. It is home to a market, lots of restaurants and bars as well as the only man-made, inner-city beach in the whole of Australia. Given the temperatures in the city, I can see why they thought this was a good idea. South Beach, or Street Beach, is free to access and features lagoons, bars, toilets and a sandy beach. There is a lifeguard on duty here too. If you want to relax and read a book, this is the space to do it.

Around the beach, there are also lots of tropical plants with boardwalks through them to explore. It is crazy to be surrounded by the city skyline whilst also being surrounded by the tropics. The walk to the beach also takes you through an arch way with the most gorgeous pink flowers across it. It is a very instagrammable spot, if that is what you’re after. As well as that though, it is just a beautiful place to walk.

South Bank is also home to the iconic Brisbane sign. This is another must see and a great photo opportunity. The skyline is at its very best and the art of the sign is actually really cool – it’s much better than your bog standard sign!

London Eye look away, the Channel Seven Wheel of Brisbane step forward. This is a wheel which carries you 200 feet in the air for views of the city and across the South Bank. As of June 2024, it costs around £8 to have a go around the wheel per person. It looks especially lovely lit up in the evening too.

Kangaroo Point

Walking along the banks of Brisbane River is also a must do activity, especially on the South Bank towards Kangaroo Point. This is a cliff park – nothing extreme, cliff wise, don’t worry – with incredible views the city skyline. The area has barbecues, rock climbing and art displays. We actually visited this park multiple times throughout our stay as we went back in the evening to have a lovely bbq with our friends from the hostel. I highly recommend doing this one evening – it was great fun! The city skyline looks fabulous at night too. Watch out for the swooping birds in this park though, they’re known to be quite dangerous.

Captain Burke Point/Story Bridge

Story Bridge is one of the most iconic sights of the city. It is a pedestrian and cycle friendly bridge across the river. We opted to continue our walk along the river from Kangaroo Point to Captain Burke Point, another green area adorning Brisbane River. From here, you get a great view of the bridge and are able to catch the ferry back across to the other side of the river too.

Ferries are a great way to travel across the river in Brisbane as the City Hopper ferries are free. There are many ferry terminals throughout the city, one of which is found at Captain Burke Point. This was a quick and easy way to travel and I would recommend experiencing it at least once during your trip – why not!

West End

Another one of our favourite areas of the city was the West End which is one of the more laid-back residential areas the city. It is nice just to have a wander around, have a look in some independent shops and have some good food. The buildings are really beautiful and it’s nice to experience something a little different to the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The area is most famous for its weekend markets at Davies Park but is worth exploring at other times of the week too.

Brisbane City Botanic Gardens

The City Botanic Gardens are on the north side of the river and are also free to enter. If you want to escape the busy streets, sit and have some lunch, or relax with a good book, this is another great spot to visit. These were the original botanic gardens and contains attractions such as the Weeping Fig Avenue, Bamboo Grove and many ornamental ponds. The Gardens are also home to the Riverstage where there are often events. These events are paid so you won’t be able to access the gardens for free during that time.

Museums

There are many different museums located in the city centre, including:

Gallery of Modern Art

The Gallery of Modern Art is located in South Brisbane and could be coupled with a visit to the State Library. The gallery features art from Australia, Asia and the Pacific and, other than specific events and exhibitions, entry is free.

Museum of Brisbane

The Museum of Brisbane can be found inside Brisbane City Hall. It is open every day form 10am until 5pm and is the go to museum for all things Brisbane culture and history. From what I can gather from the website, entrance is free though they do ask for donations.

Queensland Museum Kurilpa

This museum is a science and history museum, focusing on the state of Queensland. It has dinosaur exhibitions with a current special event displaying Jurassic World in Lego. They seem to run lots of different events throughout the year that would be perfect for children and families. Like the rest of the museums, entry is free.

Queensland Maritime Museum

Also found on the South Bank, Queensland Maritime Museum is one of Australia’s largest maritime museums and is open from Wednesday to Sunday each week. There is an entrance fee for this one of $18 for adults and $8 for children under 15, although there are other family bundle tickets available. This is around £10 for adults and £4 for children (June 2024).

Things to do Outside of Brisbane

Eat Street Northshore

Eat Street is a series of shipping containers that make up a food hall with a wide range of cuisine available. This is located a little bit further outside the city on an old disused wharf which is a very cool setting for some food. There is often live music too creating a lively atmosphere. As well as the cost of food and drinks inside, you have to pay a $6 AUD entry fee which according to current (June 2024) exchange rates is just over £3. A bus to Eat Street from the city centre takes around 50 minutes or it is a 16 minute drive if you have access to a car/taxi.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

You have the option of either going to Australia Zoo or the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to get your wildlife fix in Brisbane. We opted to go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary because Australia Zoo was fully booked for the koala holding photo opportunities. This wasn’t a disappointment as we had a fantastic time at the sanctuary. It is a place that focuses on the research and conservation of koala’s too so, you know they’re treated properly. There is a bus that runs from the city centre to the Sanctuary or you can get a taxi which isn’t too expensive when split between multiple people. Day passes cost $54 for adults and $39 for children with additional fees for wildlife encounters which include touching or holding a koala amongst others.

Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo is pretty iconic as the home of the crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin. The Zoo is famous for its crocodile shows and has many different Australian animals on show too. It is much bigger than the Koala Sanctuary which is also reflected in the price tag. Adult entry is $71.95 whilst children are able to get in for $46.95. They also offer a wide range of animal encounters including with giraffes, meerkat and tortoise. If you’re looking to hold a koala, I would suggest booking well in advance.

Mount Coot-Tha Lookout and Brisbane Botanical Gardens

If you’re looking for a more active experience, heading out to Mount Coot-Tha would be a great addition to your trip! The walk takes around 1 and a half hours to complete and is considered moderately challenging, making it a popular tourist spot. If you don’t fancy heading up to the viewpoint then, the botanical gardens are also located at the bottom of the mountain. The gardens are 56-hectares so there is plenty to explore here! It is home to a planetarium, herbarium, library and cafe too.

Island Excursions

Moreton Island

Moreton Island is a sand island off the coast of Brisbane. It is the perfect destination for snorkelling as it is famed for the Tangalooma Wrecks – a group of sunken boats. There is also dolphins in the area and many beautiful rainbow fish.You can also rent kayaks, surf and go tobogganing in the desert away from the coastline. The Micat ferry takes passengers from Brisbane to Moreton Island for $38 each way for an adult foot passenger.

Fisherman’s Island

Though included in this section, Fisherman’s Island is not technically an island as you can get a bus here from the city centre and it is in fact man-made. It is home to the Port of Brisbane, the nation’s fastest growing container port. Along with the industrial aspects of the area, it is also home to a bird roosting lake with viewpoints for bird enthusiasts. There is a visitors centre and a cafe too.

As well as shopping and other entertainment centres such as cinema’s and theatres, Brisbane has many wonderful things to see and do! Let me know if you have been to Brisbane and what you got up to down in the comments!

I also used a slightly different format for this travel guide than others I have written. What did you think?

Amie x