Brisbane is Australia’s third-largest city after Sydney and Melbourne. I moved to Brisbane for my studies at the University of Queensland in early January 2024. I must admit I haven’t travelled as much as I wished. But I have travelled around a bit. The commute is worthwhile, given the use of Go-Card for all services—ferries, trains, and buses—across Queensland. Travelling by ferry is one of the best experiences, given the brilliantly designed bridges across the Brisbane River.
In this blog, I highlight some places you should visit and what you do in Brisbane. Fret not—most of these places are absolutely free!
1. South Bank Parklands
Of all the places in Brisbane, SOUTH BANK is one of the first to visit. It is one of the vibrant destinations located on the Brisbane River. If you take a ferry towards the University of Queensland or the Northshore, you can get off at the South Bank station. South Bank has several things: gardens, plazas, a Nepalese pagoda, and even an artificial beach known as Streets Beach.
Australia and beaches are a fairytale. However, Brisbane does not have the luxury of beaches. For all their creativity, humans have created a Streets Beach in South Bank, surrounded by white sand and palm trees—perfect for a family outing, swimming and weekend relaxation. Interestingly, it is the only man-made beach in Australia.
Besides that, there is the 60-meter-long Wheel of Brisbane. Apart from this, the South Bank is a cultural precinct of Brisbane. But I will cover this in another section.
2. Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)
If you are an art lover, there is no better stop than at the South Bank. Besides the beach and the gardens, if you walk closer to the Wheel of Brisbane, you will first encounter QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Centre). QPAC is where artists are hosted, theatre events occur, and movies are screened, among other things. QPAC is also known for the performing arts events that take place there.
3. Queensland Museum
After QPAC, you may walk across the concrete alley towards the Queensland Museum. The museum hosts a large number of natural artefacts. First opened in 1862 by a group of curious individuals running the Queensland Philosophical Society, the Museum keeps the state collection of over 1.2 cultural objects, natural specimens, and more than 14 million research items.
Apart from that, there is a station for Legos. Dinosaurs. Reptiles. Elephants and their tusks. Everything is built with Legos. Ryan McNaught, also known as “Brickman”, the world’s leading Lego artist, built this.
Visit Queensland Museum for all that enthrals you—all at once.
4. Library and Art Galleries
Next to the Museum is the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG). As an art enthusiast, I am amused by the kinds of art on display every. From Pablo Picasso’s not-so-well-known paintings to a large chunk of Indigenous art—all are on display here. As you move through the alleys of arts/paintings, you also see a signboard stating: THERE IS NO AUSTRALIAN ART.
Besides these things, there is also the state library. Queensland State Library has a brilliant library, with really good book collections, spaces to sit and read, and magazines to look at. All free. If you are a resident of Brisbane, you can also get a physical library card and be issued books.
Apart from that, you can also join Press Reader online—and add yourself as a member of the Queensland State Library to access a brilliant set of newspapers and magazines online. I do this all the time.
Besides that, there is also a Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) across the street. GOMA curates brilliant artists, hosts a variety of exhibitions, and showcases some really good movies occasionally. It is worth checking out.
5. Brisbane Central Business District (CBD)
Almost all cities in Australia boast a great city area. Magnificent colonial architecture, built with the toils of riches, percolated through the gold rush and slavery. City Hall, located in the heart of Brisbane, was completed in 1930. The US military used the clock tower as an observation point during World War II here.
The city is also a hub for shops, dining, pubs, games, and musicals. There is a Queen Street (named after Queen Victoria) Mall at the centre. There are too many lanes named after all royal families: Elizabeth, George, William, Adelaide, Margaret, Alice, Albert, Ann, Edward, and Charlotte, among others. But, with each crossing, you are sure to find architectural marvels. There are some good food joints. As someone new to the city, I haven’t explored so much (Ah, how I wish there was more money in my pocket!). But, still, look around, and you will find interesting places—absolutely at no cost.
6. Mount Coot-tha Lookout
I visited Mount Coot-tha twice. Both times, I was mesmerised by the view the lookout offers. Originally, Mount Coot-tha was the home of the Yugara Aboriginal people. The term Coot-tha comes from ku-ta, meaning honey produced by stingless bees. In 1839, surveyor James Warner and his team cut all trees on top of the mountain except one large eucalypt tree, visible from all locations. It was also called One Tree Hill. During the Second World War, the mountain also acted as a military base with a vast explosives depot for the US Naval forces. There is also some story about goldrush here—I will keep this as a hint for you to read more about it when you visit here.
People trek here. Some come by cars—and others follow suit in buses. Either way, the view is worthwhile. From the top, you can view the whole city.
7. Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens are, again, worth visiting. In Brisbane, there are a few. But I have visited the one close to Mt. Coot-tha. However, one is also known as City Botanical Gardens, which is close to the CBD. The botanical garden offers beautiful scenery with plants and a peaceful retreat with ponds and paths along the way. Come with your books—and sit here all day and read. With friends, you could host a picnic (but carry back your trash or dispose of it in the dustbins).
The botanical garden was opened in the 1970s at the base of the mountain. It hosts a library specialising in botany, horticulture, and gardening, among others. Closer to the bus station, there is also a white circular building known as the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. A long walk into the botanical garden will allow you to experience the lush green Brisbane flora and fauna along the way.
8. Eat Street, Northshore
Ultimately, it would be best if you also ate something—with brilliant artists performing in the background. If you take the ferry towards Northshore, the final stop will lead you to the eat street. Eat Street, Northshore is “an endless fun-filled adventure that will satisfy your taste buds matched with some of the best local live entertainment Queensland has to offer”.
There are over 70 food stalls and micro restaurants—all offering delicious dishes at very reasonable prices. There are Indian stalls, Italian pizzas, Australian dishes, and other dishes from Iran and so on. Eat Street is open every Friday and Saturday between 4-10 PM and on Sunday 4-9 PM.
Well, among all the other suggestions, Eat Street comes at a cost. You may have to pay an entry fee of 5-6 dollars. But this is worth all that you spend here.
These are some places you can visit if you ever travel to Brisbane, Australia. I will hopefully add more places to this list based on where I travel next, so watch out. For now, I hope this helps!