Brisbane Sights

  1. Brisbane Botanic Gardens

    The City Botanic Gardens are a pleasant respite from the busy city and a firm favourite of lunching office workers. The gardens are dominated by open, grassy walking areas and are popular with strollers, joggers, picnickers, cyclists and skaters. The park is partly lit up at night and you stand a good chance of seeing tame possums here.

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  2. Brisbane Forest Park

    North-west of Brisbane lies the D'Aguilar Range, which includes Brisbane Forest Park. Hidden within this 28,500 hectare natural bushland are remote gorges, expanses of subtropical rainforest and scribbly-gum woodland. The birdlife is prolific and Brisbanites come here by the dozen to take advantage of this natural playground. There are numerous walking trails varying in length and degree of difficulty.

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  3. Brisbane's Alma Park Zoo

    Brisbane's tropical zoo lies 28km north of the city centre off the Bruce Hwy (exit Boundary Rd) and is home to a large number of exotic and Australian animals. Native mammals include koalas, kangaroos, possums and dingoes while the baboons, leopards and Malaysian sun bears hail from foreign shores.

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  4. Brisbane's Living Heritage

    Most of Brisbane's major historical sights are in, or near, the city centre (also called the CBD) and the city's arts hub, South Bank, sits a short ferry ride across the river. Fortitude Valley and neighbouring New Farm are popular with locals for their culture, cafés, bars and live music venues, and the West End for its upmarket bohemian vibe. The freebie brochure Brisbane's Living Heritage, available from the visitor information centres, highlights many of the sights Brisbane has to offer.

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  5. Brunswick St Mall

    Fortitude Valley has long been home to prostitutes and junkies, and later musicians as a live music scene took hold. These days it's an eclectic mix of the down and out and upwardly mobile, the yuppies' backyard and clubbers' playground. The heart of the Valley is Brunswick St Mall, a pedestrianised arcade where coffee shops thrive by day and bars buzz at night. On Saturday mornings bleary-eyed shoppers congregate for the Brunswick St Markets.

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  7. Carlton & United Brewhouse

    This complex, 40km south of the city centre on the way to the Gold Coast, is one of the largest breweries in Queensland and pumps out around three million bottles of the good stuff a day.

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  8. Castlemaine-Perkins XXXX Brewery

    'XXXX' - that's the sound your free samples will make when you crack them open after the interesting 75-minute tour. The rather dapper animated character Mr XXXX will educate you in the goings-on of this 125-year-old brewery and divulge some of the secrets of its iconic ale. For the acme of Australian beer wear, stock up at the XXXX Beer Gear shop.

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  9. Chinatown

    Running parallel to Brunswick St Mall is Brisbane's Chinatown, a compact but lively strip of restaurants, massage therapists, herbalists and acupuncture businesses.

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  10. City Hall

    The foundation stone for the City Hall was laid in 1920 but it took a further 10 years to complete the sandstone edifice. The four clock faces on each side of the tower are the largest in Australia and, until the Sydney Opera House was completed, Brisbane's City Hall was the country's most expensive building. The lofty clock tower still has an observation platform that affords great city views.

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  11. Footsteps Gallery

    Housed in the old School of Arts, the Footsteps Gallery that was established to support emerging Aboriginal and Torres Straits artists. The building originally provided accommodation for single adult females awaiting employment as domestic maids; it became an art school in 1849. Today it hosts monthly exhibitions of indigenous art and there are plans to introduce cultural performances, story-telling evenings and bush tucker tastings.

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  13. Goodwill Bridge

    To get here jump on a CityCat or Inner City Ferry (there are three jetties along the riverbank) or walk across the Goodwill Bridge that links South Bank to the City Botanic Gardens. Buses and trains also run here from Roma St or Central stations.

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  14. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

    Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the largest koala sanctuary in the world. Set in attractive parklands beside the river, over 130 of the fuzzy marsupials live here, alongside kangaroos, dingoes and wombats. The koalas are undeniably cute and for a fee visitors can cuddle one and capture it on film or hand feed the tame kangaroos.

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  15. Maritime Museum

    Naval enthusiasts will enjoy the Maritime Museum that's filled with ship models, engines and vessels that reflect Queensland's maritime history. One highlight is the gigantic HMAS Diamantina, a restored WWII frigate that you can clamber aboard and explore.

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  16. Mt Coot-tha Reserve

    Roughly 7km southwest of the city centre is Mt Coot-tha Reserve, an expansive bush and parkland area peppered with picnic spots and walking trails. The name derives from the indigenous term 'ku-ta' meaning honey, as this is where local Aboriginal people would come to collect the rich nectar produced by the native stingless bee.

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  17. Museum of Brisbane

    The Museum of Brisbane has both permanent and changing exhibitions exploring the city's culture and heritage. Brisbane's past is played out in the multimedia Memory Theatre that screens short film clips of the city and its people. A second wing features temporary exhibits showcasing art, crafts and photography by local and international artists. There are free guided tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at .

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  19. New Farm Park

    New Farm, just east of the Valley along Brunswick St, is the latest neighbourhood to undergo gentrification and is now bursting with coffee shops, wine bars and restaurants. At weekends, all action centres on New Farm Park, a lovely, open parkland with playgrounds and picnic areas.

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  20. Newstead House

    Newstead House, on the Brisbane River, is Brisbane's best-known heritage site. Set in attractive forested grounds, the historic homestead dates from 1846 and is beautifully fitted out with Victorian furnishings and antiques, clothing and period displays.

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  21. Old Windmill & Observatory

    In Wickham Park, near Central Station, stands the Old Windmill & Observatory that was first constructed as a mill for grinding corn. Built in 1828 it's just a fraction older than the Commissariat Stores, making it the oldest surviving building in Brisbane. It is closed to the public.

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  22. Queensland Art Gallery

    The refurbished Queensland Art Gallery haspermanent and visiting exhibitions reflecting pre-1970 Australian, Asian and international art. There are some particularly enjoyable permanent collections that include Australian masterpieces by the likes of Brett Whiteley and Sidney Nolan, and the newly opened Fairweather Room that displays paintings by Queensland artist Ian Fairweather.

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  23. Queensland Cultural Centre

    This superb complex spans two blocks either side of Melbourne St, just across Victoria Bridge. It houses the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum, the State Library and the Performing Arts Complex. The museum has a dinosaur garden and an exhibition on whales, while the gallery features a great permanent Australian collection and lots of temporary exhibits.

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  25. Queensland Gallery of Modern Art

    Queensland Art Gallery has an impressive permanent collection of European and Australian art, and also features visiting exhibitions. Check out Picasso's La Belle Hollandaise and works by Sydney Nolan, Charles Blackman and Fred Williams. It also hosts the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, one of Australia's finest art shows.

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  26. Queensland Museum

    Queensland Museum houses a diverse range of displays including the Discover Queensland exhibition and the Museum Zoo, which houses over 700 prehistoric and modern animals from dung beetles to dinosaurs. Upstairs there's a sobering display on Australia's endangered species and on the 4th floor is the museum's impressive Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Cultures Centre.

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  27. QUT Art Museum

    For a taste of the local art scene in its freshest form, try QUT's challenging museum. It features contemporary art from around the world, but focuses mainly on homegrown works, including pieces by QUT students. It specialises in paintings, prints and ceramics. Exhibits change constantly and guided tours are available, but must be booked.

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  28. Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium

    If you're able to tear yourself away from the lush surrounds of the botanic gardens then take a journey into the far reaches of the universe at Australia's largest planetarium. The Cosmic Skydome features breathtaking 45-minute shows and live tours of Brisbane's skies at night. There is also a shop stocked with books and star charts.

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  29. St John's Cathedral

    Southwest of the Valley, St John's Cathedral is a fine example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture. Inside, look for the beautiful hand-stitched cushions that depict Queensland flora and fauna; there are 400 in total.

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