About 4km east of Dunwich, sand-fringed Brown Lake gets its strained-tea hue from the native, medicinal tea trees that fringe it. The lake is a popular swimming spot and flanked by picnic tables, BBQs, a kids' playground, toilets and the odd roaming monitor lizard. According to local indigenous lore, the lake is sacred and home to the spirit of giant carpet snake.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.13 MILES
Should you sunbake on a sandy beach, saunter through a rainforest, or eye-up a Nepalese peace pagoda? You can do all three in this 17.5-hectare park…
25.33 MILES
On South Bank, just over Victoria Bridge from the CBD, the Queensland Cultural Centre is the epicentre of Brisbane’s cultural confluence. Surrounded by…
25.42 MILES
All angular glass, concrete and black metal, must-see GOMA celebrates modern and contemporary art, with a particular emphasis on Australian, Asian and…
23.14 MILES
On the eastern flank of New Farm Park stands the Powerhouse, a once-derelict power station superbly transformed into a contemporary arts centre. Its…
25.04 MILES
Fronted by a row of sequoia-sized Corinthian columns, Australia's largest city hall was built between 1920 and 1930. Although free, fascinating heritage…
25.04 MILES
On the 3rd floor of City Hall, this forward-thinking museum explores historic and modern aspects of Brisbane, offering fresh, progressive insights into…
24.67 MILES
Queensland's most important heritage building, this 1862 showpiece was designed by estimable government architect Charles Tiffin as a residence for Sir…
25.32 MILES
While Brisbane's main art museum includes numerous international works, its forte is its Australia collection. This includes works by heavyweights like…
Nearby Brisbane & Around attractions
1. North Stradbroke Island Historical Museum
1.66 MILES
Once the ‘Dunwich Benevolent Asylum’ – a home for the destitute – this small but engaging museum describes shipwrecks and harrowing voyages, and gives an…
2. Salt Water Murris Quandamooka Aboriginal Art Gallery
1.75 MILES
On Dunwich's main street, this Aboriginal-owned gallery space exhibits crafts and contemporary art by the island's traditional owners, the Quandamooka.
3. Naree Budjong Djara National Park
3.12 MILES
Naree Budjong Djara National Park is Straddie's heartland, home to the glittering Blue Lake (Kaboora). To access the park and the lake, head 6.5km east of…
7.66 MILES
Below North Gorge Walk in Point Lookout, surfers and bodyboarders descend on Main Beach in search of the ultimate wave. This wild stretch of open ocean…
7.83 MILES
Bordered by Cylinder and Home Beach Headlands, this broad, beautiful beach is patrolled by lifesavers, offers easy access from the car park, and generally…
8.12 MILES
At Point Lookout, this breathtaking 1.2km walk is a must. It’s an easy 20-minute loop around the headland along boardwalks, with the thrum of cicadas as…
15.19 MILES
Down by the shore at Manly, this is an offshoot of the much-loved Brisbane market of the same name. Grab a takeaway coffee and pique your appetite eyeing…
19.03 MILES
About 25km southeast of the city, Daisy Hill is home to fat, happy-looking koalas – but this is no zoo. The surrounding conservation park is an important…