East of Fortitude Valley, leafy and upscale New Farm features the Brisbane Powerhouse (brisbanepowerhouse.org), formerly a 1920s power station but now hosting theater, music, comedy, dance and more. Festivals, events and exhibitions are also scheduled.
Year-round there's outdoor cinema at Dendy Powerhouse, while the Jan Powers Farmers Market (janpowersfarmersmarkets.com.au) features food trucks on Saturdays from 6am to noon. Dine 17m above the ground at Vertigo (vertigobrisbane.com.au), dubbed Australia’s first vertical restaurant, and offering a similar menu to the Powerhouse's Italian restaurant Bar Alto (baralto.com.au). Diners at Vertigo are secured by safety harnesses, and after a three-course meal, there's the option of making a controlled jump off the Powerhouse's heritage facade.
Surrounding the Powerhouse is the vast New Farm Park, one of Brisbane’s best spots for a picnic, and easily reached by the CityCat.
