Brisbane and surrounds

Why come here

• Australia's most swimmable capital-city centre — South Bank's Streets Beach is a free lagoon with a lifeguard, in the middle of the CBD.
• The best island access of any Australian city: three sand islands by ferry, and K'gari a half-day north.
• A genuinely strong food scene, particularly around Fortitude Valley, West End and Howard Smith Wharves.
• It is the southern anchor of the Pacific Coast Way — the start of the drive up Queensland's whole reef coast.
• Winter is warm and dry, which makes it a rare Australian city that is arguably better in June than January.

Brisbane and surrounds

Everything on this map is a day trip or a short hop from Brisbane — the way Tourism Australia itself organises the country, around a gateway city and the destinations it opens up.

Things to do

1. Swim at South Bank and walk the riverfront

   Streets Beach is a free lagoon in the middle of the city. Walk the Arbour to GOMA, then cross the Kurilpa or Goodwill bridges back for the skyline.

2. Take a CityCat up the river

   The fast ferries run from the university at St Lucia out to Hamilton, past the Story Bridge and the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. Cheapest sightseeing in Brisbane.

3. Ferry to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island)

   Quandamooka Country. Walk the North Gorge headland for turtles, manta rays and — from June to October — whales, then swim at Cylinder Beach.

4. Day-trip to Moreton Island

   Snorkel the Tangalooma wrecks, sandboard the dunes and watch the wild dolphin feeding at dusk. 75 minutes by ferry.

5. Climb in the Glass House Mountains

   Volcanic plugs rising out of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, sacred to the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi peoples. Mount Ngungun is the short, rewarding one.

6. Drive to K'gari (Fraser Island)

   The world's largest sand island — rainforest growing on dunes, perched freshwater lakes and the 75-mile beach highway. A long day trip, better as an overnight.

7. Spend a day in Noosa

   The national park walk around the headland passes koalas and surf breaks; Hastings Street handles lunch. Two hours each way, or stay the night.

8. Meet a koala at Lone Pine

   The world's first and largest koala sanctuary, 30 minutes upriver — reachable by CityCat cruise, which makes it a good half-day with children.

Where to base yourself

• South Bank

  Streets Beach, the Gallery of Modern Art and the riverside promenade — the easiest first-time base.

• Fortitude Valley & Newstead

  Live music, the best bars and most of the interesting restaurants, 15 minutes from the CBD.

• West End

  Markets, coffee and a slower, more residential feel across the river.

• Howard Smith Wharves

  Under the Story Bridge — breweries, restaurants and a hotel, built into the old cliff wharves.

• Noosa

  Two hours north — a national park headland, surf breaks and Hastings Street, if you want to finish on the coast.

3 days in Brisbane

1. Day 1

   River city

   South Bank in the morning — Streets Beach and GOMA — then a CityCat downriver to Howard Smith Wharves for a beer under the Story Bridge. Dinner in Fortitude Valley.

2. Day 2

   An island day

   Ferry to Minjerribah for the North Gorge walk and a swim at Cylinder Beach, or to Moreton for the Tangalooma wrecks and sandboarding. Back for dinner.

3. Day 3

   Hinterland and coast

   Drive north to the Glass House Mountains for a morning climb, then on to the Sunshine Coast — Eumundi markets on a Wednesday or Saturday, and an afternoon in Noosa.

Eat & drink

Brisbane's food has changed faster than its reputation. The city's subtropical climate pushes everything outdoors — rooftops, riverside decks, courtyards — and its proximity to both the Sunshine Coast's farms and Moreton Bay's fisheries shows up on menus. Moreton Bay bugs, mud crab and spanner crab are the local specialities. The coffee is serious, the craft beer scene is large, and Fortitude Valley's Chinatown has been feeding the city for generations.

• Howard Smith Wharves — A brewery, several restaurants and a riverside lawn under the Story Bridge — the easiest good night out.
• Fortitude Valley & James Street — The densest run of proper restaurants and bars in the city.
• West End's Boundary Street — Markets on Saturday morning, then Greek, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern places all evening.
• Eumundi Markets — Wednesday and Saturday on the Sunshine Coast — the region's best producer market, 90 minutes north.

Getting there & around

Getting there. Brisbane Airport has international flights from Asia, the Pacific and North America, and domestic flights from everywhere. The Airtrain runs into the city in 20 minutes. The Gold Coast is an hour south, Noosa two hours north, and Sydney is a 12-hour drive or a 90-minute flight.

Getting around. The CBD is walkable and the CityCat ferries along the Brisbane River are both transport and the best cheap sightseeing in town. You need a car for the Sunshine Coast, the Glass House Mountains and the hinterland; ferries to Moreton and Minjerribah leave from the bayside suburbs, and 4WD is required to drive on Moreton and K'gari.