Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia

Brisbane is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with excellent restaurants, beautiful riverside parks, a busy cultural calendar, and a lively nightlife. Its fantastic weather year-round has allowed outdoor activities to thrive and develop a vibrant café culture.

Queensland's capital city is surrounded by some of the state’s major tourist attractions and there is an abundant choice of day trips. Explore the coast for the golden beaches or go inland for some of the region's serene bushland — there is something for everyone here.

Population:

2.28 million (2016)

Currency:

Australian Dollar (AUD) $1 = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

Police, fire, ambulance: 000
Poisons Information: +61 13 11 26

Opening Hours:

City retailers trade Mon–Thu 9am–6 pm, Fri 9am–9pm, Sat & Sun 9am–5pm

Newspapers:

The Courier Mail
Queensland Times
Brisbane Times

The City

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The capital of the “Sunshine State,” Brisbane, could very well be the world’s most laidback city: its residents are friendly and optimistic in a way rarely seen in big city life. But with such a fantastic lifestyle, who can blame them for smiling?

Brisbane has a world of experience to offer its visitors. From the hustle and bustle of the Central Business District (CBD), you can escape to the creative ambiance of the contemporary arts centre—The Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm. Perhaps you’d prefer dinner with sights of the city at South Bank? Afterwards, if you’d like a stiff drink, head towards the trendy bars of Fortitude Valley and West End.

If you don’t dance the night away, you might be up early enough to watch the sunrise as you kayak on the Brisbane River or perhaps you’d prefer relaxing at Australia’s only inner-city beach at South Bank. If you still have the energy, you can try rock climbing and take in the views of the Story Bridge and the city skyline from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.

When you’re ready to relax, head down to Woolloongabba to enjoy some of the spectator sports that Queensland is famed for!

Do & See

Beach, art and food. Mix and match those three options any way you like and get the most out of Brisbane. Take a walk through the air-conditioned halls of QAGOMA or catch the breeze riding on the the tiny red CityHopper vessel. Lay down your towel and rest your feet in the warm sand of Streets Beach at South Bank.

The food is a whole other delicious story. Check out local farmers’ markets and pluck a few fresh treats from the numerous free public garden beds.

Dining

One of the many highlights of any visit to Brisbane is experiencing the epicurean delights of the city’s different neighbourhoods. Brisbane is immeasurably proud of its reputation for fine dining, and within a ten minute radius of the town centre you can choose between the kitchens of European, Mediterranean, Asian or contemporary Australian restaurants.

Cafes

As most modern cities, Brisbane has a lot to offer in the realm of Third Wave coffee shops with dedicated baristas, WiFi, bistro food and mouthwatering desserts.