Australia Independent Travel | Brisbane City Attractions | Brisbane City Hall | Brisbane Arcade | South Bank Parklands | Queen Street Mall | Story Bridge
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, Australia, and the state's most populous city. It sits close to the tourist hotspot of the Gold Coast, so many people pair the two cities together on one trip. The Brisbane River runs right through the city centre, so besides buses and trains, ferries are also an everyday means of transport for both residents and visitors — and one free ferry route is especially convenient for travellers.
List of city attractions:
- Brisbane City Hall
- Brisbane Arcade
- South Bank Parklands
- Queen Street Mall
- Story Bridge
Brisbane City Hall
The most iconic landmark in central Brisbane is Brisbane City Hall, located on King George Square. Besides serving as the offices of the City Council, it was listed on the National Heritage register in 1978 and is considered one of Brisbane's most beautiful buildings. At the time it was built, Brisbane City Hall was also the tallest building in the city.
- Address: 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
- Opening hours: 08:00 ~ 17:00 (from 09:00 on holidays)
- Getting there:
- Train: arrive at Central Station, then a 5-minute walk
- Bus: Ann Street Stop at City Hall
- Official website: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
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| The lift inside City Hall leading up to the clock tower |
At Brisbane City Hall, the top floor often hosts art exhibitions, and be sure not to miss the free guided tour (in English only) up to the clock tower. You can't go up on your own without a booking — just reserve at the front desk, and when your time comes a staff member will take you up and give you a tour, covering the history of City Hall and stories about the clock tower. It takes about 10–15 minutes.
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The beautiful night view of City Hall |
Brisbane Arcade
Brisbane Arcade was built in 1923 and sits within the Queen Street Mall precinct. It's a shopping arcade with a long history — in fact the oldest surviving shopping arcade in Brisbane — and it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. Brisbane Arcade retains its historic atmosphere and is home to many boutique shops selling art, fashion and jewellery.
- Address: Brisbane Arcade, 160 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
- Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 17:00 (Sunday 10:00 ~ 16:00)
- Getting there:
- Train: arrive at Central Station, then a 6-minute walk
- Bus: Adelaide Street Stop 42 near Albert St
- Official website: http://www.brisbanearcade.com.au/
South Bank Parklands
South Bank Parklands could be called an oasis in the middle of Brisbane. It was the site of the 1988 World Expo and has since been transformed into a large waterfront public park. There's a big man-made beach, swimming pools, a Ferris wheel, plus plenty of restaurants and weekend markets. The Queensland Museum and the arts centre are also here at South Bank. Weekday or weekend, this is where locals come to relax and enjoy life.
- Address: Clem Jones Promenade, South Brisbane QLD 4101
- Opening hours: park open 24 hr
- Getting there:
- Train: arrive at South Brisbane
- Bus: Grey St at South Brisbane station
- Official website: https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/south-bank
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| The Brisbane sign landmark is also here at South Bank |
I visited Brisbane many times as a child, and since we lived nearby I'd often come to South Bank Parklands with nothing particular to do. South Bank is the place I remember most vividly, and the scenery hasn't changed all that much compared with years ago.
Queen Street Mall
Queen Street Mall was opened in 1982 by Queen Elizabeth II and, after several expansions and refurbishments, has become what it is today. Although it's called a "Mall", it isn't actually a department store complex — it's a pedestrian precinct along Queen Street, where a large number of shops and department stores are concentrated, with over 700 stores and six shopping centres.
The Queen Street Mall area forms a rectangle and is considered the very heart of Brisbane's shopping district. Whether it's clothing, formal wear, souvenirs or restaurants, you can find whatever you're after in this area.
- Address: Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
- Opening hours: 24 hr, depending on individual stores
- Getting there:
- Train: arrive at Central Station, then an 8-minute walk
- Bus: Adelaide Street Stop / George Street Stop / Edward Street Stop
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| Myer is a large department store within Queen Street Mall |
Story Bridge
Story Bridge was completed on 6 June 1940, with 96% of its construction materials sourced locally in Australia. Its main purpose is to connect the northern and southern sides of Brisbane. As for why it's called the "Story Bridge" — it's named after John Douglas Story, the public servant behind the project, hence the name Story Bridge.
Since Story Bridge is one of only three bridges in the world you can climb, it draws many visitors every year. Despite the word "climb", it isn't a strenuous hands-and-feet scramble — the Story Bridge climb experience involves walking up stairs onto the bridge to take in the views from the top.
For a more detailed write-up, see: Australia Independent Travel | Brisbane City Attractions | Story Bridge | One of Only 3 Climbable Bridges in the World | Felons Barrel Hall Riverside Beer Restaurant
- Address: State Route 15, New Farm QLD 4169
- Opening hours: 24 hr
- Getting there: from the city centre, take bus 300, 306, 322, 370, 375 or 379 to Wickham Street Stop, then walk 10 minutes
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| Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane (travel blog post) |
All in all, compared with Perth and Melbourne, Brisbane has somewhat fewer tourist attractions and more of a big-city feel. Since it's close to the Gold Coast, most people combine Brisbane and the Gold Coast into the same trip.
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