Discover Brisbane
Hotels, halal food, prayer spaces, things to do, and itineraries in Brisbane.
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Must-see attractions in Brisbane
From headline landmarks and heritage icons to parks, waterfronts, and major museums, discover 14 standout sights to build into your time in the city.
Brisbane has suffered at the hands of Mother Nature in the early months of 2011. Notorious for having been established on the floodplains of the Brisbane River, the heavy rain in January resulted in parts of the city’s infrastructure being extensively damaged with many homes and businesses being flooded though the city has since recovered from this. Having said that, the city and Queensland itself has struggled to coax tourists (especially the international ones) back to its attractions given the severity of the flooding. Extensive advertising campaigns have been used but it may be a long time before Brisbane and Queensland can re-establish i
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Muslim travel planner
Plan a Muslim-friendly trip in Brisbane
Halal restaurants in Brisbane
Brisbane’s food scene is part of the city experience. Choose from 20 restaurants and food districts with location notes and planning tips.
brisbaneMonsoon
A stylish restaurant that serves a hybrid of Asian and Australian cuisine: you’ll find baked kangaroo rump with mint and turnip pudding, and Moreton Bay bugs in red curry. Staff are professional and can help you in food choices but the vegetarian option is limited.
brisbaneSunbar Restaurant and Lounge
You’ll be in for sophistication from the chic décor to the food at this restaurant which serves all manner of seafood: sword fish, carpaccio of tuna, scallop, foi gras and sea urchin. A highlight is the vanilla with sea salt encrusted reef fish. The bar is also all about sophistication but don’t worry if your clad in jeans, you’ll still be welcome!
brisbaneE’cco
An award-winner, E’cco is considered to be one of the finest restaurants in the state of Queensland. Menu highlights include slow cooked duck with a cassoulet of white beans and Lyonnaise sausage and tomato. Book well ahead in advance!
brisbaneII
Another culinary delight, II attracts a lot of foodies and business types with its swish interior and even swankier food. Seafood includes seared scallops with seaweed and lemon risotto or there is veal with porcini risotto and artichoke chips.
brisbaneAnise
Whatever time of the day you choose to visit, you’ll find that Anise has multiple personalities: in the day it serves as a stylish coffee bar for the cool people, at night it turns into a fashionable wine bar for lunch and dinner. The cuisine is of French origin with dishes such as smoked duck, gorgonzola and mascarpone soufflé tart. There are also tapas.
brisbaneCustoms House Brasserie
Here you can enjoy Australian cuisine while taking in the spectacular views of the river. Highlights include prawn and green papaya salad and the beef mignons wrapped in pancetta.
Brisbane masjids and Muslim travel
Landmark masjids and prayer-aware notes for visitors planning salah, family movement, and halal-friendly days.
Holland Park Mosque
Originally opened in 1908, this mosque opened the first hafiz school in 1997.
Islamic Centre of West End
Location: 12-14 Princhester Street West End, Brisbane Phone: (07) 3846 1573
Buranda Mosque
6 Agnes St, Woolloongabba QLD, Australia (07) 3392 1310
Kuraby Masjid
1408 Beenleigh Rd, Kuraby QLD, Australia
Where to stay in Brisbane
Choose where to stay by trip style, from landmark luxury and family bases to central, airport, and neighborhood-led stays.
brisbaneConrad Treasury
Found in the former Land Administration Building, next door to the Treasury Casino, this hotel is considered to be Brisbane’s classiest. Every room has unique furnishings along with heritage features. The hotel rates begin with standard rooms but the higher you pay in price might get you into the Parlour Rooms which are exquisite.
brisbaneQuay West Suites Brisbane
Opposite the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, this stylish hotel has self-contained, opulent units with modern kitchens, equipped laundries, TVs, stereos and affable staff.
brisbaneStanford Plaza Brisbane
There are 252 luxurious rooms on offer at this hotel which take in the views of the Kangaroo Point cliffs, the Botanic Gardens and the Storey Bridge. There is 24hr concierge, outdoor heated pool, spa and sauna, sundeck and fitness centre.
brisbaneMarriott Brisbane
With 263 rooms and 4 suites there is lots of choice here at the Marriott. There is an indoor/outdoor heated pool, gym, internet and Petries Brasserie and Bar which serves international cuisine.
brisbaneSofitel Brisbane
There are 429 rooms here that are the height of luxury at his five-star hotel. All rooms are comfortably furnished with personal touches including plush slippers and bathrooms rounding out the pure opulence of the place. LCD TVs are in every room with broadband internet, modem access and ironing facilities. The hotel itself boasts a spa retreat, a gaming lounge, two bars, and two restaurants serving French inspired, Australian cuisine.
History and today in Brisbane
Read the city today, its history, residents, culture, and character before planning your route.
Brisbane Today
Brisbane has suffered at the hands of Mother Nature in the early months of 2011. Notorious for having been established on the floodplains of the Brisbane River, the heavy rain in January resulted in parts of th
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Brisbane History
Brisbane was first founded in 1824 at what is now Redcliffe on Moreton Bay, as a penal colony for Sydney’s expanding population of convicts. Due to lack of fresh water and hostility from the Aborigines, the colony was moved to the banks of the Brisbane River, becoming the blueprint for what is now Brisbane. The area suffered at the hands of crooked officials and was abandoned in 1839. It wasn’t until the Moreton Bay area was resettled by free settlers in 1842 that Brisbane began to take shape, much to the consternation of the local Aborigines who suffered at the hands of the white settlers. Queensland formerly separated from New South Wales in 1859, by which time Brisbane was a city of 6000 residents. The gold-rush and pastoral enterprises would see the city prosper but while the city grew, it never found its niche that Sydney and Melbourne enjoyed. It wasn’t until the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the 1988 World Expo and the 2001 Goodwill Games that Brisbane earned international exposure as well as cementing its reputation as a forward and positive-thinking, yet youthful, creatively confident city.
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Best of the city in one day
To enjoy a day in Brisbane it’s best to equip yourself with a map as many of the sights can be explored on foot rather than taking a car. If you begin in the city centre, cross the Victoria Street bridge to take in the Queensland Cultural Centre. You can also visit the Queensland Art Gallery and Museum while here. Then head back over the bridge to the Treasury for lunch and if you’re inclined, the casino. From there its east towards Parliament House then a short stroll to the Botanical Gardens. Brisbane City Hall is close by and the old Windmill and Observatory is no far from there. If you have time, finish up at Eagle St Pier and take a cruise along the river to take in the beautiful water views of the city in the evening.
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Visa Information
All visitors, except New Zealand nationals, to Australia need a visa to enter the country.
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When to go
The official tourist season for Queensland is from April to November – the winter months are usually the busiest time when all the Aussies from the southern states come up to escape the cold. Also to note that during the high season from June to September, and along with the Easter and Christmas periods, everything is booked out. Weather-wise there is no specific climate change between winter and summer because Queensland is a tropical state so you should look at the weather in terms of wet and dry seasons. April to December is considered to be the dry season but the heat can be oppressive. The wet season (usually January and February) is more prevalent in the outback and northern parts of Queensland though they can affect the southern areas, including Brisbane. So the best time to go is from June to October when the extreme heat and humidity of the summer is replaced with warm days and cool nights.
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Fast Facts
-Location: Southeast corner of the Queensland state: -Dialing code: country - +61 : city - 7 -Emergency numbers –Please include the following:; • Police: 000: • Fire: 000 • Ambulance: 000 • Tourist Information Helpdesk: Brisbane International Airport Visitor Information Centre (Level 2 in Hamilton Central) - 07 3406 3190 • Car Breakdown Service: RACQ – 13 11 11 • Highway Patrol: unknown • Telephone Directory Services: unknown • Airport Enquiry: +61 7 3406 3000 • Railway Enquiry: 13 12 30 (this is for the City Network only).; • Population: estimated 2 million: • Languages: English • Time zone: AEST (UTC +10) • Average January temperatures: 29°C highest temp, 21°C lowest temp • Average July temperatures: 21°C highest temp, 9°C lowest temp • Annual rainfall: Most rainfall occurs in January with 170.2mm
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Currency and Exchange Rates
Australian currency is the Australian dollar (AUD) and is broken up into 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar notes. Coins are broken up into dollars and cents. Dollars are coloured gold and are 1 and 2 while cents are pewter and are in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50.
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Public Holidays
• New Year’s Day: 1st January • Australia Day: 26th January • Labor Day: 1st March • Easter: Good Friday to Easter Monday inclusive – March/April • Anzac Day: 25th April • Queen’s Birthday: 2nd Monday in June • Royal National Show Day: mid-August, Brisbane only • Christmas Day: 25th December • Boxing Day: 26th December
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Shopping in Brisbane
Explore 9 shopping stops, from malls, markets, and book bazaars to fashion streets and souvenir finds.
brisbaneQueen Street Mall
If you want designer shops then you find them all here at one of Brisbane’s biggest and well-known shopping precincts. There are over 700 stores on offer with Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Co, Hermes, Australian designer sass & bide... the list is endless! Be aware though that the shops of Queen St Mall are broken up into areas and buildings: QueensPlaza, Wintergarden, Elizabeth Arcade, Brisbane Arcade, Queen Adelaide Building and MacArthur Central and the Myer Building.
brisbaneWestfield Chermside
Brisbane’s biggest shopping centre and popular with teenagers due to its Megaplex Movie Cinema. Shops include Jag, Supre, Colorado, JB HI-FI and Tarocash among others plus Kmart, Big W and Harris Scarfe retailers.
brisbaneWest End Markets
A cosmopolitan mix of stalls with jewellery, African crafts, handmade craft, organic produce, coffee and fresh seafood.
brisbaneValley Markets
If fashion, art and jewellery are what you want then these markets are noted among locals and tourists alike. There are also card readers and clairvoyants and in Chinatown you can indulge in a massage after shopping.
brisbaneRiverside Craft Markets
One of the city’s first markets, you find over 150 stalls selling everything from leatherwork, glassware, clothing and local and imported handicrafts.
Signature sights in Brisbane
A curated pick of the city's standout sights, led by the strongest editorial recommendations.
Festivals and events in Brisbane
Plan around 14 festival seasons, public events, Ramadan/Eid periods, book fairs, art cycles, and winter food activity.
brisbaneChinese New Year
Usually happening around January or February.
brisbaneTropfest
A short film festival that is held nationwide, in Brisbane the festival is telecast live in South Bank in late February.
brisbaneSt Patrick’s Day
Date: March 17th Get ready to see a sea of green as Brisbane’s Irish and not-Irish go to every available pub to celebrate. A parade is also held.
brisbaneQueensland Winter Racing Carnival
Held in late April to late July, major horse racing meets happen each weekend at both Doomben and Eagle Farm Racecourses, including the Brisbane Cup in mid-May.
brisbanePaniyiri Festival
A Greek cultural festival held in late May at Musgrave Park in West End with dancing, food and music. Email: [email protected]
Brisbane tours and experiences
Heritage walks, food crawls, coastal trips, museum circuits, family days, and guided ideas for an easier day out.
brisbaneCity Sights Tour
A hop-on, hop-off shuttle bus that takes you around 19 of the city’s landmarks. Tours depart every 45min between 9am and 3:45pm from Post Office Sq on Queen St; you can buy day tickets on the bus that allows you to get on and get off whenever you want.
brisbaneGhost Tours
Something a little different is on offer here as you go on a guided tour of the city’s murder scenes, cemeteries and the infamous Boggo Rd Goal. Tours are mostly held on Saturday nights and bookings are essential.
brisbaneKookaburra River Queens
Taking a river cruise is one of the best ways to take in the sights of Brisbane and what better way to go than on a wooden paddle steamer. The cruises also offer scheduled lunch and dinners but always check the website for availability.
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Brisbane travel guide sections
Focused sections for articles, directories, maps, and trip planning.
