Brisbane

Best Things To Do

Built in 1930, City Hall is a glorious sandstone building that overlooks the sculptures and fountains of King George Sq. Inside you’ll find a marble staircase that’ll draw your eyes upwards to the kaleidoscope roof and the gothic lights. The observation deck at the top of the bell tower offers beautiful views of city but beware of going to the top around noon – the bells are a deafening experience!

Showing 1–14 of 14 places

City guide section

Top picks in Brisbane

Showing 1–14 of 14 places

Browse the highlights below, then open any place for maps, area notes, and practical details.

City Hall

Built in 1930, City Hall is a glorious sandstone building that overlooks the sculptures and fountains of King George Sq.

Museum of Brisbane

Located on the ground floor of City Hall, this museum is broken into two wings: one half charts the city’s historical journey.

Roma Street Parkland

If you’re looking for a quiet place that is also the biggest subtropical garden in the world then Roma St Parkland is the place to go.

Old Windmill and Observatory

One of the oldest buildings in Brisbane, this windmill was originally unable to turn due to a design flaw (the sails were unable to turn as they were too heavy).

Treasury Casino to Queensland University of Technology

The lavish portico includes commanding balconies and columns which are well worth a look if the casino hasn’t already commanded your attention.

Parliament House

Occupying a regal position overlooking the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane’s Parliament House is arguably the most gorgeous piece of architecture.

City Botanic Gardens

Bigger than the Roma St Parklands, here you’ll find expansive lawns, macadamia trees, tropical flora and the famous Moreton Bay fig trees.

Customs House

This building was originally where all ships entering Brisbane Harbour were required to pay duties for almost a century.

Riverside Centre and Eagle Street Pier

These two commercial complexes are home to restaurants and shops. A good time to visit is Sunday when there is a craft market. There are ferry terminals at both ends.

Queensland Museum

Here you’ll find all sorts of curiosities here with Queensland’s own dinosaur skeleton the Muttaburrasaurus and the Avian Cirrus – the tiny plane that Bert Hinkler made the first England to Australia flight in

Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) - Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)

These two institutions are located 150m apart from each other. QAG houses a great permanent collection of mostly local and European art.

Queensland Maritime Museum

One highlight is the massive map that plots the 1500 shipwrecks (mostly along the Reef) in Queensland’s seas since 1791.

Newstead House

This house was built in 1846 and is Brisbane’s best known heritage site. Inside you’ll find period antiques, Victorian furnishings, clothes and displays.

What to do with Children in Tow

One of the best places to bring the children to is the Queensland Cultural Centre which has the Queensland Museum and the Sciencentre which has great hands-on activities for them to be pre-occupied for hours.