Brisbane

Crowbar

This live music venue is one of the more famous music venues when it was known as "The Zoo". The Zoo folded in 2024 and was subsequently reopened as a similar live music venue known as Crowbar. Indie rock, hipsters and that alternative vibe. Host to local and international acts.

The Tivoli

Has a very relaxed, noir-styled interior with sizable floor space and a mezzanine. Highly rated venue among locals and only a 10-minute walk from The Valley train station.

The Triffid

Owned by John Collins, former Powderfinger bassist and stalwart of the Australian music scene, the converted World War II aircraft hangar is enjoying a second life as one of Brisbane’s coolest-looking hangouts. Host to all kinds of international, national and local music acts including plenty of Brisbane bands.

Brisbane International Film Festival

Begins in November and is hosted in a variety of cinema venues around Brisbane. The festival features new films and retrospectives by domestic and international filmmakers along with seminars and awards.

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Scale the top of Brisbane's iconic bridge. You can enjoy 360° views of Brisbane, the mountain ranges and Moreton Bay Islands at dawn, afternoon or night.

Brisbane Festival

By far the largest and most popular event in Brisbane. Held annually at the end of September. This festival, which started as a celebration of the Brisbane River, now incorporates a number of smaller events at various places around South Bank Parklands, the Cultural Centre and the CBD as a celebration to Brisbane itself. Notably, the 'Riverfire' event which is held in South Bank every September draws the largest crowd. It offers free family entertainment all day and the city's biggest Fireworks display at night.

The Star Brisbane

Full featured casino with a wide variety of slots and table games, in a brand new resort precinct that was opened in August 2024.

24/7

Kangaroo Point

The walls along the Brisbane River are a popular spot for rock climbing and give an excellent view of the CBD skyline just across the river. Activities carry on after dark, when the walls are well-lit. Abseiling and rock climbing classes on the cliffs with an instructor are available from Riverlife Adventures, as well as kayak, kick-bike, rollerblade and bicycle hire. There are also barbecue and picnic spots in the area.

Balloons over Brisbane

You can gain an aerial perspective as you float over Brisbane in a hot air balloon. It's often possible to see as far off as the magnificent Glasshouse Mountains, to the Gold Coast and out to the islands of Moreton Bay.

Explore Brisbane's Moreton Bay and Islands

The bay is 25 km (16 mi) from Brisbane's CBD and stretches from Bribie Island to the Southern Bay Islands. Enjoy sand tobogganing, 4-wheel driving, diving or snorkelling or go marine watching and spot turtles, dolphins, dugongs and whales.

Explore Greater Brisbane Country

Take a day trip to the surrounding regions around an hour from Brisbane and discover wineries, national parks, lakes and country living. The Scenic Rim including Ipswich, Beaudesert and Boonah is a vast region of mountains, rainforest and valleys embracing the World Heritage wilderness of the McPherson Range. The Lockyer Valley provides a perfect blend of town and country living, with experiences ranging from guided tours and bush camping to hot air ballooning and sky-diving.

Jan Powers Farmers Markets

Buy fresh fruit, vegetables and cuts of meat from one of the many farmers markets across Brisbane including the Powerhouse at New Farm, Manly, Mitchelton and the newest market at Reddacliff Place at the top of the Queen Street Mall.

Paniyiri Festival

A Greek cultural celebration held by Brisbane's large Greek population. A popular family entertainment event, offering authentic Greek foods and entertainment. In Musgrave Park.

Riverlife Adventure Centre

Brisbane's riverside adventures. Kayaking, abseiling the Kangaroo Cliffs, a rollerblade session and bike rentals. They also organise evening activities such as kayak paddle and prawns.

The Ekka

Royal Queensland Show

A staple event in Brisbane's history and culture, held every August dating back to 1876. It is hosted at the RNA Showgrounds in the inner-suburb of Bowen Hills and runs for a week, where the Wednesday is a public holiday (so expect large crowds on this day). Primarily marketed toward families, attractions at the Ekka include fairground rides, a Side Show Alley, animal parades, wood chopping competitions, agricultural displays, equestrian events and Showbags, usually containing food items (such as confectionery) and novelty items. If you are in Brissy at the time, it really is not to be missed!

The Scenic Rim

This describes the large arc of mountains, to a height of 1,375 m (4,511 ft), from the Mistake Ranges (south of Gatton) across the Main (Great Dividing) Range to the MacPherson Range that terminates at Currumbin on the Gold Coast. Apart from some well known locations on the Rim, such as Binna Burra and O'Reilleys guesthouses, Springbrook and Cunningham’s Gap, the largest proportion of these ranges are unspoilt and much of it near-wilderness. Many forest areas were previously logged, but the forest recovery has been excellent, and virtually all the logging tracks have disappeared except for those still used for foot access. At the previously mentioned sites, graded paths offer a taste, but for the more adventurous there are many hiking possibilities from day trips to sustained multi-day exercises. More information can be found on the web. Hikers should be properly prepared and conversant with navigation in difficult country and the rules of National Parks.

Christmas Parade and Pantomime

Each evening from early December until Christmas, the central city's Queen Street pedestrian mall gets taken over by elves, sugerplum fairies, live camels and a giant teddy bear. It's a popular event for families, particularly on weekends.

Cruise the Brisbane River

There are various companies offering a range of river cruises and tours to take in the sights. These include cruises to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, and the BrisVegas floating nightclub.

May Day March

Large parade with participants from local trade unions. First Sunday in May.

Anzac Square

ANZAC Square is a heritage-listed town square and war memorial located between Ann Street and Adelaide Street (opposite Post Office Square), in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is a state memorial to the men and women who participated in overseas armed service and is named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Square is adjacent to ANZAC Square Arcade.

Wheelchair accessible

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (also known as QPAC) is a performing arts centre located on the corner of Melbourne Street and Grey Street in Brisbane's South Bank precinct. Opened in 1985, the venue forms part of the Queensland Cultural Centre, and includes the Lyric Theatre, Concert Hall, Playhouse, Cremorne Theatre and Glasshouse Theatre.

Wheelchair accessible

Victoria Park / Barrambin

Victoria Park, also known by its Turrbal name of Barrambin, is a heritage-listed park located in Spring Hill and Herston in Brisbane, Australia. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 December 2007. The site was formerly a public golf course that opened in November 1931, before it was converted back into a public park in June 2021 as part of ongoing urban renewal.

Cremorne Theatre

The Cremorne Theatre was a theatre in South Brisbane (now part of South Bank), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia that operated, with interruptions, from 1911 to 1954. Although nothing remains of it today, the general location retains its cultural significance from the first half of the twentieth century as a theatre precinct, thanks to the nearby construction of Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in 1985.

Wheelchair accessible

Davies Park

Davies Park is a sporting venue in the suburb of West End in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is grass. It is located at the corner of Jane St, Montague Road & Riverside Drive, West End.

24/7

Musgrave Park

Musgrave Park is a park in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The park is bordered by Edmonstone, Russell, and Cordelia Streets, and Brisbane State High School, and has an area of 63,225 square metres (680,550 sq ft). The park is of cultural significance to Aboriginal Australians.

ANZAC Day

Parade starts 10AM on 25 April.

St Patrick's Day

Parade on Saturday closest to 17 March

Mowbray Park

Mowbray Park and East Brisbane War Memorial are a heritage-listed park and monument within the park on Lytton Road, East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1904 to 1974. It is also known as East Brisbane War Memorial and Riversdale.

Toowong Memorial Park

Toowong Memorial Park is a heritage-listed memorial and park at 65 Sylvan Road, Toowong, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by George Rae and built c. 1922 by Andrew Lang Petrie Monumental Works. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 4 September 2007.

Wickham Park

Wickham Park is a park at 330 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.