Things to do in Brisbane

Brisbane is home to some spectacular historical buildings and landmarks, dating back to the period of the first white settlers. The city is home to plenty of parks, and the nature and wilderness surrounding the city also make for some great natural sights, plenty of which feature animals.

Mt Coot-tha Lookout

Mt Coot-tha Lookout is an excellent location for scenic views of Brisbane City and its surroundings including Moreton Bay and the Glass House Mountains. Visitors and locals alike enjoy dining at the Kuta Café and the Summit Restaurant at the lookout, offering unrivalled views. The lookout is part of Mt Coot-tha Forest, which is a section of the huge Brisbane Forest Park, covering almost 29,000 hectares. Only 10 minutes drive from the city, this vista is worth the drive and parking here is free. Phone: +61 7 3368 2117; website: www.brisbanelookout.com/.

South Bank Parklands

The parklands are located on the South side of the beautiful Brisbane River, with the William Jolly Bridge spanning across the river, connecting South Bank to Brisbane City. The Brisbane parklands offer an exciting variety of activities for both young and old. Attractions include a famous manmade beach, trendy Bris Vegas cafés, a natural riverside rainforest walk and lots of shady picnic spots, barbecue areas and playgrounds for kids’ enjoyment. Brisbane’s South Bank also holds popular art and craft markets every weekend.

City Hall

Formerly the tallest building in Brisbane, City Hall is now dwarfed by the surrounding office blocks. Even so, a ride in the old elevator to the top of the sandstone clock tower offers a different perspective on the city centre. A cheerful elevator operator will tell you a brief history of the building during your short ride to the third floor, where you’ll step out onto the glass observation floor in the bell tower. If you’re here on the quarter-hour, you’ll get a close-up experience of the chimes. Avoid being here at noon, when the clock chimes 12 times; it's deafening. Phone: +61 7 3403 8888.

Customs House

Customs House was built in the late 19th century and is an impressive landmark building on Queen Street. The beautifully restored building is operated by the University of Queensland as a cultural, educational and heritage facility. Featuring outstanding architecture, a museum, art gallery and a restaurant, the venue offers striking views of the nearby Brisbane River. Customs House is a popular venue for many of Brisbane’s lively concerts and festivals. Phone: +61 7 3365 8909.

St John's Anglican Cathedral

Brisbane's impressive neo-Gothic Anglican cathedral is nearing completion, just 100 years after it was begun. Don’t let the scaffolding put you off; you can watch the stonemasons use traditional medieval building techniques from a glassed-off area inside. Friendly, knowledgeable volunteer guides lead tours and will point out some of the finer points that make this cathedral distinctively Queensland such as the carved possums on the organ screen and the hand-stitched cushions. Phone: +61 7 3835 2248; website: www.stjohnscathedral.com.au/.

City Botanical Gardens

The gardens house a colourful collection of exotic and native plants. The site was selected for a public garden in 1828, and its fertile soil produced healthy crops for the penal settlement. Botanist Walter Hill decided the area would be home to botanical gardens in 1855. Some of Hill’s plantings from the 1850s remain at Residence Hill, and the weeping figs on Walter Hill Walk were planted by the botanist in the 1870s. Visitors can enjoy a meal at the garden café, housed in the caretaker’s hut, dating back to 1903. Phone: +61 7 3403 7913.

Anzac Square War Memorial

The Anzac Square War Memorial is outstandingly and idyllically set in peaceful surroundings amid the hustle and bustle of the city. Centrally located, Anzac Square is dedicated to Australia’s military heritage. The Shrine of Remembrance, with its Eternal Flame, is the focal point for the pathways, which emanate from it in a radial pattern as well as the pools, lawns and Bribie Island Pine Bottle trees. Touch-tell systems are provided, explaining the significance of Anzac Square to visitors. Located next to Anzac Square, in the pedestrian tunnel, is the WWII Shrine of Memories. Here, honour rolls, unit plaques and a mosaic containing over 140,000 hand-cut Venetian glass enamels are on display as well as soil from official WWII cemeteries.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

This is one of the few places in Australia where koala cuddling is still allowed. Banned in New South Wales and Victoria, Queensland allows koala cuddling under strict conditions that ensure each animal is handled for less than 30 minutes a day, and gets every third day off. Opened in 1927, Lone Pine is now home to more than 130 koalas. Visitors can cuddle them and have a photo taken holding one for a fee. There is more to Lone Pine than just koalas, you can also hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, and get up close with emus, parrots, wombats, Tasmanian devils, possums and other native animals. A currency exchange outlet, a gift shop and a restaurant and café are on the grounds. Phone: +61 7 3378 1366; website: www.koala.net/index.htm.

Museums

Brisbane is home to a superb selection of museums, most of which house historic collections and celebrate the rich heritage of Queensland. The Queensland Museum houses a large natural history section with some huge displays including an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons and fossils, and a large section focusing on the folk history of Australia’s indigenous people and early settlers.

The Anthropology Museum is dedicated to the early inhabitants and cultures of Australia’s native inhabitants. It contains a huge number of artefacts, archaeological finds and historic exhibits. The Queensland Maritime Museum celebrates Queensland’s rich maritime heritage. Of particular interest are models and original artefacts including a number from the WWII warship, Diamantina.

The Rosewood Railway Museum is home to several lovingly restored steam locomotives and historic trains. The museum also houses a gift shop, café area, guided tours and regular train rides.