Top 10 Things to do in Brisbane
1. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
At Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary you cannot only get close to Koalas as the name suggests, but also many other species native to Australia like kangaroos, dingos, birds of prey and emus, just to name a few. You can purchase roo-food and hand-feed kangaroos. Try to do that in the morning though as it is very popular and by afternoon the kangaroos are all full and want to sleep. Book the tickets online, this way you safe 10%. Also, download the park map and schedule of daily talk times before you go, at the park they will charge you 1AUD for the booklet. All the talks are very interesting and recommended. Try to witness one of the two daily wild lorikeet feedings. I’ve never seen so many of them in one place and because they get food, you get really close to them even though they are wild birds.
2. Take a ferry ride
Brisbane is located on Brisbane river where you will get some of the best views of the city. There are two major options: you can either take the CityHopper or the CityCat. The CityHopper is a free ferry service, but covers a smaller stretch of the river compared to the CityCat which costs around 6AUD for two hours.
3. Cross Victoria Bridge
If you want to enjoy a good view over Brisbanes South Bank you should cross Victoria Bridge. Get off at North Quay if you are travelling by ferry.
4. South Bank
Brisbanes South Bank offers one of the best picture opportunities in the city. You will find ‘Brisbane’ in huge letters right in front of Brisbanes skyline. After taking your picture, you can stroll along South Bank and relax in the park.
5. Pancake Manor
Just 5 minutes walk from Victoria Bridge you will find The Pancake Manor. The Pancake Manor is a pancake restaurant at a very interesting location: it is located inside an old church. If you like pancakes, this is a good place for having a break on a long day of sightseeing.
6. Springbrook NP
Springbrook National Park is located around 1:30h south of Brisbane and offers many hiking trails and lookouts. I recommend seeing the Natural Bridge and doing the hike down to Twin Falls. The hike is easy for anyone with a moderate level of fitness and good hiking or trekking shoes.
7. Australia Zoo
Ever since Steve Irwin started this show ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ he is known worldwide. Aside from his TV show he devoted his life to his zoo named Australia Zoo. It’s 1h north of Brisbane and so big that you need at least 2 days to see everything. They have many shows throughout the day but the most famous one is the Wildlife Worriors show at noon. You can also get your picture taken with some animals like koalas or snakes and buy roo-food to hand-feed kangaraoos. Again, as already mentioned: do the feeding in the morning when the kangaroos are still hungry.
8. Surfing
No matter if you are already a pro or staning on a surfboard for the first time: there is no better place to do it than Australias Cold Coast just 1h south of Brisbane. They have a place called ‘Surfers Paradise’ for a reason. You can either bring your own board, rent one or take a surfing class if you are a beginner.
9. Mt. Coot-tha
Mt. Coot-tha is a popular viewpoint in Brisbane. Depending where you start it’s only around 20 minutes to get there. If you don’t have a car, you can even take a bus to get there.
10. Planetarium
At the foot of Mt. Coot-tha is Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. It is free to enter and see the permanent exhibition. You only need to pay if you want to see one of the shows.
