Brisbane Travel Guide

Brisbane South Bank Parklands lie on the south bank of the Brisbane River, a city oasis rebuilt from the 1988 Expo site. The man-made 'Streets Beach', the Wheel of Brisbane and the cultural precinct (QPAC, GOMA) link together — a relaxing living room for swimming, picnics and river views. At night lights mirror on the river — pure ease.

The Story Bridge is a steel cantilever truss across the Brisbane River, opened in 1940 and named for engineer John Douglas Story. Linked with South Bank and the city skyline, it also offers a climb of the bridge pylons for river-breezed views of Brisbane by day and night. Lit blue and white at night beside the Story Bridge Hotel, it is a classic stroke of Brisbane's skyline.

The Story Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge across the Brisbane River, built in 1940, a landmark of Brisbane and one of the few climbable bridges in Australia. It connects the city center with Kangaroo Point to the east; at night it is often lit with colorful lights, reflected brilliantly on the river. Visitors can walk across free on the footpath, overlooking the river and city, or join the BridgeClimb to ascend about 80 m to the top with a guide, overlooking Brisbane River and the skyline in 360 degrees. Below the bridge, Kangaroo Point is a great spot to photograph the Story Bridge and skyline.

Story Bridge is an iconic steel-truss bridge over the Brisbane River in Brisbane, Australia. Opened in 1940, this 777 m bridge is named after designer John Bradfield Story (unrelated to "story"), and is one of only three climbable bridges in the Southern Hemisphere — the Story Bridge Adventure Climb reaches the 80 m summit for 360° views of the Brisbane River, city and distant mountains, Brisbane's most thrilling urban experience. Designed by Bradfield (also designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge), the steel-truss cantilever bridge is 777 m long — Brisbane's most recognizable landmark. It links the city center (north) with Kangaroo Point (south), carrying traffic and a walkway. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is one of only three climbable bridges in the Southern Hemisphere (with Sydney Harbour Bridge and Auckland Harbour Bridge) — a ~2-hour climb to the 80 m summit for 360° views of the Brisbane River, CBD skyline and Mt Coot-tha. Night climbs offer city lights. Kangaroo Point Cliffs below are the best vantage for the bridge and river. Visiting to overlook city and river from the steel-truss summit is an iconic, thrilling Brisbane experience.

Founded in 1927, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary, home to over a hundred koalas. Its most famous experience is holding a koala for a photo (some sessions, extra fee), which is legally allowed in Queensland and a rare opportunity. In the park you can also hand-feed free-roaming kangaroos and see emus, wombats, Tasmanian devils, platypus and birds-of-prey shows. You can cruise up the Brisbane River from the city centre, enjoying riverside scenery all the way. It is a classic place to get close to Australia's national treasures and experience native wildlife.

On Brisbane's South Bank, the Queensland Cultural Centre lines the river with the state's entire cultural portfolio: the art gallery QAG, the Gallery of Modern Art, the State Library, Queensland Museum and the QPAC performing arts centre. GOMA, opened in 2006, is Australia's largest gallery of modern and contemporary art, with holdings strong in Asia-Pacific work and a signature event in the triennial Asia Pacific Triennial. Permanent collections are free, landscaped walkways stitch the buildings together, and South Bank's artificial beach and weekend markets wait just outside.