About Brisbane
South Bank
Major international, national and local events and exhibitions are held in an area of Brisbane city known as South Bank. South Bank is also home to large parklands, an artificial beach, dining, bars and outdoor cafes. South Bank is easy to get to, safe by day or night and many experiences are free.
- Queensland Gallery of Modern Art: Australia’s largest gallery of modern art
- Queensland Performing Arts Complex: International performances and local music
- Queensland Museum: Science, ancient history, and ecology
- Southbank Cinema : Cheap and 3D movies on huge screen
Food
Experience foods from around the world at Eat Street Northshore.
Entry fee $3 per person.
Hours
Friday and Saturday 4pm -10pm
Sunday 12noon to 8pm
Location
221D Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton, QLD 4007
Sights of Brisbane
Take in the view at Mt Coot-tha, including a panoramic view of Brisbane city and glimpses of the surrounding region of Moreton Bay. Mt Coot-tha is a great spot to watch the sunrise over the city. If you are feeling adventurous, explore one of the bushwalking or mountain bike trails.
Mt Coot-tha also features an outstanding Botanical Garden with a Japanese garden, bamboo grove and water-lily lagoon.
Theme parks
Australia’s biggest theme parks are in southeast Queensland. Travel by public transport to:
- Seaworld for classic rides and marine life including polar bears, penguins, shark bay and dolphin shows
- Dreamworld for big scary rides, tigers, crocodiles, and a large range of native animals
- Movie World for movie-themed rides, rollercoasters and stunt shows.
- Australia Zoo to see over 1200 animals including koalas, crocodiles, kangaroos and tigers.
Koalas and more wildlife
Hand feed free-ranging kangaroos and lorikeets, and cuddle a koala at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Lone Pine is a popular animal sanctuary a short bus ride away with many native animals including platypus, wombats, emus, crocodiles, eagles and much more.
Ice skating festival
It never naturally snows in Brisbane but we can make it happen for fun. The centre of Brisbane becomes a winter wonderland of manufactured ice and snow with an open-air ice rink, ice slide and falling snow.
Shopping
From Queensland’s premier shopping precinct – The City – to local favourites Fortitude Valley and Paddington, you’ll discover shopping experiences like no other in Brisbane. The City offers more than 1000 stores and the state’s largest collection of flagship stores. Fortitude Valley is home to local designers and high-end fashion at James Street and the Emporium, while Paddington is best for homewares, books, vintage and designer fashion.
Other free activities
Public transport
Getting around couldn’t be easier with Queensland’s extensive public transport network.
Most of South East Queensland is serviced by buses, trains, ferries and trams on the TransLink network, which stretches from Gympie in the north to Coolangatta in the south and west to Helidon. Some services within the Translink network are prepaid. It would be recommended if travelling in these areas to use a GoCard or a SEEQ card depending on your travel requirements. Visit TransLink's website for timetable information, maps and a helpful Journey Planner to get a wide range of transport options.
Airtrain (airport transport)
There are many different ways to, from and around Brisbane Airport, which sits roughly 12 kilometres from Brisbane's city centre.
The Airtrain is a convenient way to get to and from Brisbane Airport. The Airtrain will take you from Brisbane Airport to the city, where you can link with other transport options. The closest train station to UQ is located at Toowong, with regular bus services connecting to St Lucia campus (routes 402, 411 and 412).
Uber
Uber, the global ride-sharing app, is legal in Queensland and can be accessed via the app.