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 Brisbane is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with excellent restaurants, beautiful riverside parks, a busy cultural calendar, and lively nightlife.

Queensland's capital city is surrounded by some of the state's major tourist attractions, and there is an abundant choice of day trips. Explore the coast for the golden beaches or go inland for some of the region's serene bushland — there is something for everyone here.

currency

Australian Dollar (AUD) $1 = 100 cents

phone

Police, fire, ambulance: 000
Poisons Information: +61 13 11 26

newspaper

The Courier Mail
Queensland Times
Brisbane Times

hours

City retailers trade Mon–Thu 9am–6 pm, Fri 9am–9pm, Sat & Sun 9am–5pm

population

2.28 million (2016)

info

Brisbane Visitor Information and Booking Centre
The Regent, 167 Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
P: 07 3006 6290
E: visit@brisbanemarketing.com.au

Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–4pm. Closed: Christmas, New Years Day, Good Friday, and Anzac Day

website

www.visitbrisbane.com.au

The City

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The capital of the “Sunshine State,” Brisbane, could very well be the world’s most laidback city: its residents are friendly and optimistic in a way rarely seen in big city life. But with such a fantastic lifestyle, who can blame them for smiling?

Brisbane has a world of experience to offer its visitors. From the hustle and bustle of the Central Business District (CBD), you can escape to the creative ambiance of the contemporary arts centre—The Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm. Perhaps you’d prefer dinner with sights of the city at South Bank? Afterwards, if you’d like a stiff drink, head towards the trendy bars of Fortitude Valley and West End.

If you don’t dance the night away, you might be up early enough to watch the sunrise as you kayak on the Brisbane River or perhaps you’d prefer relaxing at Australia’s only inner-city beach at South Bank. If you still have the energy, you can try rock climbing and take in the views of the Story Bridge and the city skyline from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.

When you’re ready to relax, head down to Woolloongabba to enjoy some of the spectator sports that Queensland is famed for!

Do & See

Beach, art, and food. Mix and match those three options any way you like and get the most out of Brisbane. Take a walk through the air-conditioned halls of QAGOMA or catch the breeze riding on the tiny red CityHopper vessel. Lay down your towel and rest your feet on the warm sand of Streets Beach at South Bank.

The food is a whole other delicious story. Check out local farmers’ markets and pluck a few fresh treats from the numerous free public garden beds.

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SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium

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Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

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Australia Zoo

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Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

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Lamington National Park

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Roma Street Parkland

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Moreton Bay Escapes

John/Flickr

Story Bridge Adventure Climb

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Gallery Of Modern Art aka QAGOMA

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Mount Coot-tha

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Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha

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South Bank Parklands

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XXXX Brewery Tour

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Springbrook and Tamborine Rainforest Tour

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Lovers' Walk and Shorncliffe Pier

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Brisbane City Markets

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Howard Smith Wharves

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Fairy light trees at Captain Burke Park & Gardens Point

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The Wheel of Brisbane

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Book a winery tour

Brunch Choice Crowd Dining Food Options Eating Concept Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Dining

One of the many highlights of any visit to Brisbane is experiencing the epicurean delights of the city’s different neighbourhoods. Brisbane is immeasurably proud of its reputation for fine dining, and within a ten minute radius of the town centre you can choose between the kitchens of European, Mediterranean, Asian or contemporary Australian restaurants.

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CRU Bar & Cellar

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Julius Pizzeria

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Gerard’s Bistro

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Gambaro Seafood Restaurant

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Corbett & Claude

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Chu The Phat

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Tippler's Tap Southbank

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Moda Tapas. Brasa. Bar

Cup of Coffee GongTo/Shutterstock.com

Cafes

As most modern cities, Brisbane has a lot to offer in the realm of Third Wave coffee shops with dedicated baristas, WiFi, bistro food and mouthwatering desserts.

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The Gunshop Cafe

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Marchetti Cafe

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Scout Cafe

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Blackstar Coffee Roasters

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Salt Coffee Roasters

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The Single Guys Coffee Co.

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Microlot Coffee House

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Sassafras of Paddington

Happy friends cheering and drinking cocktails at beach party outdoor - Young millennials people having fun at weekend summer night - Youth lifestyle and nightlife concept - Main focus on left guys DisobeyArt/Shutterstock.com

Bars & Nightlife

Brisbane is overflowing with great pubs. Most of the hotels double as drinking establishments for both locals and guests of the city. Beers are served in pots, schooners, pints and jugs and the beer taps in many bars will be specially chilled, causing the condensation to freeze on the outside. Most hotels are open 10:30am–3am, and the traditional “Sunday Session” runs from 11am to midnight.

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Norman Hotel

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The Beat Megaclub

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Tippler's Tap Southbank

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Story Bridge Hotel

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Buffalo Bar

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Lychee Lounge

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Jade Buddha Bar & Kitchen

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Embassy Bar & Kitchen

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Laruche

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Shopping

Brisbane has become one of the hottest shopping destinations in Australia, both for flagship stores and small boutiques. The city boasts an array of hidden gems around every corner, from niche fashion-forward stores to stylish arcades and luxury retailers.

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The Queen Street Mall

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QueensPlaza

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Local Designers

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Fortitude Valley

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South Bank Collective Markets

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Farmers Markets

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Brookside Shopping Centre

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Camp Hill Antique Centre

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The Vintage Watch Co.

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The Myer Centre

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Avid Reader Bookshop & Cafe

Kangaroos on the beach in Bribie Island, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Pawel Papis/Shutterstock.com

Tourist Information

Passport/Visa

Unless you are a New Zealand citizen granted visa exemption on arrival (in most cases), you will need to obtain a visa prior to visiting Australia. Citizens of all European Union countries, as well as Andorra, Norway, Iceland, San Marino, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Vatican City are eligible for an eVisitor visa, which can be applied for online. For citizens of the United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, South Korea and Malaysia, the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) entry permit is available, which can be applied for online and grants holders the right to enter Australia an ulimited amount of times for stays of no longer than 3 months per visit.

Citizens of all other world countries (with the exception of Somalia) are also able to apply for a visitor visa online. For more information, visit the official website of the Australian government's department of home affairs: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/lega/lega/form/immi-faqs/what-visa-do-i-need-to-visit-australia

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Best Time To Visit

Since March to May are the autumn months in Australia, it is best to visit Brisbane during that time. You will avoid holiday crowds while still being able to enjoy the warm weather and a low chance of rain. Temperatures will generally be around 24 °C.

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Airport

Brisbane Airport is located 13 km from the city centre (app. 15-20 min drive). Trains run every 30 minutes between 6 am and 8 pm. The journey takes 20 minutes and pre-booking is available.

Address: Airport Drive, Brisbane

Email:

Phone: +61 7 3406 3000

Website: www.bne.com.au

More Information:

Public Transport

A free bus service runs around the City (CBD). Look for the distinctive red busses and the red signposted bus stops. Tickets for the TransLink network can be bought from vending machines. Weekly tickets are valid throughout South East Queensland. Buses are low floor, and Citytrain offer assistance with wheelchairs.

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Phone: +61 13 12 30

Website: www.translink.com.au

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Pharmacy

There are multiple Pharmacies and Chemists located in the immediate city centre as well as outside of Brisbane.

Chemist Warehouse Brisbane
103 Edward St, Brisbane
+61 7 3220 2041
chemistwarehouse.com.au

Priceline Pharmacy Anzac Square
202 Adelaide Street, Brisbane
+61 7 3221 1541
priceline.com.au

Direct Chemist Outlet Brisbane Airport
Skygate Shop 13 The Village Markets 1-5 The Circuit, Brisbane
+61 7 3123 9255
directchemistoutlet.com.au

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Post

There are several Australia Post offices located all over the town, where stamps can be bought, and where mail and packages can be sent from.

Address: 261 Queen Street, Brisbane

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Phone: +61 13 13 18

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Taxi

Uber, Ola, DiDi, Shebah and GoCatch ridesharing apps are used in Brisbane.

Rates vary with the actual locations, traffic conditions, time of day and the route chosen. Save on fares by sharing a Maxi-taxi from special ranks in the CBD and in the Valley. Wheelchair accessible taxis are available. At night secure ranks operate in the CBD, the Valley and Caxton Street.

Black & White Cabs: +61 13 32 22
Yellow Cabs: +61 13 19 24

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Telephone

Country code: +61

Area code Queensland: 07

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Electricity

240 Volts / 50 Hz

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