South Bank Parklands
A riverside park with gardens, pools, an artificial beach, cafes and walkways across the river from the centre. It also holds a large arts and culture precinct.
Brisbane
South Bank parklands and a koala sanctuary lie in this sunny riverside capital of Queensland, which is also easily linked to the Gold Coast.
Attractive locations
Gallery of Modern Art
A major gallery of contemporary Australian, Asian and Pacific art in the cultural precinct at South Bank. Its large bright galleries are among the city's best-known museums.
Story Bridge
A steel cantilever bridge over the Brisbane River, lit in changing colours at night. Visitors can walk across it or join a guided climb for views over the city.
Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha
A large botanic garden on the slopes of Mount Coot-tha, with themed areas, a tropical dome and walking tracks. A nearby lookout gives wide views of the city.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
A wildlife sanctuary by the Brisbane River where visitors can see koalas, kangaroos, wombats and other Australian animals up close.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Sheer cliffs on the river's edge opposite the city centre, with a riverside park, paths and views of the skyline. Rock climbing and abseiling are popular here.
Moreton Island
A large sand island in Moreton Bay, reached by ferry, with dunes, beaches and the Tangalooma Wrecks, a line of old ships sunk as a breakwater. Snorkelling, sand tobogganing and dolphin encounters draw visitors.
Airports
Brisbane International Airport BNE
It is about 13 km in a straight line from Brisbane.
Gold Coast Airport OOL
It is about 91 km in a straight line from Brisbane.
Sunshine Coast Airport MCY
It is about 97 km in a straight line from Brisbane.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Australia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan25.4 °C140 mm
- Feb25.1 °C156 mm
- Mar24.0 °C136 mm
- Apr21.9 °C83 mm
- May19.0 °C73 mm
- Jun16.9 °C88 mm
- Jul16.0 °C38 mm
- Aug16.8 °C45 mm
- Sep19.3 °C38 mm
- Oct21.3 °C81 mm
- Nov23.1 °C92 mm
- Dec24.5 °C130 mm
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Mar.
Costs
Prices here are about 90% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Triple Zero 000 for police, fire and ambulance (112 also works from a mobile phone).
local government
Triple Zero (000) emergency number
Helps with: Call Triple Zero (000) for a life-threatening emergency that needs police, ambulance or fire. The NSW Government page also gives TTY 106 for callers using a text phone.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Australia facing a life-threatening emergency, including visitors.
Phone: 000
ngo
Australian Red Cross
Helps with: Australia's national Red Cross society. It offers help before, during and after emergencies and disasters, and runs support programs for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
Who qualifies: People in Australia affected by emergencies or disasters, and migrants and refugees needing support.
Phone: 1800 733 276
Email: contactus@redcross.org.au
Address: GPO Box 9949, Melbourne VIC 3001
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Australia
Helps with: The UN migration agency. Its Canberra office works on migration policy across the Indo-Pacific and partners with governments and UN bodies. It is a partnerships and advocacy office.
Who qualifies: Governments and partner organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for tourists or individual migrants.
Phone: +612 6267 6600
Address: 4th floor, Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia (DFAT Protocol)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade lists foreign embassies alphabetically, each linking to its own page, plus a consulates list.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.