Brisbane, Queensland © Clive D'Silva/Tourism and Events Queensland
Brisbane suburb guide
Whether you base yourself north or south of the Brisbane River, the Queensland capital’s pulsing food and art scenes are within easy reach.
By Natasha Dragun
Brisbane’s snaking river is a landmark throughout its central suburbs. On the north bank, the city centre nestles alongside some of Brisbane’s most happening areas for wining and dining. South of the river, leafy residential streets and parklands reveal surprising cultural and sporting attractions. Find your favourite spot for a stay in this fun-loving city.
Central Brisbane
Streets Beach, South Brisbane, Queensland © Tourism & Events Queensland
Where: City centre, South Bank
Central Brisbane is home to some of the city’s oldest buildings as well as some of its most vibrant developments. On a deep bend of the north bank of the river, grand colonial-era buildings now housing museums, shopping malls and offices sit beside futuristic skyscrapers in the city centre. Just across the river, the more relaxed South Bank precinct is home to the bulk of the city’s cultural institutions, with dining and entertainment options aplenty surrounding a lush man-made beach. Linked by the pedestrian-friendly Victoria Bridge, these neighbourhoods are easily explored on foot.
Wander along the riverside to the South Bank where you'll find a host of trendy restaurants and bars including local favourite Pourboy, which draws weekend crowds for its bottomless bloody Marys and mimosas. At the W Brisbane, enjoy farm-to-table fare at popular Three Blue Ducks, with most produce sourced from the establishment’s own farm in Byron Bay. Or book a table at Persone, where an upscale Italian menu is matched by sparkling views over the city and river. The outlook is equally impressive from the W’s WET Deck bar, where you can sip cocktails on the alfresco patio while gazing over the Wheel of Brisbane, lit up at night.
For an art fix, head over to South Bank’s cultural precinct at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, with 17,000 works sourced from Australia and across the world. Bring picnic supplies and swimwear to cool-off and relax in leafy South Bank's wide expanses of parkland and pools including the man-made Streets Beach.
The high-style W Brisbane hotel in the city’s Brisbane Quarter features a vibrant art collection, much of it celebrating tropical Queensland. Also in the city centre, The Westin offers another luxe location to lay your head, while over on Southbank, the Emporium Hotel has an idyllic rooftop infinity pool.
South of the river
Kangaroo Point picnic, Brisbane, Queensland © Brisbane Marketing
Did you know?
You can climb the Story Bridge at twilight – when you reach the top, watch the city come to life in a flicker of lights.
Where: West End, Woolloongabba, Kangaroo Point
Surrounding the South Bank precinct, these neighbourhoods feel both residential and eclectic. Large Greek and Vietnamese communities contribute to multicultural restaurants and shops, while weekend markets and live music venues attract visitors through the day and well into the night. If you’re a sporting fanatic or outdoors enthusiast, this area is an ideal base – it’s home to the main sports stadium, the Gabba (Brisbane Cricket Ground), and is a great place to try urban abseiling and rock-climbing.
Upscale eateries abound, with the Italian food served at applauded 1889 Enoteca, located in a grand 1880s building in Woolloongabba, a highlight. Cafés are plentiful too, with some of the city’s finest calling this neighbourhood home: try the award-winning Abrisca Coffee Roasters, or the Gunshop Café, set in a heritage-listed West End building and specialising in modern Australian cuisine. Also in the West End, you’ll find the city’s largest concentration of Greek delicatessens and restaurants, Nostimo being among the most popular for traditional Mediterranean share plates. The suburb also hosts an annual festival dedicated to Greek culture, with street stalls, live music and dancing. If you’re visiting the West End on a Friday or Saturday night, stop by the Boundary Street Markets to sample cuisines from around the world, or on weekends, purchase fresh produce from the Davies Park Market while watching buskers perform.
Catching a match (from rugby league to cricket) at the Gabba is a fun way to immerse yourself in local sporting culture. This legendary stadium packs in home-game crowds, with a roar heard across Woolloongabba when rival teams meet. Follow locals to the Story Bridge Hotel in Kangaroo Point for a pre or post-game drink. The Woolloongabba neighbourhood is the gateway to Kangaroo Point, a finger-like slip of land jutting into the Brisbane River. From here, the steel Story Bridge arches over the water – you can climb it or picnic underneath in parks at the tip of Kangaroo Point. This area is also home to dramatic heritage-listed cliffs, popular among climbing and abseiling enthusiasts, as well as stalls renting bikes and kayaks.
The pick of the hotels in the area are found in Kangaroo Point; try the Point Brisbane for stellar river and Story Bridge views, or Il Mondo for boutique charm, and an on-site Japanese tapas restaurant.
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Travel guide to Brisbane
Northeast of the city centre
Howard Smith Wharves, Brisbane, Queensland © Tourism and Events Queensland
Fun fact
The Howard Smith Wharves were originally built in the 1930s and used by shipping companies on the Brisbane River. They’re now heritage listed.
Where: Howard Smith Wharves, Fortitude Valley, New Farm
If you want to be surrounded by the city’s most happening wining and dining establishments, this pocket of Brisbane is for you. The Howard Smith Wharves precinct – beneath the Story Bridge on the Brisbane River’s north bank – is packed with arty hotels, restaurants and bars with water views. Neighbouring suburbs of Fortitude Valley and New Farm, to the north and east, are equally buzzing.
There are enough craft breweries across these three neighbourhoods to quench the entire nation’s estimable thirst; try Felons at Howard Smith Wharves. From here you can walk to other popular restaurants within minutes, including young chef Jonathan Barthelmess’ Greek tavern, Greca, and Middle Eastern hotspot, Za Za Ta. The rooftop bars in this part of Brisbane are the best in the city, including Elixir and Maya.
Start the day exploring the banks of the Brisbane River on a promenade walk. Pause for house-roasted coffee at the Campos flagship store in Fortitude Valley, then discover boutiques, street art, galleries and markets on James Street. Stroll south on this street for 30 minutes and you’ll reach parklands enveloping New Farm’s Brisbane Powerhouse – the schedule of exhibitions, live comedy and music at this theatre spotlights up-and-coming local talent.
Some of Brisbane’s most design-driven hotels are located in Brisbane’s inner-northeast. Stay at the glamorous Crystalbrook Vincent and sip cocktails on its rooftop bar as the sun sets over the Brisbane River. And if you’re looking to bed down in Fortitude Valley, The Calile Hotel is an Instagrammers dream. Also on James Street, the Sage Hotel makes for a smart yet affordable base.
