Things to do in Brisbane
Brisbane is more than a great place to study and launch your career. It’s a vibrant, diverse and subtropical city with so much to see, do and explore.
With its famously relaxed outdoor lifestyle, rich biodiversity, multicultural food, and thriving arts and culture scene, there’s an endless range of things for students to do in Brisbane and in the regions that surround the city – so let’s take a look at some of our favourites.
Brisbane City Centre
The City is Brisbane’s beating heart, and a great central place to meet friends.
Together you could eat the best Korean food and shop at Queen Street Mall, explore hidden bars tucked down laneways or on rooftops, or relax in the lush botanic gardens next to QUT.
There’s always something fun happening in The City, from festivals through to regular events, such as the weekly produce markets, free live music and Latin dance nights.
Every street in the centre of our modern metropolis offers something exciting or unexpected – so it’s time to start exploring them.
Suburbs
With its enviable subtropical climate, Brisbane is a city that lives outdoors – and you can experience the best of this alfresco lifestyle in Brisbane’s diverse inner-city neighbourhoods.
More than 2,180 parks and waterways run like green arteries through the city, but none are as famous as the South Bank Parklands. This 17-hectare riverfront precinct is a favourite with students, who meet to swim at Streets Beach and barbecue while enjoying views of the city.
Nearby is Brisbane’s cultural precinct, where students can find inspiration in our world-class museums, performing arts centres and galleries, including the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), which consistently ranks among the world’s Top 50 most visited art galleries.
Across the river in picturesque New Farm, the Brisbane Powerhouse hosts fun festivals, a weekly farmers’ market and comedy events year-round, and has recently opened an outdoor cinema and alfresco theatre that will host concerts, cabaret, circus events and more in the great outdoors.
Fortitude Valley is the pulse of Brisbane’s nightlife. As Australia’s first designated Special Entertainment Precinct, it’s the place to find live music, nightclubs and rooftop bars.
Brisbane is also Australia’s nature capital, and close to the city you can find lush bushland, botanic gardens and the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary, Lone Pine.
Towards the bayside, you can set sail from the southern hemisphere's largest marina at Manly.
If you’re a food lover at heart, venture to Fish Lane, Howard Smith Wharves, James Street or Eat Street Northshore for an unforgettable feast with friends.
For an active adventure, hire kayak or canoes and cruise along the Brisbane River, or abseil off the Kangaroo Point Cliffs with the city as your backdrop.
Regions
Between your studies you’ll have time to explore the natural beauty of the greater Brisbane region – just don’t forget to layer on sunscreen and take a hat!
On our doorstep there’s a world of quintessential Australian experiences to unlock, with day trips to the charming countryside or cool coastline.
Just an hour from the city, you can walk through World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests, home to rare and exotic creatures, cascading waterfalls and breathtaking scenery.
Go island hopping in Moreton Bay and meet whales, dolphins, dugongs and manta rays on the journey to the world’s second- and third-largest sand islands, North Stradbroke Island / Minjerribah and Moreton Island.
Find more things to do in Brisbane
There are thousands of fun and free things students can do in Brisbane. You can find tourist brochures and ask the staff at the Visitor Information Centre on Queen Street Mall for more information, or explore the Visit Brisbane website and build your own Brisbane bucket list.