Brisbane used to be the city people flew through on the way to somewhere else. That's changed. A lot. The Brisbane I visited in June 2019 was confident, creative, and genuinely fun — and I didn't want to leave after 48 hours.

Queensland's capital sits on a river that curves through the city in great loops, and the whole place has a warmth to it that goes beyond the weather. Brisbaneites (or Brisbanites — they seem to disagree) are relaxed in a way that Sydney and Melbourne can't quite pull off. The city has been investing heavily in cultural infrastructure and food for the past decade, and it shows. Here's how I'd spend a weekend there.

Saturday Morning: South Bank

South Bank Parklands sits on the south side of the river, directly across from the CBD, and it's where Brisbane does its leisure. There's a free public swimming lagoon (yes, in the middle of the city), a beach, walking and cycling paths, the state library, the Queensland Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, and about fifty places to eat. I started with a coffee at a café overlooking the river, walked to GOMA for an hour, then sat on the beach and watched the city skyline for another. It's a remarkably good way to spend a morning.

Story Bridge Brisbane at night
The Story Bridge — Brisbane's most iconic structure — lights up beautifully after dark.

Saturday Afternoon: Fortitude Valley and New Farm

The Valley, as locals call it, is Brisbane's inner-city nightlife and culture hub — but it's worth visiting in the afternoon before it turns into a weekend club precinct. The James Street precinct has excellent independent boutiques and cafes. Walk through to New Farm for the weekend farmers' market at New Farm Park (the jacaranda trees here in spring are spectacular), then along the riverfront to the Powerhouse arts centre.

The New Farm Deli on Brunswick Street is where I had that flat white I mentioned. I've thought about it since. Order the house-made ricotta toast while you're at it.

Saturday Evening: Story Bridge and Eat Street

You can climb the Story Bridge — it's one of Brisbane's better-kept tourist secrets. The guided climb takes about 90 minutes and ends at the top of the arch with panoramic views over the river bends and the city. If climbing isn't your thing, the bridge is beautiful from the riverbank at Howard Smith Wharves below it, where a cluster of restaurants and bars sit right on the water.

Brisbane city architecture
Brisbane's architecture reflects a city that's been quietly reinventing itself for the past decade.

Sunday: Mount Coot-tha and Lone Pine

Mount Coot-tha is a 15-minute drive from the CBD and offers the best view of Brisbane — the city spread across the river bends, Moreton Bay in the distance, and on a clear day the glasshouse mountains to the north. The botanical gardens at the base are free and excellent. The café at the summit does a good breakfast.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is genuinely worth the visit — it's the world's largest koala sanctuary, holds over 130 koalas, and unlike many wildlife parks, the animals are well cared for and genuinely relaxed. You can hold a koala for a photo (ethically managed, each koala has strict time limits) and hand-feed kangaroos in an open enclosure. It's touristy, yes. It's also wonderful.

Practical Notes

Brisbane doesn't announce itself the way Sydney does. It doesn't have Melbourne's confident cultural edge. What it has is a looseness, a warmth, and a river that ties it all together — and an increasingly excellent food scene that the rest of Australia is only just starting to notice. Don't wait for it to become famous before you go.