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Brisbane attractions

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Enjoy going out with your new friends in and around Brisbane anytime. The Activities Office can help you with discount tickets, advice and organised trips away.

  1. Brisbane City
  2. Dolphins, koalas and more wildlife
  3. Gold Coast beaches and theme parks
  4. Noosa and Sunshine Coast
  5. Great Barrier Reef

1. Brisbane City

Southbank Streets Beach at night with fireworks
Southbank beach by night, a popular place to view fireworks

Major international, national and local events and exhibitions are held in one area of Brisbane city known as Southbank.  Southbank is also home to large parklands, an artificial beach and waterway, dining, bars and outdoor cafes. Southbank is easy to get to, safe by day or night and many experiences are free.

Visit these Southbank websites for details of upcoming one-off events.

Australia’s largest gallery of modern art

Art installation at Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
 Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, photo: courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland, by Kenny Smith

International performances and local music

Queensland Performing Arts Complex
Queensland Performing Arts Complex at Southbank, photo courtesy of World Science Festival

Science, ancient history, and ecology

dinosaur skeleton
Local dinosaur at the Queensland Museum, photo by Figaro, via Wikimedia Commons

Cheap and 3d movies on huge screen

interior of cinema with large screen
Southbank Cinema has a massive screen and cheap 3d movies 

Pop concerts and pop culture

Brisbane Convention and Exhibtion Centre
Brisbane Convention and Exhbition Centre hosts international artists and comic cons
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2. Dolphins, koalas and more wildlife

Hand feed free-ranging kangaroos and lorikeets, and cuddle a koala at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Lone Pine is a popular animal sanctuary a short bus ride away with a large range of native animals including platypus, wombats, emus, crocodiles, native eagles and much more.

Just a few of the animals you can enjoy. (Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, YouTube: 15s)

Dolphins, whales and island adventures

Hand-feed wild dolphins, snorkel or paddle in a transparent kayak around shipwrecks, go tobogganing down giant sand dunes at Moreton Island.

dolphin being hand-fed
Feed wild dolphins on Moreton Island
Moreton Island from the air with shipwrecks in the water
Moreton Island shipwrecks - perfect for snorkelling and kayaking

 

View  humpback whales (April - November) and other marine life from craggy cliffs and spectacular beaches at Stradbroke Island.

Discover Fraser Island for a once in a lifetime experience. Fraser Island is a world-heritage wilderness of crystal white sand and clear streams, blue lakes and a unique rainforest ecology.

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3. Gold Coast beaches and theme parks

Visit famous Surfers Paradise for the beach, take a selfie from Skypoint tower.

Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise, photo courtesy Tourism Australia

Theme parks

Australia’s biggest theme parks are all here: Seaworld, Dreamworld, Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild and Whitewater World. Travel by public transport to: 

  • Seaworld for classic rides and marine life including polar bears, penguins, shark bay, and seal and dolphin shows
  • Dreamworld for big scary rides, tigers, crocodiles, and a large range of native animals
  • Movie World for movie-themed rides and stunt shows. 

Biggest rollercoaster

Want a scary ride? Try the new Hypercoaster - the biggest roller coaster in the Southern Hemisphere at Movie World (Theme Parks, YouTube, 1m:20s)

  

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4. Noosa and Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast offers many top beaches including Noosa and Mooloolaba.  Sunshine Coast also offers great youth hostels and food, and beautiful rainforest walks and mountain views.

Sunshine Coast beaches, food and hinterland

Take a quick tour of Sunshine Coast attractions (Visit Sunshine Coast, YouTube, 1m)

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5. Great Barrier Reef

Take a road trip up to the Great Barrier Reef during session break - go snorkelling amongst the spectacular coral and fish, see turtle nesting and hatching (December to February) or humpback whales (June to November).

Experience the Reef

See Lady Musgrave Island, at the Southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, with our preferred travel partner, Australian Sunset Safaris (Australian Sunset Safaris, YouTube, 2m:34s).

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