Itinerary · Brisbane · Australia
One day in Brisbane
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Brisbane, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. Day 1: South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Base yourself in Brisbane CBD.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Brisbane CBD
- Book ahead
- Nothing essential
Day by day
Day 1: South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Queensland Art Gallery and Queensland Museum Kurilpa, then Story Bridge in the evening.
Morning
South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach
Swim in the lagoon on a weekday morning; on hot weekends it is crowded by mid-morning. Allow Half a day.
Late morning
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
Check the programme for the Children's Art Centre and the cinémathèque, both included in or alongside the free collection displays. Allow 2 hours.
Lunch
Lunch: Moreton Bay bugs
Seafood restaurants along the river at Howard Smith Wharves and South Bank, and fish markets in Hamilton.
Afternoon
Queensland Art Gallery
Start here, cross to GOMA, then have lunch at the riverside café between the two buildings. Allow 1.5 hours.
Late afternoon
Queensland Museum Kurilpa
SparkLab charges separately; the main galleries are free and suit a hot or rainy afternoon. Allow 2 hours.
Evening
Story Bridge
Walk across at dusk from Kangaroo Point towards the Valley for skyline views, then descend to Howard Smith Wharves for dinner.
Before you go
If it rains
- Swap in Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane (Brisbane CBD): Book the free clock-tower tour on arrival at the museum desk; places are limited.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and solo travellers
Brisbane CBD
Queen Street Mall, sandstone heritage buildings and riverside gardens
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–12 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.4 hours in June to 13.9 hours in December.
Getting between stops: Ferry. CityCat catamarans run between the University of Queensland and Northshore Hamilton, and the free CityHopper ferry shuttles between riverside stops in the inner city.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Brisbane?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. How many days Brisbane needs.