Outdoors · Brisbane · Australia
6 best outdoor things to do in Brisbane
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 13–15 hours across 5 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 13–15 hours
- Areas
- South Bank, Fig Tree Pocket and Mount Coot-tha
Outdoors in Brisbane
Park · South Bank
1.South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach
Swim in the lagoon on a weekday morning; on hot weekends it is crowded by mid-morning.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Couples
Zoo · Fig Tree Pocket
2.Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
A river cruise from the city centre is a scenic way to arrive; otherwise take a bus from the CBD in about 40 minutes.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Iconic
- Nature
- Outdoors
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Viewpoint · Mount Coot-tha
3.Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens
Visit the lookout at sunset, then walk the short trails in the gardens earlier in the day when it is cooler.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
Garden · Brisbane CBD
4.City Botanic Gardens
Follow the riverside boardwalk from the gardens to Eagle Street Pier and the Riverwalk at New Farm.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
Garden · Brisbane CBD
5.Roma Street Parkland
Bring lunch; the barbecues and lawns by the lake are rarely crowded on weekdays.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Park · New Farm
6.New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse
Time a visit to the Saturday market and stay for a picnic under the jacarandas in spring.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Food
- Outdoors
- Couples
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| South Bank | South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach | Half a day |
| Fig Tree Pocket | Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary | 3 hours |
| Mount Coot-tha | Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens | Half a day |
| Brisbane CBD | City Botanic Gardens and Roma Street Parkland | 1 hour + 1 hour |
| New Farm | New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 5 free, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (South Bank): South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Fig Tree Pocket): Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Mount Coot-tha and Brisbane CBD): Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens → City Botanic Gardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Brisbane CBD and New Farm): Roma Street Parkland → New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- August: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 4 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dry, sunny and mild; the Ekka show fills the Exhibition Grounds.
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 4 rainy days, busy crowds. The driest and coolest month, popular with southern Australians escaping the cold during school holidays.
- June: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Winter brings clear skies and cool nights; ideal sightseeing weather.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Brisbane CBD — Queen Street Mall, sandstone heritage buildings and riverside gardens
- South Bank — Riverside parklands, Streets Beach lagoon and the Queensland Cultural Centre
- New Farm — Leafy riverside suburb of Queenslander houses, New Farm Park and the Powerhouse
- Spring Hill — Quiet heritage hill above the CBD with mid-range hotels and the Old Windmill
More of Brisbane
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Brisbane?
South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach. Seventeen hectares of riverside parkland built on the World Expo 88 site, centred on Streets Beach, a free lifeguarded lagoon with sand and palm trees across the river from the skyline.
+Which of these are free in Brisbane?
South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens, City Botanic Gardens, Roma Street Parkland and New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse.