Start Here
Brisbane is the Australian city that keeps surprising families who almost skipped it for Sydney or the Gold Coast.
It is subtropical, relaxed, and built around a river that makes the whole place feel more like a giant park than a capital city.
South Bank is the anchor. A free man made beach with lifeguards, a splash park for the little ones, museums with no entry fee, and a riverside promenade that connects all of it. You could spend two full days at South Bank and never pay for a thing.
Then there are the koalas. Lone Pine is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary, and your kids can hold one. That alone is worth the stop in Brisbane.
The transit is absurdly cheap right now. Fifty cents for any bus, train, or ferry ride with a Go Card. The free CityHopper ferry loops the river and doubles as a sightseeing cruise. Brisbane might be the most budget friendly major city in Australia for families.
✈ Brisbane · Trip at a Glance
• • •
🌎 Region: Queensland, Australia
📝 Language: English
💰 Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
☀ Best Months: May through September for mild dry weather, December through February for swimming season
⭐ Family Rating: ★★★★★
Getting Around
Brisbane Airport (BNE) is about 20 minutes from the city center. The Airtrain runs every 15 minutes to Central, Roma Street, and South Brisbane stations. Adults pay AUD$23.30 and kids under 14 ride free with a paying adult. A taxi or rideshare into the city runs AUD$35 to $65 depending on traffic.
Once you are in the city, the TransLink network covers everything. Buses, trains, and ferries all run on a single system. Get a Go Card at any 7-Eleven or newsagent and load it with cash or card.
The CityHopper ferry is free. It loops between North Quay, South Bank, the Maritime Museum, and Sydney Street every 30 minutes. Your kids will want to ride it more than once and you will not argue because it costs nothing and the views are excellent.
For day trips to Australia Zoo or the Gold Coast, rent a car. Both are about an hour’s drive and the roads are easy.
Go Card
Buy at any convenience store or train station. Currently 50c flat fare on all TransLink buses, trains, and ferries. Check before you go in case the promotional fare has ended.
CityHopper Ferry — Free inner city loop. North Quay, South Bank, Maritime Museum, Holman Street, Thornton Street, Sydney Street. Every 30 minutes.
Airtrain — AUD$23.30 adults, free for kids under 14 with a paying adult. Runs 4:30am to 10pm.
Where to Stay
South Bank is the best base for families. You are walking distance to Streets Beach, the museums, GOMA, and the Wheel of Brisbane. The CBD is just across the river.
If you want more space for the money, Fortitude Valley and New Farm have apartment style options with kitchens and laundry. That matters when you are traveling with kids for more than a couple of nights.
Novotel Brisbane South Bank
Pool, restaurant, and right on South Bank’s doorstep. Family rooms available. This is the easy choice for families who want to walk everywhere. Around AUD$179 to $280 per night.
Emporium Hotel South Bank
Luxury boutique with a rooftop pool and bar. Suites work well for families who want more room. The location is perfect for South Bank and the river. Around AUD$350 to $500 per night.
Rydges South Bank
Rooftop pool, one bedroom apartments from AUD$250, and you can see the Wheel of Brisbane from the terrace. Good middle ground between a hotel room and a full apartment.
Next Hotel Brisbane
Modern CBD hotel with a rooftop pool and close to Queen Street Mall. A short walk across Victoria Bridge to South Bank. Around AUD$195 to $300 per night.
What to See
South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach
Streets Beach is a man made lagoon with white sand, clear water, and lifeguards. It is free. In the middle of the city. Your kids will not believe it and they will not want to leave.
The Aquativity splash park next door is also free and built for little ones. Water jets, tipping buckets, and channels to play in. It stays open year round even when Streets Beach closes for maintenance in the winter months.
The Queensland Museum is right here too. Free entry. Dinosaur skeletons, the Lost Creatures exhibit, and the SparkLab Sciencentre which is a hands on science playground for kids three and up. GOMA, the Gallery of Modern Art, has a dedicated Children’s Art Centre that rotates activities every eight weeks. Also free.
South Bank is the reason Brisbane works so well for families on a budget. An entire day here costs nothing.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
This is the world’s first koala sanctuary and it is about 20 minutes from the CBD. Your kids can hold a koala here. Queensland is one of the few Australian states where that is still allowed.
Beyond the koalas, there are kangaroos you can hand feed, platypus, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. The kangaroo enclosure is the one where every kid wants to stay the longest. They walk right up to you.
Pricing runs AUD$63 for adults, AUD$45 for kids 3 to 13, and under 3 is free. A family pass for two adults and three kids is AUD$193. Koala holds cost extra but it is one of those experiences kids remember for years. Bus 430 runs directly from the city.
Story Bridge Adventure Climb
If your kids are six or older and at least 110cm tall, the Story Bridge climb is one of the best family activities in Brisbane. You walk along the steel structure of this massive cantilever bridge 80 meters above the river.
The views from the top cover the entire city, the river, and out to Moreton Bay. There are day, twilight, and night climbs. The twilight option catches the sunset and the city lights coming on.
Sunday Funday is the deal to know about. Fifty percent off kids’ tickets, and kids eat free at Felons Barrel Hall from 11am to 3pm. Adults pay from about AUD$99. The climb takes about 90 minutes and includes a full safety briefing.
What to Eat
Brisbane’s food scene is built around brunch culture, fresh seafood, and a coffee obsession that rivals Melbourne. Flat whites are everywhere and they are excellent. The brunch plates are enormous.
If your family likes eating out in the morning, Brisbane is your city.
Flat White and Smashed Avo
Australia’s signature coffee and the brunch staple. Every cafe in Brisbane does a flat white and most have smashed avocado on sourdough. Budget AUD$18 to $28 per plate plus coffee.
Moreton Bay Bugs
Not actual bugs. Slipper lobsters. They are sweet, delicate, and local to this part of Queensland. You will find them grilled, pan fried, or in pasta at most seafood restaurants. AUD$35 to $55 at a restaurant.
Meat Pies
An Australian institution. Flaky pastry, savory filling, and you can get one at any bakery for AUD$6 to $10. Kids love them. Adults love them. It is the easiest meal in the country.
Eat Street Northshore
A night market built from shipping containers along the river. AUD$6 entry and under 13 is free. Food from every cuisine you can think of, around AUD$15 to $25 per person. Check opening nights before you go.
Nicole’s Perspective
Brisbane is the Australian city I find myself recommending more than any other for families with young kids.
Sydney has the Opera House and Bondi. Melbourne has the food and the culture. But Brisbane has the combination of free activities, easy transport, and warm weather that makes a trip with small children feel like a vacation instead of an endurance test.
South Bank alone would justify the stop. A free beach, free museums, free splash park, free ferry, all in one walkable stretch along the river. I cannot think of another major city in Australia that gives families that much without charging for it.
The koalas are the other thing. Kids who visit Lone Pine talk about it for months. Holding a koala is one of those bucket list moments that actually lives up to the hype, and Brisbane is one of the best places in the country to do it.
I plan most families here for four or five nights. That gives you South Bank, Lone Pine, the Story Bridge climb or the Wheel of Brisbane, and a day trip to either Australia Zoo or the Gold Coast. You leave feeling like you saw the city without rushing through it.
Day Trips
Australia Zoo
Steve Irwin’s famous wildlife park, about an hour north on the Sunshine Coast. The Crocoseum show is the highlight. AUD$77 adults, AUD$52 kids 3 to 14, under 3 free. Plan for a full day.
Gold Coast Beaches
About an hour south. Surfers Paradise for the boardwalk and theme parks, Burleigh Heads for a quieter beach day with great cafes. Easy drive or take the train from Brisbane.
Tangalooma (Moreton Island)
A 75 minute ferry to an island with snorkeling at the Tangalooma Wrecks, sandboarding, and wild dolphin feeding at sunset. AUD$109 adults, AUD$79 kids 3 to 14. Book ahead.
Mt Coot-tha Lookout
Fifteen minutes from the city. Panoramic views of Brisbane and Moreton Bay. The botanic gardens at the base are free with a children’s trail and a planetarium. Pack a picnic.
Practical Tips
Sun Protection
Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world. That is not a scare tactic, it is a fact. SPF 50+ sunscreen on everyone, every day. Hats and rashies on the kids at the beach. Reapply every two hours.
Budget
Brisbane is more affordable than Sydney or Melbourne. A family of four doing mid range hotels, eating out, and two or three paid activities will spend roughly AUD$2,500 to $4,000 for five nights. The free attractions at South Bank keep daily costs down.
Visa
Most nationalities need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) or eVisitor visa. Apply online before you fly. It costs about AUD$20 and is usually approved within minutes.
Driving
Australians drive on the left side of the road. Car seats are required for children under seven. Rental companies offer them for about AUD$15 to $20 per day. Book in advance during school holidays.
How Many Days
Four nights covers South Bank, Lone Pine, and one day trip. Five nights adds the Story Bridge climb or Tangalooma without feeling rushed. If you are combining Brisbane with the Gold Coast, split the time and do three nights in each.
Common Questions
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Planning a Trip to Australia?
I help families plan trips across Australia and the South Pacific every week. If you want someone to sort out the flights, the hotels, and the day trips so you can focus on the sunscreen and the snacks, I would love to work with you.
Read the Australia Travel Guide
