Lock eyes on the most beautiful spots in Brisbane

As subtropical cities go, Brisbane is quite the beguiling capital. The weather, for starters, is glorious (300+ days of sunshine a year is a real selling point), the city is a burgeoning mix of old and new architecture and urban sprawl, crammed with emerging dining districts and beautiful outdoor spaces. Cast the eye a little further, and the surrounding region is all verdant hinterland and national parks, golden beaches and picturesque islands. She really is a knockout.

Bestow the gift of beauty on your senses the next time you’re in town; these are the most beautiful places in and around Brisbane.

Curtis Falls, Mt Tamborine

Hidden in picturesque eucalypt forest, Curtis Falls is a dead-set beauty spot atop Mt Tamborine. Less than an hour south of Brisbane, this gorgeous waterfall boasts a stunning single drop fall, lookout points, and a dedicated circuit to get your steps in. Tackle the Lower Creek circuit come twilight for spectacular displays courtesy of the local glow worm residents.

Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island

One of Queensland’s most iconic beaches, Cylinder Beach has been voted the state’s best beach not once, but twice – and it’s easy to see why. Just a 40-minute ferry ride from the mainland, ‘Straddie’ has a number of beautiful places to visit ­– but Cylinder Beach’s stretch of soft golden sand, azure blue sea, plus plenty of leisure amenities (including dedicated camping and picnic spots amongst the sand dunes), dropping a towel here ticks all the boxes for the perfect beach day.

D’Aguilar National Park

Remote gorges, freshwater swimming spots, subtropical rainforest walks, soaring eucalypt and scribbly gum forests; D’Aguilar National Park is one of the most beautiful places to encounter near Brisbane. A whopping 35,000h wedged between the Glasshouse Mountains, Mount Nebo and Mount Mee, this incredible green belt serves up scenic drives, walks and hikes just north of Brisbane CBD. Make sure to stop at Camp Mountain Lookout and Wivenhoe Outlook for stunning views across the park, and Rocky Hole, in the Mt Mee section of D’Aguilar National Park for a swim in its idyllic freshwater swimming hole.

Kangaroo Point Cliffs 

For incomparable views of the Brisbane CBD skyline, there’s no better beauty spot than Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Sunrise or sunset, it’s one of the only elevated spots in the city that is completely unobstructed – meaning you score sweeping views of the Brisbane River, skyline and mountains in the distance. Parklands, bikeways, playgrounds and barbecue spots are dotted both atop and at the base of the ancient sandstone cliffs, making it one of the prettiest picnic spots going.

Mt Coot-tha Summit

Another lookout point that’s wildly popular with Brisbane locals is the Mt Coot-tha Summit. With 360-degree views of the CBD, Moreton Bay, even the Gold Coast on a clear day, the grassy knoll atop the summit is a glorious spot to dive into a picnic. Make a day of it; Mt Coot-that has 31kms worth of walking tracks, is home to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens (another beautiful location well worth a visit), and even boasts its own waterfalls, JC Slaughter Falls and Simpson Falls.

Blue Lagoon, Moreton Island

An island National Park, home to the world-famous Tangalooma Wrecks, pristine sandy beaches, bushwalks, Queensland’s oldest lighthouse, and the insanely pretty Blue Lagoon, it’s easy to see why Moreton Island makes Brisbane’s prettiest places list. A freshwater lake on an island surrounded by salt water, this unusual but beautiful, lake entices visitors with its crystal-clear waters. Ensconced by colourful coastal heathland and sand blows, spend a perfect day by the waters’ edge.

Mt Glorious 

Only 45-minutes’ drive from Brisbane, Mt Glorious is the perfect country day trip from Brisbane. Located on the breathtaking D'Aguilar Range, the drive alone to Mt Glorious is, well, glorious – breathtaking lookout points are dotted right along the winding forest road as you ascend the mountain – but it’s the hamlet’s pretty village that makes this an idyllic day trip. Quaint country cafes and independent stores lines the high street, with Elm Haus Café, housed in an old wooden church, and the famous Mount Glorious Café pit-stop must-sees.

QAGOMA, South Bank

One of the most beautiful gallery precincts in Australia, QAGOMA’s imposing buildings sprawl across the northern edge of South Bank. Both the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art house a prolific collection of international artists and host world-renowned shows throughout the year, but what might be most impressive is the precinct’s distinct, award-winning, architecture. Designed to take full advantage of its riverside location, each building boasts some of the most beautiful views of the Brisbane River and CBD, as well as seamlessly connecting visitors with the outside world.

Fish Lane Arts Precinct, South Bank

A buzzing inner-city laneway, Fish Lane is one of Brisbane’s best dining precincts – and world-class street art displays. Connecting Brisbane’s Cultural Centre and South Bank to the suburb of West End, the laneway is a showcase of both local and internationally renowned street artists. Ever-evolving, thanks to annual events such as BSAF and government art grants, one stroll down this colourful laneway is never the same.

Same Same restaurant, Ada Lane

Enormous, vaulted ceilings, sandstone-hued walls, concrete and marble at every turn, for beauty of a culinary nature, Same Same is breathtaking. An elegant two-story Thai eatery, it’s not just Same Same’s infamous dishes that guests return for, it’s the venue’s spectacular design which makes it a truly unforgettable space. This is luxurious minimalism at its best.