Play, discover and relax around the Brisbane River

It’s Brisbane’s signature landmark: a mighty river that twists and bends like a serpent, carving the city into two halves before flowing out into Moreton Bay.

As oddly parochial as Brisbane’s residents can be about their side of the river, Maiwar (as the Turrbal indigenous owners call it) is the city’s heart and its soul, a place to play, discover and unwind.

We’ve put together the ultimate guide on Brisbane River things to do, from kayaking under the Story Bridge to picnicking in the shade of jacaranda trees or seeing a show direct from Broadway.

Getting around

The best way to get around the river is on the CityCat. Popular with local commuters (imagine going to work with that view!), these catamarans are a fast way to traverse the river for about the cost of a coffee. All you need is a GoCard—check Translink’s website for details and timetables.

Play

From experiencing one of the world’s only bridge climbs to jet skiing out into the bay where the turtles and dolphins play, the Brisbane River has fun written all over it.

Paddle the river with Riverlife Adventure Centre‘s guided kayak tours and look up at towering skyscrapers and waterfront mansions, and pass underneath the Story Bridge. Try their twilight kayak and finish your adventure drinking wine and picking from grazing board as the sun goes down.

For a more pulse-racing ride along the river, hit up Jet Ski Tours Brisbane and their guided self-ride jet ski tours. Choose from tours such as the ‘Blast’ to see the city sights, or the ‘Safari’ tour where you’ll ride the river out into the bay where you can spot loggerhead turtles and bottlenose dolphins.

Out amongst the bay you’ll find Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), the world’s third largest sand island. Head out with River to Bay tours and learn about Brisbane’s history from Dreamtime ‘til today before snorkelling the Tangalooma Wrecks—an artificial reef of 15 deliberately sunken vessels now home to over 200 species of fish.

After you’ve seen Brisbane from the river, how about climbing above it?

Story Bridge Adventure Climb allows participants as young as six to climb the heritage-listed Story Bridge—one of just three such experiences on earth. Scale the 75-metre superstructure for spectacular views all the way out to the Glass House Mountains and Moreton Bay. Climb at twilight to see the city bathed in an orange sunset or at night when the bridge’s colourful lights are lit up.

For more aerial adventures, head to the Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Convicts quarrying stone out of volcanic rock began forming these cliffs which are now a unique urban abseiling site. You can also scale the 20-metre cliffs with Riverlife.  

To bring your adrenaline levels back down, take a stroll along the Brisbane Riverwalk, a pedestrian and cycle thoroughfare built above the water that connects New Farm with the city.

Other popular walks include the Teneriffe River Walk (which includes the Submariners Walk Heritage Trail highlighting the sacrifices of Australian and American soldiers stationed there during WWII) and the Kangaroo Point City Walk (keep an eye out for the ‘Man Over Matter’ sculptures from Expo ’88).

Discover

From above, the Brisbane River twists and curves like an artist’s brush along a canvas—so it’s fitting that so much of Brisbane’s art and culture scene lies on the banks of the river.

The centrepiece of Brisbane’s art scene is QAGOMA, twin galleries (the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art) in adjacent buildings on the riverbank at Kurilpa Point.

Together QAGOMA is home to a world-renowned collection of indigenous, Australian, Asian and international art, along with ever-changing line-up of global exhibitions.

Close by you’ll find the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). The four theatres here each year host over 1,200 performances from West End and Broadway musicals to operas, ballets, concerts and stand-up comedy.

Within this cultural precinct you’ll also find mesmerising Indigenous public art. Take a guided walking tour with Blackcard Cultural Tours to discover hidden art works and learn about the history of the world’s oldest living culture in Meanjin (Brisbane).

Further back up the river at New Farm you’ll find the Brisbane Powerhouse. Originally a tram power station, this 1920s building has been converted into a modern art and performance haven. Within this industrial chic building you’ll find music, theatre, comedy, dance and more.

Mosh pits more your kind of scene? Catch a concert at the outdoor Riverstage in the City Botanic Gardens. From hometown heroes like Powderfinger and Violent Soho to international artists such as the Arctic Monkeys and the Beach Boys, the Riverstage has seen it all.  

But for the ultimate Brisbane River show, you’ll want a front row seat at Riverfire. The headline event of the annual Brisbane Festival, Riverfire is when the river comes alive with fireworks, lasers, aerial displays, and music.

Unwind

It’s t-shirt weather nearly every day of the year in Brisbane meaning you’ll find a bunch of places alongside the river to relax and unwind.

You can even have a day swimming and sunbaking. Grab your togs, slap on some sunscreen and head to Streets Beach, Australia’s only inner city beach. This man-made, fully patrolled spot is located in South Bank Parklands.

This 17-hectare park is home to the Channel Seven Wheel of Brisbane as well as BBQs, restaurants (we like OTTO and POPOLO), picnic areas and playgrounds amongst sub-tropical gardens.

It’s also where you’ll find River Quay, a village green where you can spread out the picnic blanket, wheel out the camembert and unwind with a glass of wine (BYO alcohol permitted 10am-8pm).

Other picnic hotspots along the river include at New Farm Park amongst the jacaranda trees and rose gardens, Kangaroo Point cliffs with its stunning views across to the city, and in the City Botanic Gardens where you’ll find bamboo gardens, ornamental ponds and weeping figs.

You can also have a picnic on the river with Go Boat self-drive picnic boats. You don’t even need a license—just bring your picnic basket and up to seven family members or friends.

Back on dry land, head to Eat Street Markets at Hamilton to enjoy street food amongst shipping containers and fairy lights, or to Howard Smith Wharves, a 1940s-era wharf that’s been transformed into a buzzing hub of restaurants, bars, a brewery and even a hotel.

There’s food and drink options for every taste, but we recommend a schooner of Australian Pale Ale at Felons (named after four convicts from Sydney who became lost at sea and ended up wrecked on Moreton Island), oven baked lamb shoulder at Greca Greek taverna, and Mr P’s signature cocktails at the iconic Mr Percival’s.