The best group activities in Brisbane

Spend a day hanging with native critters, cut laps around Australia’s best racing track, catch your favourite band live, learn to throw axes, or spend an evening painting a masterpiece (wine-in-hand optional); there are endless things to do as a group in Brisbane.

Gather your favourite people; these are the best group activities in Brisbane.

Test your group knowledge

There’s nothing like the pressure of a challenging escape room to test the friendship – and Brisbane happens to love an escape room. Try Escape Hunt, where intrepid gamers are encouraged to ‘choose your own adventure’ (be it ‘the jewel thief’, Aladdin’s vault, or Blackbeard’s Treasure); Escape Manor’s Covenant, Asylum, or Cabin-themed escape rooms; Cube Escape Room’s Area 25, The Library, or Flight 427; or Seraphim if you’re out Ipswich way.

Throw some axes

You don’t have to have ever lifted an axe to get into the fun at an axe-throwing centre. And trust us, even the least competitive amongst your group will be hooked. Both Lumber Punks and MANIAX, in West End and Newstead respectively, host group events where you can learn how to throw from the pros, before trying your hand at some competitive axe chucking in their custom-built cages.

Release your inner MasterChef

They say the art of cooking brings people together, so why not gather some friends and break bread in a test kitchen? Brisbane offers a wealth of cooking classes – from classical French cuisine, pastry classes, Thai, Italian, to name but a few – run by some of the most passionate (and award-winning) chefs in the country. 

Tee up an arvo on the lawns

Whether you’re a highly competitive bowler or, just enjoy the community atmosphere and perfectly manicured lawns, nothing beats a weekend afternoon at the local bowls club with a bunch of your favourite people. Brisbane boasts bowls clubs in almost every suburb, but if you’re looking to make a day of it (and land some river views) head to Merthyr Bowls or New Farm Bowls Club.

Adventure together on the Brisbane River

Reckon you could be the modern-day Picasso? Book your next group night out at one of Brisbane’s painting classes to see who’s most confident on the brushes. Both Cork & Chroma in South Brisbane, and Paint & Sip in Fortitude Valley host BYO painting evenings, where guests are encouraged to unleash their inner artists and put paint to canvas.

Hit a (digital) bullseye

The classic bar game darts has new lease on life at Oche, Fortitude Valley’s first darts-slash-cocktail bar. State-of-the-art digital dart boards dial up the fun factor, while cocktails and woodfired pizzas add a bullseye to a perfect night out for groups. Bring your competitive A game.

Golf, but make it fun

Go full Happy Gilmore at Holey Moley: Fortitude Valley’s original late-night putt putt. Its nine-hole course is a visceral feast, featuring themes from The Simpsons to Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, with a bar serving up cocktails, burgers and wings until late. Oh, and there’s even a karaoke rom, for when you want to challenge your mates to a sing off.

Hang out with the locals

Less than 20-minutes from Brisbane’s CBD is the world’s largest koala sanctuary and animal habitat, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. A quintessential day out for groups, take a tour of the tropical grounds, feed the roaming kangaroos and get up close to some of Australia’s animal icons.

Share the experience of virtual reality

Lose yourself in the weird and wonderful world of virtual reality at Zero Latency VR. Designed for multiplayers, roam mind-boggling new worlds with your group in tow, fight zombies, defeat robots and get lost in an alternate universe all your own.

Explore the great outdoors

Located on the banks of the Brisbane River at the breathtaking Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Riverlife Adventure Centre offers unique ways to explore the city. Kayak, abseil, stand up paddle board, water bike with unforgettable views of the city skyline. Doesn’t get much better.

The group that smashes things together…

The next best thing to a therapy session, Rage Cage Smash Rooms is a place to blow off some steam – in a safe (and very fun) environment. Smash TVs and throw plates using baseball bats and sledgehammers; visitors are decked out in head-to-toe safety gear, meaning your full focus can be on that which ails you.

Check out the latest gig

Home to world-class galleries, a globally renowned music scene, a global theatre hub and sporting capital of Queensland, there’s always an event worth hitting up in Brisbane.

Put the pedal to the metal

Rev heads will relish the atmosphere at Slideways Go Karting Brisbane. Just 10-minutes from Brisbane CBD, let your lead foot loose on Australia’s best indoor go kart track while drifting and skidding your way to beating your mates. It may not be the F1, but it’s pretty close…