Travel sustainably with these eco experiences in Brisbane

Immerse yourself in nature and Indigenous culture with Nyanda Cultural Tours. Book a private 1.5hour tour to learn Brisbane’s history through the eyes of our first locals, amplified with a smoking ceremony, bush tucker, bush medicine, a Yagara language lesson and the chance to get hands-on with boomerang and spear throwing in amongst the Aussie bushland.

Step into ancient Gondwana Rainforest with Barry Davies of Gondwana Guides, Ecotourism Australia’s two-time winning Australian EcoGuide of the Year. He’s got over 25 years’ guiding experience, specialising in birdwatching and wildlife tours – and will show you a side to south-east Queensland’s raw nature that you’ve never seen. Here’s a few more Gondwana tours for while you're here.

Get out on the water: Riverlife offers kayak tours through the heart of the city, or you can head out into Moreton Bay for a sunrise paddle with Redlands Kayak Tours.

Escape to islands where nature steals the show

It’s rare to find a capital city just a stone’s throw from island paradise, but Brisbane is home to several spectacular sand islands that are teeming with eco-tourism experiences for travellers.

Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) lies just 75 minutes by ferry from the city and is the place to quench your thirst for adventure, with shipwrecks to snorkel, sand dunes to tackle on ATV or 4WD, and wild dolphins that visit nightly for wildlife-ranger led feedings at Tangalooma Island Resort. If you have a 4WD and beach driving know-how you can explore yourself, otherwise Sunrover offers tours that will lead you on the wild side to surf beaches, quiet bays and the Blue Lagoon.

For a laidback island escape, head to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) where you can camp or glamp on the beach, explore its many miles of coastline, inland lakes and sacred Indigenous sites.

For an action-packed day tour that explores not one but three Brisbane islands, jump onboard with River to Bay: you’ll get to snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks, swim at Straddie’s best beaches, and discover the rich history of St Helena Island – a spot even many locals don’t know about.

Looking for a total change of scenery? Take an eco-friendly day tour to the jewel of the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Catch a carbon neutral flight from Brisbane to Lady Elliot Island, heralded as one of the country’s most incredible eco-tourism experiences. This 100% sustainable island offers snorkelling, behind-the-scenes tours, reef ranger programs, the chance to swim in nature with turtles, manta rays and thousands of tropical fish and coral species. You can even stay a while in the eco-friendly cabins and glamping facilities.

Get away from it all at these eco-friendly digs

You don’t have to look – or travel – far to discover eco-accommodation in Brisbane, but once you get to these sustainable spots, life gets a little slower.

Get back to nature on a glamping trip: from Nightfall Camp’s zero-carbon ethos tucked alongside a creek in the middle of Lamington National Park, to treetop safari tents on one of Brisbane’s most popular wineries, there’s a glamping getaway for you. Prefer the simple life and to pitch your own tent? Here’s a few favourite camping spots to get you started.

Luxury resort Spicers Hidden Vale serves up sustainability alongside a five star experience. Just an hour’s drive from Brisbane, you’ll get a warm country welcome as you check into the sprawling property on 12,000 acres of bushland. Visit the market garden and animal farm, enjoy chef-hatted paddock-to-plate dining at Homage, take part in a koala safari, and soak up the peace from the pool as you watch kangaroos graze nearby.

Switch off at Mount Barney Lodge to experience guided treks through the national park, find cool natural swimming holes, rock-climb, and take the sunset eco and bushtucker tour.

You can also experience farm-life up close: authentic sixth generation working dairy farm Tommerups offers farm stay holidays in the Scenic Rim, while nestled into the foothills of the hinterland’s “Lost World” is Cedar Glen Farmstay, where you can stay in the cattle property’s four historic cottages, help feed the animals and enjoy horse trail rides too.

Switch the car for a different mode of transport

Lead your own adventure on foot, discovering the many hiking trails around Brisbane. If you prefer a multi-day trek with life’s luxuries along the way, Spicers Scenic Rim Trail is for you. Spend your days guided through Gondwana Rainforest, before resting for the night in luxury safari-style tents.

Or fuel your adventure with horse-power: ride through the rainforest and into the mountains for breathtaking views with at Thunderbird Park (littlies can take a pony ride on the lawns), saddle up for a trail ride that ends at a winery with Slickers Horse Riding, or experience the beauty of the Lockyer Valley in a short ride or full day with Fordsdale Horseback Adventures.  

Dial up the thrills and tackle Australia’s largest, highest and fastest zipline tour – The Canyon Flyer – which will have you soaring through the treetops of Cedar Creek Gorge at speeds of up to 70km/hr.

Buy your food straight from the source

Get your daily 2 and 5 the fun way: picking it yourself. There’s seasonal fruit picking opportunities across the greater Brisbane region and surrounding hinterlands, as well as farm gates throughout the Scenic Rim.

Make your way to the Lockyer Valley outside of Ipswich to find Awassi Cheesery, a cheesery, milking parlour and farm gate where you can take a tour, take a cheese-making class, or taste your way through a selection of cheeses alongside wine (BYO) in the avocado grove. You’ll find farm stands on nearly every country backroad here – just one of the reasons you could turn it into a weekend getaway.

Learn about our local wildlife

Love Aussie animals? Any visit to Brisbane should include a trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – one of the best wildlife parks in Queensland. The world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary, Lone Pine is home to over 100 koalas and 70 species of native animals, and one of the leaders in koala research and conservation.