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The Brisbane River and city centre from South Bank

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Brisbane

A sunny city on a river's bends: South Bank, the Story Bridge and the Gold Coast

Photo: John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, with the Brisbane River looping through the city. South Bank has a free man-made beach, you can climb the Story Bridge, and the surf beaches of the Gold Coast are an hour's drive away. The city will host the 2032 Olympic Games.

History

How the city came to be

Brisbane's Aboriginal name is Meanjin, the land of the Turrbal and Yagara peoples. In 1824 New South Wales set up the Moreton Bay penal settlement at Redcliffe to hold re-offending convicts sent from Sydney; in May 1825 the settlement moved to North Quay on the Brisbane River, and the river and city were named after the NSW governor Sir Thomas Brisbane. In 1838 German Lutherans founded the first free settlement at Zion Hill. When Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859, Brisbane was chosen as its capital. The Story Bridge, which Bradfield helped design, was completed in 1940. The city hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games and World Expo 88.

  1. 1824The Moreton Bay penal settlement was set up
  2. 1825The settlement moved to the banks of the Brisbane River
  3. 1859Became capital of the new colony of Queensland
  4. 1940The Story Bridge was completed
  5. 1988Hosted World Expo
  6. 2032Will host the Summer Olympic Games

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

South Bank Parklands, Brisbane (photo 1)

Classic landmarkBrisbane, Queensland

South Bank Parklands, Brisbane

A man-made beach in the city centre: the relaxed living room of the Sunshine State's capital

Gold Coast · photo 1

Classic landmarkGold Coast, Queensland

Gold Coast

57 km of golden coastline: Surfers Paradise and the theme-park capital

Before you go

Rules to know in Brisbane

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineSafetyAustralia

Australian beaches: swim between the red and yellow flags

  • Swim only between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards are on duty
  • If you don't know the conditions, ask a lifeguard
  • Swimming at unpatrolled beaches or outside the flags

Outside the flags there may be rip currents, and lifeguards cannot reach you in time.

Not yet verifiedSource: Surf Life Saving Australia: beach safety signs

Red lineEveryday mannersAustralia

Uluru: climbing is not allowed

  • Walk the base track around Uluru and learn about Anangu culture
  • Climbing Uluru

The climb closed permanently on 26 October 2019; climbing breaks the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and is punished.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park: climb closure

Red lineEntryAustralia

Entering Australia: food, plant and animal products must be declared

  • Truthfully declare all food (even small, packaged snacks), plants and animal products on your arrival card
  • If in doubt, declare it
  • Bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seeds or wooden souvenirs without declaring them

You can be issued an infringement notice; your visa may be cancelled, you may be refused entry and barred from returning for up to 3 years.

Not yet verifiedSource: Australian Department of Agriculture: travelling to Australia

Good mannersTippingAustralia

Australia: tipping is not required

  • When service is especially good, round up or leave a small tip
  • Feeling bad about not leaving a tip

There is no penalty; Australian wages do not depend on tips.

Not yet verifiedSource: Mozo: tipping in Australia

Sources