Making the most of Brisbane
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Brisbane International Cruise Terminal opened at Pinkenba late in 2020, doubling ship calls and making Brisbane Australia’s second cruise destination after Sydney. Around 9,300 square metres occupy two levels beside a 200-metre (660-foot) wharf, with two airbridges moving passengers between terminal and ship.
Close to the harbour, a $650 million AUD improvement of Kingsford Smith Drive is well under way, converting it into a six-lane boulevard with a riverside boardwalk.
The terminal stands at the Brisbane River mouth, only 15 minutes’ drive (12 km) from Brisbane Airport and 30 minutes’ drive (21 km) from the CBD. Gateway Motorway, Kingsford Smith Drive and other main roads are nearby.
Public transport does not currently serve Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.
Explore hotel options in Brisbane.
Check the port’s cruise calendar and assigned berth.
Known locally as Brissie or Brisvegasis, Brisbane is Queensland’s capital and occupies the Brisbane River near Moreton Bay. Named for Sir Thomas Brisbane, then governor of New South Wales, it is Australia’s fourth-largest state capital. Positioned between the Gold Coast to its south and Sunshine Coast to the north, laid-back Brisbane embraces nearby beaches. Walk through the Botanical Gardens, browse Queen Street Mall or visit the many riverside cafés and restaurants.
Older landmarks include Parliament House (1868), Central Railway Station (1901), the veranda-lined People’s Palace with its cast-iron balustrades, and Town Hall. The only two surviving public structures from the convict era are the riverside stone Commissariat Store and Old Windmill (1827-1829), later converted into an observatory near Wickham Park. City Hall contains an art gallery and a museum charting Brisbane’s development.
Inside an 1886 stilt house, Miegunyah Folk Museum documents colonial women’s lives. Newstead House, 4 km (2.5 mi) from central Brisbane, dates from the early 19th century and is the city’s oldest private home.
Completed in 1985, the newer arts complex occupies South Bank across Victoria Bridge. It incorporates Queensland Art Gallery and its interesting Australian holdings, the museum, state library and performing-arts theatres.
Visit Brisbane Visitor Information Centre and Booking Centre.
Getting around
A trip along the Brisbane River on a sleek CityCat is now a popular sightseeing experience. From open front decks, the blue, white and yellow catamarans pass beneath Story Bridge towards South Bank and the city centre. Services operate every 15 to 30 minutes between 5.40am and 11.45pm, linking the University of Queensland in the southwest with Apollo Rd, Bulimba, and returning in just over one hour each way. Among 15 terminals are New Farm Park, North Quay for Queen St Mall, Riverside for the CBD and West End. CityCats provide wheelchair access at the University of Queensland...
Nearby places
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary stands in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket.
The sanctuary no longer allows visitors to hold koalas.
Guests can feed and stroke free-roaming kangaroos in a five-acre open reserve, home to more than 130 animals. Some may have a joey visible inside the pouch.
Travel from the city by taxi or private car in approximately 20 minutes, use a Brisbane Transport bus, or take the ferry from Queensland Cultural Centre pontoon in around 1½ hours.
Food and shopping
Queen Street Mall is the main shopping destination, surrounded by further shopping centres.
Money
The currency is the Australian dollar.
Staying connected
Many local cafés give customers complimentary Wi-Fi.
Opening Hours and
Shops and services usually open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and until lunchtime on Saturday. In cities and larger communities, many extend Thursday or Friday hours to 9pm and trade all day Saturday. Shopping centres frequently open on Sundays too.
In remote regions, roadhouses supply travellers with essential services and generally operate 24 hours on main highways. Visitor offices in tourist destinations, even remote ones, often open daily or throughout the week plus weekend mornings; city information centres are more likely to follow standard retail hours.
Museums, galleries, staffed historic monuments and similar attractions often open daily, although those in rural communities may keep irregular hours.