A flower mural is painted on the top half of the walls of the lounge area at Ovolo Inchcolm in Brisbane
Ovolo Inchcolm
For the complimentary extras
Beachgoers lined up on the sandy shores of one of Brisbane's beaches
Brisbane
BNE
Pack the SPF: What you’ve heard about Brisbane’s perennially sunny disposition and natural beauty – beaches, bush trails and koala bears – is true. What’s obsolete is the city’s sleepy reputation, with cool cocktail bars, a vibrant live–music scene and a sprawling new riverfront entertainment hub waking up the nightlife.
Where to Stay
- A chic suite with colourful pillows and a bar area at the W BrisbaneW BrisbaneFor the trendy scene
- Floral curtains separate the different areas of the suite at Spicer's Balfour in BrisbaneSpicer’s BalfourFor a romantic getaway
Eat & Drink
Agnes
Nestled in the heart of the city, Agnes is buzzy restaurant that prides itself on showcasing the art of wood–fired cooking. Here, each dish is meticulously prepared over an open flame, infusing prime cuts of meat and seasonal, locally–sourced vegetables with rich and smoky flavour. The tiger prawn and salted pork wrapped in pickled betel leaf and cooked over the fire is a menu favourite.
Eat Street Northshore
For a megamarket experience, explore East Street Northshore on the banks of the Brisbane River, where a whopping 70 food vendors are whipping up delicious dishes from around the world. With three entertainment areas and solo performers everywhere else, you’ll be dancing your way from stalls like Little Lady Peruvian Cuisine to Shuck All Oyster Bar before wrapping up with an order of doughnut fries from The Doughnut Bar.
The Gresham Bar
Much like a good cocktail, you shouldn’t mess with the recipe for a good whisky bar. The Gresham has nailed it with its historic interior, including sandstone and New Zealand limestone walls, Victorian fireplaces and dark leather chesterfields. At the bar within the bar, the Drawing Room, each cocktail is named after a moment in Queensland’s history.
Madame Wu
There’s no shortage of restaurants near Riparian Plaza, all offering impressive views of the river and Story Bridge, but there’s a reason people line up for Madame Wu. The lure is the modern Chinese fusion — including dumplings stuffed with Moreton Bay bugs, or pan–fried Mooloolaba prawns with nori butter — which can be ordered à la carte or banquet style.
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What to Do
South Bank Parklands
This 17–hectare riverfront area is made for wandering, and you’ll see families doing just that any day of the week. At the historic Stanley Street Plaza, you’ll find the Wheel of Brisbane ferris wheel, a free swimming lagoon, and the Arbour, a picture–worthy 1–km walkway covered in bougainvillea.
Biome
Biome has been selling eco–friendly, cruelty–free gifts and homewares since 2003. There are three locations in Brisbane, and each has a Biome Naked Beauty Bar. There, you'll find over 30 raw ingredients (and provided Mason jars) for creating your own natural skincare and household products, such as honey and clay face masks or seaweed and salt bath soaks.
Brisbane Powerhouse
Once a pre–war industrial power station, the Powerhouse building in New Farm Park is now a contemporary centre for the arts. Events include free photo exhibits, circus performances, live music and a seasonal moonlit cinema. If everything’s sold out, it’s still worth dropping by for a meal at Bar Alto, or a glass of wine on the patio.
The Cloakroom
For almost two decades, the Cloakroom has been dressing the men of Brisbane with made–to–measure leatherwear, outerwear and suiting. It also has a following in Canada: Montreal is home to its first international outpost. The only thing more popular than its bespoke suits? Its bespoke cocktails, which can be ordered in the adjoining speakeasy–style bar of the same name.
North Stradbroke Island
Nearby Moreton Island — one of the largest sand islands in the world, where you can hand–feed dolphins in the surf — gets most of the tourist attention. But “Straddie” is where locals go to surf Cylinder Beach’s soft peeling waves, snorkel and eat seafood. There’s plenty here for visitors, too, including the chance to spot koalas and migrating humpbacks, purchase Indigenous handicrafts, or spend the night glamping beachside.
Empire Revival
Housed in a heritage–listed 1929 theatre, Empire Revival was until recently known as the Paddington Antiques Centre. With the rebranding came the addition of contemporary wares, but Empire remains a favourite of interior designers and film–set decorators for its vintage furniture, jewellery and memorabilia.
Howard Smith Wharves
Originally constructed under the Story Bridge as a relief work project in the 1930s, these wharves have been largely abandoned since the 1960s. Now, the 3.4–hectare space has been reimagined as an entertainment and lifestyle hub with a luxurious hotel, microbreweries, restaurants and pop–up stores.
Green Tangerine
Before opening Green Tangerine, artist Diane Lopes travelled the world, collecting and selling unusual trinkets. Now, she’s refocused her efforts closer to home, selling ethically made wares by Australian artisans. Stop here for Mud Australia’s minimalist porcelain tablewares, or the popular Face Vases designed in Sydney by Jones & Co.
Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
In 2002 — long before Yayoi Kusama’s infinity rooms became an Instagram sensation — QAGOMA commissioned the artist to create the Obliteration Room. While the gallery has long been forward thinking, there’s plenty of the past in its 17,000–piece collection, including Indigenous artwork dating back to the 1880s.
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