Brisbane

Brisbane is Queensland's capital and the third-largest city in Australia — a warm, relaxed river city that sits right in the middle of the East Coast route between Sydney and Cairns. With the Gold Coast 90 minutes south, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa 90 minutes north, and Moreton Island just offshore, Brisbane is perfectly positioned as a base for South East Queensland adventures.

South Bank is Brisbane's cultural heart — a purpose-built riverside precinct with a free man-made beach and lagoon pool, the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), the State Library, and dozens of restaurants and bars along the promenade. Streets Beach is the only inner-city beach in Australia, and it's completely free to use.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary, is a 30-minute drive from the CBD (or a scenic river cruise). You can hold a koala, hand-feed kangaroos, and see platypuses, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. It's one of the best wildlife experiences available without leaving a major city.

Moreton Island, just off Brisbane's coast, is the world's third-largest sand island. Tangalooma day trips let you snorkel the famous shipwrecks (15 deliberately-sunk vessels now teeming with marine life), sandboard down towering desert dunes, and hand-feed wild bottlenose dolphins at sunset. It's an easy day trip from the city and one of the best value adventures on the East Coast.

Brisbane's food scene has exploded in recent years. The Howard Smith Wharves — a heritage-listed riverside precinct beneath the Story Bridge — is home to some of the city's best restaurants and bars. Eat Street Northshore is a weekend container-market with dozens of global food stalls. James Street in Fortitude Valley is the go-to for brunch, boutiques, and specialty coffee.

For backpackers, Brisbane is a common starting or finishing point for East Coast packages. Most travellers spend 1–2 nights here before heading north to the Sunshine Coast, K'gari (Fraser Island), and beyond. The city has excellent hostel options in Fortitude Valley and West End, and public transport (bus, train, and CityCat ferries) covers everything you need.