Things to Do in Brisbane This Weekend

Brisbane's weekend offering has evolved dramatically over the past decade, with South Bank's cultural precinct, the New Farm and Fortitude Valley café and bar culture, the riverside CityCat ferry experience, and the growing live music and arts scene creating a weekend program that dispels the old reputation as a large country town.

South Bank Parklands — the South Bank Parklands' Streets Beach (man-made beach on the Brisbane River), the boardwalk, the Wheel of Brisbane, the QAGOMA (Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art), the Performing Arts Centre, and the weekend markets at Stanley Street Plaza combine into a precinct that anchors Brisbane weekend life. The Streets Beach is free and family-friendly year-round.

Farmers markets — the Jan Powers Farmers Market at Powerhouse (Saturday) and the Northey Street Organic Market (Sunday) are Brisbane's premium fresh produce market experiences. The Powerhouse market on New Farm's foreshore combines riverside views with local food producers in a setting that defines Brisbane's weekend social ritual.

Fortitude Valley — the Valley's weekend DJ and live music scene (Friday and Saturday nights) at venues including The Zoo, the Tivoli, Cloudland, and Ric's Bar has made it the centre of Queensland's contemporary music culture. The Saturday morning Chinatown Mall dim sum culture provides the recovery experience.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary — 20 minutes south-west of the CBD at Fig Tree Pocket, Lone Pine is the world's largest koala sanctuary and one of Australia's most popular wildlife tourism experiences. Koala holding, free-flight birds of prey shows, and platypus feeding make it a full-morning or afternoon program.

New Farm Park — the jacaranda-lined New Farm Park on the Brisbane River provides rose gardens, riverside walking, and the annual New Farm Jacaranda Festival (October-November). The CityCat ferry stops at New Farm, making it accessible without a car.

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