A Backpacker’s Guide to Brisbane

The next stop in our campervan was Brisbane, a city I didn’t have high expectations for, but which I left absolutely loving. We stayed at the Brisbane Backpackers Resort in South Bank, Brisbane’s cultural heart. There’s so much to do around this area, including Australia’s only man-made inner city beach, ‘Streets Beach’ (typical: goes to city for one day, still manages to find a beach.)

There’s the big wheel which has lots of delicious cafe’s and restaurants alongside it. We also discovered that every Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday, South Bank Collective Markets open, offering everything from arts and crafts, to clothes, to home baking. South Bank also has loads of free picnic and BBQ spots for sunny days; if you’re there on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 7am to 2pm be sure to check out the Epicurious Garden where you can free produce from the garden’s harvest cart. It’s safe to say after spending almost a week in Brisbane, we were so glad we picked this area to stay.

One of the top days so far was a day trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It’s only about a half hour drive from Brisbane, and you get the chance to have a koala cuddle! It costs $25 entry and another $25 to hold the koala’s, and it was absolutely worth every penny. There are also kangaroo’s which you can feed. It was a great day out and the animals there are truly cared for and have plenty of space.

Other fun things to do in Brisbane are hike up Mount Coot-tha which has 360 degree views of the whole city. We went up in the afternoon, but heard that if you know it’s going to be clear the sunrises are amazing! You can also drive to the lookout at the top if you aren’t up for the walk. The CityHopper is a ferry along the river which is totally free, and you get incredible views along the way. However we do recommend bringing a couple of jumpers as we were absolutely freezing by the time we got off!