Menu

South Bank

South Bank is at the heart of Brisbane’s entertainment, culture and recreation precinct. Located next to South Brisbane and on the banks of the Brisbane River the setting for this destination is idyllic. Around 11 million Brisbanites and tourists visit South Bank each year for its great restaurants and bars, boutique shopping, markets, fun activities, museums and man-made Streets Beach.

There’s also a whole range of accommodation options so you can rest and play at South Bank.

To get to South Bank is easy for visitors as there are three huge undercover car parks to service the area, a CityCat stop as well as the Victoria Bridge and Goodwill Bridge that connect the city to South Bank.

You can also take a lovely stroll that takes you from the cliffs of Kangaroo Point to South Bank. You can also cycle to and from and around South Bank and lock your bike up in safety at a variety of spots.

South Bank prides itself on its easy accessibility for people living with disabilities with disabled parking bays, plenty of ramps, disabled bathrooms and pool wheelchairs for those who want to enjoy the South Bank Boating Pond.

Purchase Tickets for The Wheel of Brisbane

Surf Camp - Two Day Weekend Escape

Book TourFor an unrivalled view of Brisbane city from the heart of its cultural centre, you can do no better than the Wheel of Brisbane! This giant observation wheel provides awe-inspiring 360 degree panoramic views stretching out as far as the eye can see, and gives an uplifting experience that will take you almost 60 metres about the ground in the safety and comfort of a fully-enclosed, air conditioned capsule.

 

South Bank Parklands

Grand Arbour, South Bank ParklandsThe South Bank Parklands were constructed on the old site of Brisbane’s World Expo ’88 and were opened to the public in 1992. The Parklands is a unique destination in such a busy city with lovely grassy areas, plazas, rainforest and of course the unique Streets Beach.

Streets Beach is a man-made swimming beach with gorgeous white sands, palm trees and chlorinated fresh water. It’s the perfect way to cool off on one of those hot Brisbane days and is patrolled by lifeguards 6 days a week. 

The Grand Arbour connects Vulture Street to the Cultural Forecourt and runs past the wonderful attractions and food spots in the Parklands. The Arbour is made of curling steel columns and throughout the year is covered in brilliant pink flowering bouganvilleas.  It’s a beautiful walkway and a great place for a photo stop!

The Wheel of Brisbane was built to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Queensland and the 20th Anniversary of World Expo ’88. It’s a giant wheel ride that carries gondolas up into the air to give you an amazing view of Brisbane. The ride takes 15 minute and runs from 10am to 10pm so you can get a different view each time you venture up.


Dining & Drinking

Coffee at South BankThere’s around 50 restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs in the South Bank area along Little Stanley Street, Grey Street and by the arbour in the Parklands. There’s an abundance of different cuisines including Modern Australia, Italian, Asian plus all the usual takeaway options such as burgers, fish’n’chips, kebabs and ice cream and gelato parlours.

So why not stay a while and hang out in the beautiful parklands area while you're having a great feed. If you’d just like a drink there are some nice wine bars serving tapas food, casual pubs and funky bars.

Shopping & Markets

South Bank street performerLittle Stanley Street and Grey Street are popular shopping strips in Brisbane’s South Bank. There’s a myriad of shops catering to every need including fashion boutiques for kids, women and men and other specialist retailers selling gourmet food products, flowers and business options. There’s also a range of hairdressers, beauticians and pharmacies in the area.

South Bank's Lifestyle Markets have crowds flocking every Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. There's a brilliant range of local arts and crafts, homewares, fashions and much more. On the first Sunday of every month Little Stanley Street is home to The Young Designers Market. Here you will find one off art pieces, fashion and jewellery designs from up to 80 stalls.

Theatres, Galleries & Museums

Gallery of Modern Art, BrisbaneSouth Bank is Brisbane's arts precinct and has a whole host of Art Galleries, Cultural facilities and a variety of Museums. If you’re in the area you can attend a musical, play, ballet, opera or concert at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) or take in a wonderful performance at the Queensland Theatre Company.

The Queensland Art Gallery has an amazing collection of more than 10 000 works of art including paintings, prints, sculpture and installations. To enter the Gallery is free but often there are special exhibitions which require tickets. The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) is located close by and focuses on different contemporary art installations from the twentieth and twenty first centuries.

Visit the Queensland Maritime Museum which has an extensive display or maritime artefacts and offers patrons a great view into Queensland’s maritime events. The Queensland Museum has a huge array of items and specimens relating to the state’s history as well as Indigienous and European history. To further study up on Queensland’s history you can visit the State Library which has a wonderful collection of books and magazines and is the leading public reference and research library in Queensland.

See below for a full list of Galleries, Theatres and Museums in the South Bank area:

Galleries

Queensland Art Gallery
Cnr Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank
Phone: 07 3840 7303
Web: qagoma.qld.gov.au

Queensland College of Art Griffith University
226 Grey Street, South Bank

Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
South end of the Goodwill Bridge
Phone: 07 3844 5361
Web: qagoma.qld.gov.au


Theatre

Opera Queensland
16 Russell Street, South Bank
Phone: 07 3735 3030
Web: www.operaq.com.au

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
16 Russell Street, South Bank
Phone: 07 3875 6111
Web: www.griffith.edu.au/music/queensland-conservatorium

Queensland Performing Arts Centre
Cnr Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank
Phone: 07 3840 7444
Web: www.qpac.com.au

Queensland Theatre Company (QTC)
78 Montague Road, South Bank
Phone: 07 3010 7600
Web: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au

Brisbane Festival
Level 1, Allgas Building, Stanley Street Plaza, South Bank
Phone: 07 3846 7444
Web: www.brisbanefestival.com.au

Museums and Learning Centres

Queensland Maritime Museum
Corner Stanley and Sidon Street
Phone: 07 3844 5361
Web: www.maritimemuseum.com.au

Queensland Museum
Cnr Grey & Melbourne Streets, South Bank
Phone: 07 3840 7555
Web: www.qm.qld.gov.au

Sciencentre
Lower Level Museum Building Cnr Grey and Melbourne Streets
Phone: 07 3840 7555
Web: www.sciencentre.qm.qld.gov.au

State Library of Queensland
Cnr Peel & Stanley Streets, South Bank
Phone: 07 3840 7666
Web: www.slq.qld.gov.au