Brisbane, the sunny capital of Queensland, is one of those cities that's incredibly easy to explore with kids. With beautiful weather, plenty of green spaces, family-friendly attractions and a relaxed atmosphere, it's the perfect destination for a short getaway.
We recently visited Brisbane to celebrate our daughter's birthday, and she absolutely loved every minute of it. Coming from a small country town in New Zealand, everything felt like a big adventure - from spotting koalas, seeing the tall buildings and riding ferries to exploring Bluey's World.
If you're planning a family trip to Brissy, here are five activities that I think deserve a spot on your itinerary.
If there's one attraction you shouldn't miss, it's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
As the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary, it's home to more than 100 koalas, along with kangaroos, wombats, platypuses, dingoes, snakes, crocodiles, Tasmanian devils and many more iconic Australian animals.
One of the highlights was hand-feeding the friendly kangaroos, who happily wandered around the open enclosure looking for snacks and pats. Seeing and patting koalas up close was also a pretty special experience - especially for first-time visitors to Australia.
If you're travelling with kids, I'd allow at least half a day here. You can bring your own food or enjoy the cafe onsite.
If you have a Bluey fan in the family, this is an absolute must.
Bluey's World brings the beloved TV show to life through an interactive experience where kids can explore the Heeler family's house, play games, solve clues, and meet some of their favourite characters along the way.
Our daughter absolutely loved it, and even as adults we found ourselves smiling the whole way through.
Once you've finished the experience, make sure you allow extra time to explore the Bluey playground, browse the gift stop, and grab something to eat at the Bluey-themed cafe.
South Bank is one of Brisbane's best family destinations, and it's easy to spend an entire day here.
Start by snapping a family photo with the famous Brisbane sign before taking a ride on the Wheel of Brisbane for fantastic city views (we did this at night time).
Kids will love cooling off at Streets Beach, Australia's only inner-city man-made beach, while the nearby playground is one of the best we've come across.
There is also a Jungle Walk and plenty of cafes, restaurants and picnic spots, making it the perfect place to slow down for a few hours.
One of our favourite experiences was simply catching the CityCat ferry.
Not only is it an incredibly affordable way to get around Brisbane (just 50 cents per trip, with young kids travelling free), but it also offers fantastic views of the city skyline from the river.
We caught it several times during our stay, including to get to Bluey's World. One evening, we hopped on after dark just to enjoy the ride and see the Story Bridge beautifully lit up at night, which was definitely a highlight.
Sometimes it's the simplest experiences that become the most memorable.
Half the fun of travelling is trying delicious new food, and Brisbane certainly doesn't disappoint.
Some of our favourite treats included:
A famous Brooki Cookie
Pancakes at the iconic Pancake Manor
If the weather doesn't cooperate, don't worry. A couple of great indoor options include:
Queensland Museum Kurilpa - explore impressive dinosaur skeletons, discover fascinating natural history exhibits, and let the kids loose in the interactive SparkLab, where they can enjoy dozens of hands-on science experiments and activities. It's both educational and incredibly fun for all ages.
Or head to one of Brisbane's many large malls/shopping centres and spend the day shopping! The one we went to had a Time Zone and an indoor kids playground - we spent hours there!
We stayed at Oaks Brisbane on Charlotte Suites and would happily stay there again. The apartment was spacious, comfortable, and in a fantastic central location, making it easy to explore the city on foot or by public transport.
The hotel also has both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, which was a big hit after a day of sightseeing. My daughter especially loved staying so high up and spending time looking out over the city from our room - it was an experience in itself!
Our daughter absolutely loved her first trip to Australia. Coming from a small country town in New Zealand, everything felt exciting and she didn't want to leave!
We also highly enjoyed swapping a few days of chilly New Zealand winter for warm, sunny Brisbane!
One of the best things about Brisbane is how easy it is to reach, with direct flights of around four hours from both Wellington and Auckland.
Next time we'll definitely stay longer so we can add Australia Zoo and the Gold Coast to our itinerary.
If you're planning a family trip to Brissy, here are five activities that I think deserve a spot on your itinerary.
1. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
If there's one attraction you shouldn't miss, it's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
As the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary, it's home to more than 100 koalas, along with kangaroos, wombats, platypuses, dingoes, snakes, crocodiles, Tasmanian devils and many more iconic Australian animals.
One of the highlights was hand-feeding the friendly kangaroos, who happily wandered around the open enclosure looking for snacks and pats. Seeing and patting koalas up close was also a pretty special experience - especially for first-time visitors to Australia.
If you're travelling with kids, I'd allow at least half a day here. You can bring your own food or enjoy the cafe onsite.
2. Bluey's World
If you have a Bluey fan in the family, this is an absolute must.
Bluey's World brings the beloved TV show to life through an interactive experience where kids can explore the Heeler family's house, play games, solve clues, and meet some of their favourite characters along the way.
Our daughter absolutely loved it, and even as adults we found ourselves smiling the whole way through.
Once you've finished the experience, make sure you allow extra time to explore the Bluey playground, browse the gift stop, and grab something to eat at the Bluey-themed cafe.
3. Explore South Bank
South Bank is one of Brisbane's best family destinations, and it's easy to spend an entire day here.
Start by snapping a family photo with the famous Brisbane sign before taking a ride on the Wheel of Brisbane for fantastic city views (we did this at night time).
Kids will love cooling off at Streets Beach, Australia's only inner-city man-made beach, while the nearby playground is one of the best we've come across.
There is also a Jungle Walk and plenty of cafes, restaurants and picnic spots, making it the perfect place to slow down for a few hours.
4. Ride a CityCat Ferry
One of our favourite experiences was simply catching the CityCat ferry.
Not only is it an incredibly affordable way to get around Brisbane (just 50 cents per trip, with young kids travelling free), but it also offers fantastic views of the city skyline from the river.
We caught it several times during our stay, including to get to Bluey's World. One evening, we hopped on after dark just to enjoy the ride and see the Story Bridge beautifully lit up at night, which was definitely a highlight.
Sometimes it's the simplest experiences that become the most memorable.
5. Eat all the Treats!
Half the fun of travelling is trying delicious new food, and Brisbane certainly doesn't disappoint.
Some of our favourite treats included:
A famous Brooki Cookie
Pancakes at the iconic Pancake Manor
Getting a long sushi roll (they just don't make them like that in New Zealand!)
Eating from food trucks at the South Bank Collective Markets - on every weekend in the evenings
Creating our own frozen yoghurt masterpieces at Yochi
And honestly... that's only scratching the surface. Brisbane is packed with amazing cafes, bakeries and dessert spots.
Rainy Day Ideas
If the weather doesn't cooperate, don't worry. A couple of great indoor options include:
Queensland Museum Kurilpa - explore impressive dinosaur skeletons, discover fascinating natural history exhibits, and let the kids loose in the interactive SparkLab, where they can enjoy dozens of hands-on science experiments and activities. It's both educational and incredibly fun for all ages.
Or head to one of Brisbane's many large malls/shopping centres and spend the day shopping! The one we went to had a Time Zone and an indoor kids playground - we spent hours there!
Where we stayed
We stayed at Oaks Brisbane on Charlotte Suites and would happily stay there again. The apartment was spacious, comfortable, and in a fantastic central location, making it easy to explore the city on foot or by public transport.
The hotel also has both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, which was a big hit after a day of sightseeing. My daughter especially loved staying so high up and spending time looking out over the city from our room - it was an experience in itself!
Final Thoughts
Our daughter absolutely loved her first trip to Australia. Coming from a small country town in New Zealand, everything felt exciting and she didn't want to leave!
We also highly enjoyed swapping a few days of chilly New Zealand winter for warm, sunny Brisbane!
One of the best things about Brisbane is how easy it is to reach, with direct flights of around four hours from both Wellington and Auckland.
Next time we'll definitely stay longer so we can add Australia Zoo and the Gold Coast to our itinerary.
Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have any questions!
Below are a few more photos from our trip just for fun :)
Below are a few more photos from our trip just for fun :)
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