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5 unexpected things you have to do in and around Brisbane

By Ian Goodwillie

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: A general view of Brisbane city on January 11, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Brisbane's current lockdown will be lifted from 6pm on Monday after no new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 were recorded in the past 24 hours. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: A general view of Brisbane city on January 11, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Brisbane's current lockdown will be lifted from 6pm on Monday after no new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 were recorded in the past 24 hours. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images) /
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Australia is filled with incredible sights and experiences. There’s also a lot of really hot desert to enjoy if you’re into that sort of thing. But along the east coast of the country/continent in the state of Queensland is Brisbane, a uniquely fun city.

Established in 1825, it’s one of the oldest cities in Australia and is quickly closing in on it’s 200th Anniversary. If you decide to go for the celebrations, there are more than a few unexpected things you have to add to your itinerary.

Brisbane Cricket Ground

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 11: Mitchell Swepson of the Queensland Bulls celebrates the wicket of Wes Agar of the Redbacks during day four of the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Queensland at ACH Group Stadium on November 11, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 11: Mitchell Swepson of the Queensland Bulls celebrates the wicket of Wes Agar of the Redbacks during day four of the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Queensland at ACH Group Stadium on November 11, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images) /

Known locally as the Gabba, this sports stadium hosts an impressive variety of events. That includes a variety of concerts as well as rugby, Australian rules football and baseball. But it’s best known to many as the home of the Queensland Bulls cricket team.

While sports like rugby and cricket are incredibly popular in many parts of the world, others have little experience with them. The Gabba is a great spot to catch a match, and enjoy a big part of what makes Australia awesome.

Davies Park Market West End

It might only be open on Saturdays but Davies Park Market West End is worth the trip. It features an incredible array of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as baked goods and more. This is a superb spot to get a sampling of what local growers have to offer.

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Davies also houses number of stalls that offer a great selection of gifts, fashion and more. But the coolest feature of the market might be the giant fig trees. A veritable canopy of fig trees covers much of the market. They are an incredible sight to see on their own.

Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre

On the outer edge of Brisbane is the Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre in D’Aguilar National Park. It’s a renowned venue for a variety of events, but it also doubles as an solid day trip for families visiting the area.

The Walkabout Creek Cafe can provided picnic boxes to enjoy while touring one of the picturesque walking paths around the park. Wildlife abounds in this area, and that’s in addition to the Wildlife Centre housed on site.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 24: Hayley Shute hand feeds ‘Ember’ a male joey at the Australian Reptile Park on September 24, 2020 on the Central Coast, Australia. Park curator and koala carer of 18 years, Haley will hand raise Ember until he is 6 months of age due to his mothers illness . Nine koala joeys have been born as part of the Australian Reptile Park’s conservation breeding program this year. The birth of the nine joeys has been celebrated by keepers, as they have been working to increase koala numbers in the wake of Australia’s devastating bushfire season at the end of 2019 and early 2020 which saw tens of thousands of koalas perish and habitats destroyed. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 24: Hayley Shute hand feeds ‘Ember’ a male joey at the Australian Reptile Park on September 24, 2020 on the Central Coast, Australia. Park curator and koala carer of 18 years, Haley will hand raise Ember until he is 6 months of age due to his mothers illness . Nine koala joeys have been born as part of the Australian Reptile Park’s conservation breeding program this year. The birth of the nine joeys has been celebrated by keepers, as they have been working to increase koala numbers in the wake of Australia’s devastating bushfire season at the end of 2019 and early 2020 which saw tens of thousands of koalas perish and habitats destroyed. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) /

This is not one of Brisbane’s best kept secrets since a lot of people know about it. But it’s still a hell of a lot of fun to go to. Originally opening almost a century ago, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was created to protect and advocate for one of Australia’s most iconic animals.

In addition to koalas, the sanctuary also plays home to Tasmanian Devils, wombats, cassowaries and much more. They also offer various wildlife experiences that allow visitors to get up close and personal with platypuses, kangaroos and, of course, koalas.

Brisbane Powerhouse

If you want to experience the modern Queensland arts and culture scene, look no further than the Brisbane Powerhouse. It got it’s name from the building it’s in, which was a 1920s power station. Don’t worry, though, as it’s gone through some upgrades and renovations.

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The Brisbane Powerhouse hosts more that 1,250 live shows every year. That includes music, comedy, theater and a lot more. There are also two outstanding places to eat, Bar Alto and Mary Mae’s Bar & Kitchen.

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