South Bank Brisbane

In 1988 during the Queensland International EXPO, Southbank was born as a development along the southern shore of the Brisbane River as a tourist destination for the million or so visitors who were going to be visiting Queensland that year during the six months of festivities. Initially, deeply disliked by many of the residents of Brisbane, Southbank with its artificial beaches (Queensland did not need fake beaches it has some of the best beaches in the world) and air of fakery was seen purely as a gimmick for foreign tourists who did not know any better.

But the attitude towards Southbank has changed over the last 20 years with a generation of Queenslanders growing up with Southbank being their personal playground in the city. Southbank today is the centre of most major festivities in the Brisbane with ‘River Fire’, New Years Celebrations and a bunch of other festivals on its calendar. Southbank is also home to markets every weekend of the year that run from Thursday through to Sunday night. Southbank has many picnic areas, free barbeques, and dozens of shops, eateries, and an IMAX cinema. So, if you are not a millionaire, it doesn’t matter because it is still a cool place to be.  

Southbank has some of the best restaurants in the state that make up the culinary district that is situated there. ‘Spotlight’ just off the promenade has some of the best cuisine in the city. Where you can sit and look out across the water at the city cat’s and buskers as they compete for your attention.

The area is also family friendly with plenty of free entertainment for them, but Southbank is a place for the young or young at heart in particular. Southbank on a Friday night has a good vibe and there is plenty of security in the area, so trouble is often at a minimal during most times of the year.

For those who are interested in more refined entertainment than it is good to know that Southbank is also home to three of the most well known cultural icons in the state:

• Queensland Are Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art
• Queensland Museum (including Sciencentre)
• State Library of Queensland
• Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)

All are found on the promenade straddling the Victoria Bridge as you enter into the Southbank parkland area.