Brisbane
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The capital city of the state of Queensland, Australia, and the country’s “third city” after Sydney and Melbourne. Like those cities it has quite a metropolitan feel to it, yet with a more subtropical climate. And for the dark tourist it holds a couple of surprises.
More background info: Like other places in Australia, Brisbane has its roots in a penal colony, originally set up in 1824 at Moreton Bay but quickly moved to where the city centre is today. The Commissariat Store building (see below) is a relic from these early days. Of course, there were already Aboriginal peoples living in the area before the arrival of the British, but the city is a colonial settlement.
Brisbane became the capital of Queensland in 1859 when the new state separated from the colony of New South Wales (with Sydney as its capital, the oldest colonial settlement in Australia).
After the end of convict transportations, Brisbane slumbered a bit on the sidelines, but then from the 1880s began to thrive. Yet the late 19th century also saw the worst of the floods brought about by the Brisbane River, in 1893.
Brisbane became a city of immigrants, with large numbers from China, Germany, Russia, Greece and: Jews, who fled from persecution in Europe.
After WW1, there was a turbulent period with clashes between returned soldiers and socialists. But the interwar years also saw the construction of some of Brisbane’s most significant buildings, including the huge City Hall, the ANZAC Memorial and the city’s most iconic sight, the Story Bridge.
During WWII, Brisbane became the headquarters for the Allied forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur (see the MacArthur Museum), who went on to lead the USA to victory over Japan.
The post-war decades brought lots of social unrest, crime and police violence along with a controversial government and allegations of corruption. There were also more major floods, especially in 1974 and again in 2011/12.
The 21st century saw Brisbane shaking off its being in the shadows of Sydney and Melbourne and the city has become one of the places in Australia most visited by tourists. The cityscape has changed beyond recognition, with the erection of tall skyscrapers and is still undergoing major development.
Yet more is on the horizon, especially as Brisbane is scheduled to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
What there is to see: Brisbane surprised me – in a positive way. Not only did I find the city at least as pleasant as Melbourne, I also happened upon a few dark-tourism attractions I hadn’t even known about before I headed there. These three sites are given their own separate chapters here:
Of minor interest could also be the Commissariat Store Museum. Built by convicts in 1828/9 it is now Brisbane’s oldest occupied structure (the top floor where today’s entrance is located, was added in 1913). The exhibition on two levels inside deals mainly with Brisbane’s convict history and that of the surrounding area (including the early Moreton Bay penal colony). It has a few more or less gruesome exhibits related to that history, but it also covers more modern historical aspects. However, I deemed this museum not of central enough interest from the special perspective of dark tourism for it to warrant a separate chapter of its own. But it’s definitely still worth a look when in the city. The museum is centrally located at 115 William Street right opposite the old Treasury (now a casino and hotel) and the corner with Stephens Lane. It’s open only Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission 10 AUD.
Also of potential interest to dark tourists is the Queensland Maritime Museum. I did not go inside so can’t say anything about the indoor exhibits, but from the south-western end of Goodwill Bridge (a footbridge connecting the south of the CBD to South Bank) you can get a good look into the open-air part of the museum. The centrepiece and largest exhibit is the HMAS Diamantina in an old dry dock. The Diamantina played a brief but historic role at the end of WWII in the Pacific Theatre, in particular in the liberation of Nauru and Ocean Island from the wartime occupation by Imperial Japan – the surrender ceremonies were conducted on the vessel’s quarterdeck. The Maritime Museum is located at the end of Goodwill Bridge between Little Dock Street and Sidon Street. There’s conflicting information about its opening times, some sources say only Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4.15 p.m. (last admission an hour before closing time), others say daily from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.; admission: 18 AUD (some concessions apply).
Only a few steps away from the Maritime Museum is the South Brisbane Memorial Park, created in 1920 to honour those who were killed in WW1. It features a number of individual war-related memorial monuments as well as a green gun on open-air display. It’s freely accessible at all times.
If you keep your eyes open you can also spot various other memorial monuments with a dark link, such as the monument to all those who served in the Royal Australian Air Force (located in the northernmost corner of Queens Gardens between the two wings of the old Treasury).
A rather unusual memorial plaque I spotted on the remaining abutment of the former Victoria Bridge, located right next to the south-western end of the current Victoria Bridge. The plaque honours a Greek-descendent boy who died in an unspecified “lamentable accident” in June 1918 while welcoming back soldiers who had fought in WW1.
Location: in the southern part of the state of Queensland, Australia, ca. 740 km (450 miles) north of Sydney and ca. 1400 km (870 miles) south of Cairns.
Google Maps locators:
Commissariat Store Museum: [-27.4732, 153.0242]
Maritime Museum: [-27.4819, 153.0261]
Memorial Park: [-27.4823, 153.0252]
RAAF monument: [-27.47192, 153.02428]
Victoria Bridge old abutment: [-27.473319, 153.01996]
Story Bridge: [-27.4636, 153.0358]
City Hall: [-27.4688, 153.0237]
Parliament House: [-27.4754, 153.0273]
Old Government House: [-27.4773, 153.0291]
South Bank Parklands: [-27.477, 153.022]
Queen Street Mall: [-27.4694 153.0256]
Roma Street Station: [-27.4656, 153.0191]
Central Station: [-27.4658, 153.0259]
Tangalooma wrecks: [-27.1631, 153.3684]
Pine Tree Koala Sanctuary: [-27.5339, 152.9689]
Airport: [-27.3954, 153.1199]
Access and costs: easily reachable by plane, less so by train; same general price levels as in other major Australian cities, i.e. not cheap.
Details: Brisbane is most easily reached, both from abroad and domestically, by plane, and its international and separate domestic airport terminals are excellently connected to the city by the “Airtrain” that covers the ca. 15 km (9 miles) in less than half an hour (get out at either at Central Station or Roma Street Station for the city centre).
Theoretically, Brisbane can also be reached by train, both from the north and from Sydney, but for trains from the latter the arrival times are inconvenient (arriving at Roma Street Station in the very early morning, well before daybreak), which is why I discounted the option when I travelled around Australia in 2024. Overland travel is of course also possible by road, but within the city a car is a hindrance rather than an advantage.
Getting around the city centre is easily possible on foot. But there is also public transport by means of buses, and at the time of writing (late 2024) a metro system is under construction, though that will probably be of most use to locals rather than tourists. Central Brisbane is very walkable indeed, including fabulous riverside walkways.
Accommodation options are very diverse across the scale, though prices in the more upscale establishments can be painfully high.
In terms of food & drink, Brisbane has become a foodie Mecca of the highest order, with several thousand restaurants of all categories, including many Asian cuisines but also modern Australian. I had some of my best Japanese, Chinese and Greek meals ever in Brisbane. A particular delicacy for seafood lovers is the Moreton Bay “bug”, actually a kind of cross between a lobster and a crayfish. I found it far tastier than real lobster and far less overpriced (though still not at all cheap).
Queensland also produces local wine, well worth trying when in the region. And Brisbane, like the other major Australian cities, has a well-established craft beer scene. Tap water is nominally potable but many people prefer bottled water for taste reasons.
The climate in Brisbane is subtropical, though rarely as stiflingly hot as many parts of Australia’s interior and the north can be. Still, even in August, so in the southern hemisphere winter, I experienced temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius during the day.
Time required: Two days should be enough for seeing all those places listed above, but the city may deserve a bit more time than that for more comprehensive exploration at a leisurely pace.
Combinations with other dark destinations: The main other appeal of Brisbane from a dark-tourism perspective is the fact that its international airport is the main gateway for flights to Nauru (as well as to Papua New Guinea).
But of course there are also domestic flights to other places in Australia that are of interest to dark tourists, most importantly Sydney.
Not quite so far away, namely in Moreton Bay to the north-east of the city limits, is another unusual sight that may appeal to some dark tourists: a whole fleet of shipwrecks, 15 in total, just off the west coast of Moreton Island at Tangalooma. The vessels were deliberately sunk in the 1960s to 80s to form an artificial reef. These days they are a tourist attraction and you can see them on boat tours (also from Brisbane), or by kayaking and especially by snorkelling in the crystal clear waters above and around the wrecks. Also at Moreton Island some relics of WWII-era fortifications and gun emplacements can be found.
Combinations with non-dark destinations: Brisbane is a fabulous city destination in itself, perhaps not quite on a par with Sydney, but definitely not far behind. I hadn’t expected so much but quickly became quite smitten with the place.
The Brisbane River plays a major role in the city’s appeal, as it meanders through the urban sprawl, around the skyscraper-studded CBD (Central Business District), Kangaroo Point and the district of New Farm. Many sections of the river have waterfront walkways that are a joy to amble along, especially on the eastern side of the CBD as well as on South Bank. Short-distance ferries criss-cross the river to give easy access to either riverbank (no longer free, though). Two more pedestrian bridges were under construction when I was in Brisbane in August 2024, complementing the already existing Goodwill Bridge that connects the south of the CBD with South Bank and Woolloongabba.
Dominating the eastern part of the city centre is the elegant steel cantilever Story Bridge, inaugurated in 1940, connecting Kangaroo Point in the south with the Fortitude Valley district to the north. Those feeling adventurous (and having deep pockets) can even go on tours climbing the bridge to the very top (an offer probably inspired by similar activities on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge). Tickets start at a whopping 140 AUD and have to be booked ahead.
Other important sights in Brisbane include the City Hall, the largest in Australia, fronted by gigantic columns and crowned by a tall clock tower, the Parliament House and the Old Government House opposite the City Botanic Gardens, as well as the former Treasury and Land Administration Building flanking Queens Gardens (the buildings now house a casino and hotel).
An area popular with visitors and Brisbanites alike is South Bank. Its eastern riverfront is taken up by the South Bank Parklands, which also feature a public swimming pool and artificial lagoon and behind it a street full of bars and restaurants. An unusual surprise sight here is a Nepalese Peace Pagoda – and I also spotted a plaque celebrating Brisbane’s sister city Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
The main shopping street, featuring some historic arcades, is Queen Street, which bisects the CDB right through the middle. Brisbane is also full of art galleries and museums, including the Brisbane Powerhouse, a converted former power station.
You can even encounter some wildlife in the city, such as pretty big lizards, and the ubiquitous invasive white ibis, who divide people between admirers and haters of these birds that are locally known as “bin chickens” (because they feed on human rubbish, now that their original wetland habitats are increasingly disappearing). You won’t see any koalas in the city centre, though. For that sort of wildlife watching you’d have to go to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in the southern Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket (they do have some crazy names here), or better still all the way to the famed Australia Zoo about an hour’s drive from Brisbane to the north.
