Brisbane, An Urban Redesign With 2032 in Mind

To get a better sense of modern-day Brisbane, look no further than the riverside. More than just scenery, the Brisbane River has evolved into a vital hub where people gather, stroll and connect. The best place to experience this shift is Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, which began a phased opening of its world-class resort development from 2024. Public spaces, hotels, an observation deck and cultural facil¬ities are opening on the waterside, realigning the urban axis.

The Neville Bonner Bridge, linking the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD) with South Bank, the culture district to the south, is a prime example of Brisbane’s drive to provide a people-centered urban experience at the riverside. Such changes can be observed throughout the city. The Brisbane Riverwalk is the central node in a waterside network of walking paths and bicycle lanes. The New Farm segment, in particular, is ideal for experiencing Brisbane’s riverside culture with close-up views of the Story Bridge and the city skyline. In addition, the old wharves beneath the Story Bridge have been revitalized as Howard Smith Wharves. One of Brisbane’s trendiest destinations, the multipurpose space features grassy lawns, walking paths, eateries and breweries like Felons Brewing Co. More recently, Howard Smith Wharves has been gearing up for a big change. Ahead of the 2032 Olympics, Brisbane has signed off on a plan for a major expansion of the riverside, including a boutique hotel and the city’s first over-river swimming pool.

In line with Brisbane Vision 2031 and the city’s “Buildings that Breathe” guidance, what Brisbane seeks to achieve is a people-cen¬tered urban environment that supports a riverine lifestyle tailored to the subtropical climate and a culture of outdoor activities.

A Subtropical City and the River That Runs Through It

A great way to take in Brisbane’s riverside views is aboard a CityCat ferry, a form of river transit used by locals. But tourists who hop aboard will soon realize that the Brisbane River is not merely a boundary dividing the city but an ideal way to experience it.

One neighborhood that illustrates how Brisbanites take joy in city life is South Bank. One of the highlights here is Streets Beach, a manmade stretch of sand in the city. This may look like a tourist resort, but for many locals, it’s just part of their daily life. On weekdays and weekends, Brisbane residents can be found spreading out picnic blankets and going for a swim. Cultural hotspots are also clustered in South Bank, including the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (known collectively as QAGOMA), the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), the State Library of Queensland and the Queensland Museum.

The new Glasshouse Theatre nearby is a prime example of how Brisbane is building up its cultural infrastructure. Designed by Australian studio Blight Rayner Architecture and global architectural studio Snøhetta, the theater officially opened this March as QPAC’s fifth performance venue. The defining feature of the 1,500-seat venue is its rippling glass facade, which was inspired by a poem by Aunty Lilla Watson, an indigenous artist and pillar of the community.

Brisbane’s glow-up can be best appreciated at day’s end from Sky Deck, in Queen’s Wharf, across from Streets Beach. This expansive observation deck atop The Star Brisbane looks down on the network of pedestrian walkways, the rejuvenated riverside and the expanding skyline. Brisbane’s essence lies not in its landmarks but in the river, parks and outdoor spaces where locals love to hang out.

Gold Coast, Where the Horizon Unfolds

About an hour’s drive south of Brisbane is a place where the town and towers give way to forest, sea and sky stretching as far as the eye can see. Welcome to Gold Coast.

At 6 a.m., Paddock Bakery is an ideal spot to start the day. This brunch café occupies a converted Queenslander — a traditional timber house frequently seen around the cities of Brisbane and Gold Coast. Their wide eaves, gardens and verandas demonstrate how the Queensland lifestyle was adapted to the subtropical climate.

Heading south past Surfers Paradise, a suburb and iconic symbol of Gold Coast, we soon reach a more easy-going area: Currumbin Beach. Centered around the world-re¬nowned surf break of Currumbin Alley, surfers gather on the water from early morning, while walkers and joggers begin their day along the shoreline. The seamless landscape, where the ocean, Currumbin Creek and the rainforest hinterland meet, reveals a side of the greater Gold Coast area shaped less by the glamor of a tourist desti¬nation and more by a daily life lived in close connection with nature.

But those aren’t the only ocean experiences available in the area. From late May through November, thousands of humpback whales migrate along the coast, and whale watching tours are offered around Main Beach. The sight of a massive whale breaching the surface brings Gold Coast’s wilder side into relief. In recent years, more cultural spaces have been opening up in the Gold Coast area. Home of the Arts (HOTA) is a cultural precinct combining a concert hall, exhibition space, outdoor performances and a lake, giving Gold Coast a new look. The HOTA Gallery, which opened in 2021, is said to be one of Australia’s biggest public galleries outside a state capital. Such efforts are adding cultural cachet to the appeal of Gold Coast’s beaches.

Burnett Lane + John Mills Himself

Known as Brisbane’s oldest laneway, Burnett Lane was once a workaday space mainly used for warehousing and deliveries. Today, it’s lined with cozy bars and cafés and bedecked with street art, highlighting a different side of the city. Tucked away in a nearby laneway is John Mills Himself, a café and bar housed in a former printing workshop built in 1919, pointing to the manifold layers making up Brisbane’s past.

Brisbane Greeters Tour

This free walking tour may be the most authentic way to experience Brisbane. Led by local volunteer “Greeters” who are gung ho about their city, the tours redirect tourists’ attention from landmarks to laneways, everyday life, hidden history and local legends. The tours, which last about two hours, are less about sightseeing than understanding life in Brisbane.

• www.brisbane.qld.gov.au