Top 10 Things to Do in Brisbane as a Student

Moving to a new city means your timetable only fills part of the week, so we’ve pulled together the best things to do in Brisbane on a student budget. Every spot on this list is free or cheap, and none of it needs a car. Swim at Streets Beach, ride the free CityHopper ferry, or catch sunset from the Kangaroo Point cliffs.

Since our Garden Place building opens in the Brisbane CBD for semester 2, 2027, we’ve been mapping the city ourselves, and these are the places worth your time.

Cool off at Streets Beach

Streets Beach is a free man-made lagoon inside South Bank Parklands, sitting on the south side of the river directly opposite the Brisbane CBD. Lifeguards patrol the water, and it opens early and closes late. Cross the river on foot from the city side, then keep cool without spending a cent.

Go before 10am on a weekday if you can. Mornings are near empty then, while weekends get busy. The Wheel of Brisbane sits close by in the same parklands if you want a view afterwards.

Spend a free afternoon at QAGOMA and Queensland Museum

Summer storms in Brisbane often roll in during the afternoon, so an indoor plan will come in handy. QAGOMA covers two buildings in one visit, the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, and general entry to both is free. Only ticketed exhibitions at the Gallery of Modern Art cost anything.

The Queensland Museum sits in the same South Bank cultural precinct, also free for general admission, and everything is within walking distance. One trip covers the lot.

 

Ride the free CityHopper along the river

Free transport and a river view meet on the CityHopper. This no-cost ferry runs along the Brisbane River between North Quay, South Bank, Kangaroo Point, Howard Smith Wharves and New Farm. Use it when the route suits where you’re headed.

It’s the closest thing to a free river cruise in Brisbane. CityCat travels further, but a fare applies on that one. Few commutes beat a ferry ride past the skyline on your way to class.

Our Garden Place residents will find the terminals a short walk from the door.

 

Walk the Riverwalk to New Farm

Brisbane has a path that floats. The Riverwalk links the city centre with New Farm, and part of it sits on the river itself, rising and falling with the tide. That floating stretch runs 870 metres.

Walking from the city to New Farm Park takes about 45 minutes at an easy pace. You’ll pass Howard Smith Wharves, tucked under the Story Bridge. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb also leaves from there.

James Street is a short walk from New Farm. Ferry terminals sit at both ends, so walk one way and catch the ferry back.

Catch sunset from the Kangaroo Point cliffs

Sunset looks better from the south side of the river. The Kangaroo Point cliffs face the city across the water, giving you a clear view of the CBD skyline and the Story Bridge. The clifftop walk is free and open at any hour, so you can stay until the last light goes.

The Kangaroo Point Bridge is a 460 metre green link beside the City Botanic Gardens. It lands at Scott Street, making the trip back from the city short on foot.

Heading home after dark is less of a worry too, since our buildings have 24/7 reception and secure entry.

Eat your way through Eat Street Northshore

Shipping container kitchens and bars make Eat Street Northshore something different. The open-air food market sits at Hamilton, and entry costs $6 per person at the gate.

Trading runs Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 10pm, and Sunday from 4pm to 9pm. Food and drinks cost extra. We charge one all-inclusive weekly fee covering rent, electricity, water and unlimited WiFi, so spare cash is easier to plan.

Ride the CityCat to the Northshore Hamilton terminal, a short walk away, and arrive hungry. Grazing across kitchens is the whole point, so turning up full wastes the trip.

Do your weekly shop at the West End Markets

Groceries taste better when you buy them straight from the grower. Every Saturday from 6am to 2pm, Davies Park in West End hosts the West End Markets. Entry is free, and produce costs less than supermarket prices.

Arrive close to pack-up time. Growers mark down fruit and vegetables near the end, so your dollars stretch further. Bring your own bag, and carry small notes because not every stall takes card.

A weekly shop only works if you can store it. Our rooms have full kitchens with full-sized fridges and freezers, so a week of fresh food keeps.

 

Head up Mount Coot-tha for the views

Mt Coot-tha Lookout sits on a hill west of the city centre and looks back over Brisbane. It costs nothing to visit, and buses run there, so a car is not needed.

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens sit at the base of the same hill and are free to enter. The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium shares the site, and while shows charge, entering the building costs nothing.

Go late in the afternoon. You get the view in daylight, then watch the sun go down from the same spot.

Find live music in Fortitude Valley

Most of Brisbane’s live music venues sit in Fortitude Valley, alongside a good share of its rooftop bars. Head there on a weeknight and plenty of places skip the entry charge, so a Tuesday costs far less than a Saturday.

River Quay at South Bank runs free live music on Sundays if you want the option that costs nothing at all.

Bring people along. Our residents come from over 30 countries, and our Journal Life events calendar runs year-round, so your crew sorts itself out.

Take the ferry to North Stradbroke Island

Two islands sit in Moreton Bay, and North Stradbroke Island is the easy one to reach without a car. Catch the train to Cleveland, then walk onto the passenger ferry, which costs less than taking a vehicle on the barge.

Humpback whales pass between June and November, and you can spot them from the Point Lookout headlands without paying for a tour.

Save Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks for another weekend. Our student events program runs day trips too, so you can tag along before rounding up a group yourself.

Know which Brisbane events fall in semester

Tourism lists rarely mention when things happen, but timing matters when you have classes.

• Paniyiri, the Greek festival at Musgrave Park in West End, lands in May during first semester.
• The Ekka runs for nine days in August at the Brisbane Showgrounds, right in the middle of second semester.
• Brisbane Festival and its Riverfire fill September, close to assessment time.

The Ekka public holiday, People’s Day, applies only to the Brisbane City Council area, so new arrivals often get caught out assuming it is statewide. For everything in between, QPAC at South Bank and Brisbane Powerhouse at New Farm run programs all year.

Get around Brisbane for less

Older guides still tell students to apply for a tertiary concession card. That advice is out of date. Every Translink trip in Queensland now costs a flat 50 cents for everyone.

Domestic, international, part-time and full-time students all pay the same, with no application needed.

• Tap on with a go card or a contactless debit or credit card
• Ride the free CityHopper ferry
• Hop on the free City Loop and Spring Hill Loop buses on weekdays

One exception applies. The Airtrain to and from the airport is not part of the 50 cent fare. The free loop buses also skip weekends and public holidays.

 

Make Brisbane your base

Where you live shapes how much of this list you can actually reach. Most of the places in our top 10 list sit in or near the city centre. A central address means walking to Roma Street Parklands or Queen Street Mall instead of paying a fare each time.

We hold Approved Provider status with several universities across Brisbane. In Semester 2, 2027, we are opening Garden Place in the Brisbane CBD, 700 metres from UQ Brisbane City and 800 metres from QUT Gardens Point. Get in touch with our team or register your interest in Garden Place today.

Read next article Read previous article