Brisbane flights and travel guide

Brisbane, Queensland's capital and most populous city, is often known as Brisvegas. Travellers who take cheap flights to Brisbane will fall in love with its gloss and its glitz and its confident, yet laid-back atmosphere.

In Australia's fastest-growing city, there's plenty for visitors to see and do. South Bank, a 17-hectare stretch of parks, barbecue spots, arts exhibitions, craft markets, and a much-lauded (and wonderful) Arbour also boasts a ferris wheel (the Wheel of Brisbane) and a beach, man-made and magnificent, with a lagoon, white sand, and sub-tropical trees and plants.

Other spots on the must-do tourist trail are Kangaroo Point, where you can abseil (or merely climb), Story Bridge, which you can climb, Mt Coot-Tha Lookout, from where there are sumptuous views of the city and beyond, to Moreton Bay, and Brisbane Cricket Ground, better known as the Gabba to its legions of cricket fans.

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Brisbane climate

Typically sub-tropical, Brisbane has hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. Summer temperatures hover about 30 degrees Celsius, while winter temps are only about 10 degrees cooler than that. Sunscreen and hats are a staple, year-round.

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When to fly to Brisbane

There's not really a bad time to take cheap flights to Brisbane. The best time to go will really depend on what you want to do when you get there. 

Peak Season: 
July, August and September are the high season months. July to November is whale-watching season.

Off Season: 
Humidity levels are very high between December and February, and these could make your stay uncomfortable.

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Getting into town Brisbane

Several car rental companies have desks at Brisbane Airport including Avis and Hertz. The taxi rank is at the front of the terminal building. The train service runs between Brisbane City and the airport. It costs about $15 and takes 22 minutes. There are bus services to Brisbane City, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

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Getting around Brisbane

The public transport network is good, with buses, trains and ferries all working well to keep Brisbane moving. The CityTrain network runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The bus service operates throughout the city. A great way to get around the city is to take to the river. The CityCats ferry service operates between 5.35am and 12.30am daily.

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Brisbane insider information

• The North Pine Country Market, Queensland's oldest craft market, in the North Pine Historical Village is very browseable, a great place to pick up handmade leather goods, jewellery, copper and brass work and hand-made beauty products. Fun for all the family, there is a Punch and Judy Show, pony rides and face painting. Sundays - 8am to 2pm. 
• Play a game of bowls - barefoot bowls - at the Merthyr Bowls Club. An enjoyable way to pass an afternoon, it's an informal game. You don't wear shoes, or a white uniform and you can mix the sport with a barbecue and a beer. 
• There's a small museum at MacArthur Central. During the Second World War, part of the building was the HQ of Douglas MacArthur, the US general, who was the commander-in-chief of the Southwest Pacific campaign. 
• The Chinatown Mall opened in 1987. It's an authentic Chinatown, despite its youth. 
• The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is home to more than 100 cute koala bears. One of the top zoos in the world. 
• In the hinterland, Mount Tamborine and the Lamington Plateau villages are beautiful rainforested places. Mount Nebo, which borders the d’Aguilar National Park, and Mount Glorious, close to Mount Nebo, are two of the best-kept secrets of this part of the world.

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Brisbane airports

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