5 of the Best Day Trips from Brisbane

In this Brisbane travel guide, you will uncover the most unforgettable day trips from Brisbane, from exploring Northbrook Gorges and all the creepy yet wonderful wildlife that hide within the forest, to relaxing on one of the most gorgeous white sand beaches on Moreton Island.

Get up close and personal with Koalas or discover a piece of Bavarian heaven within Tamborine Mountain, these day trips from Brisbane will have you wishing you could extend your holiday.

Best Time to Visit Brisbane

We visited Brisbane in the last week of November and I can confirm that it was one of the best times of the year to visit. We visited between school holidays so there were far less crowds, accommodation was relatively cheap and it was sunny (and humid) during the day, and thunderstorms usually swept through during the night.

This meant taking day trips from Brisbane were so much easier because we were not competing with large crowds or waiting in long queues.

• Spring (Sep to Nov): Warm days and cooler evenings. School holidays are on towards the end of September. This is also peak tourist season so book in advance. 
• Autumn (Mar to May): Comfortable temperatures, some rainfall but still a pleasant climate to explore the outdoors.
• Winter (June to Aug): Mild and dry weather with temperatures reaching around 21∘C with cooler evenings. This can also be peak tourist season so prices can be higher
• Summer (Dec to Feb): Hot and humid with the highest temperatures of the year. Brisbane is lively with summer activities but is considered the low season for tourists. Higher chance of rain and thunderstorms, especially at night.

Brisbane Accommodation

Brisbane is rich with various different accommodation options, check out listings on Booking.com or if you’re looking for more boutique options then there is always Airbnb. We stayed at the Ibis Styles on Elizabeth Street in Brisbane CBD which was the best accommodation location we could have asked for.

Ibis Styles sat directly opposite South Bank which is where you will find the Streets Beach Lagoon and a lot of high end restaurants. The hotel is also two blocks away from The Star which hosts the popular Sky Deck for evening cocktails overlooking the Brisbane sunset. And for even more convenience the Ibis hotel is attached to Uptown mall for all your shopping needs.

Daisy Hill Koala Center

This Brisbane travel guide would never be complete without making mention of one of Australias most beloved animals; the cuddly Koala. The Daisy Hill Koala Center is a free to visit Koala Conservation center 25km south of Brisbane. This is where you can learn about Koalas, their daily threats and the conservation efforts to keep them thriving in their Australian environment. With a large outdoor enclosure featuring 3 gorgeous Koalas, the Daisy Hill Koala Center holds a talk everyday at 2pm and teaches you about the Koalas and why each of them can’t be released back into the wild.

Located within the Daisy Hill Conservation Park, you can exit the center and take a walk through the bush and lookout for any wild reptiles, birds or insects that may be lurking within the conservation park. Daisy Hill Koala Center is a fantastic place to bring children and will surely put a smile on everyone’s face.

The Scenic Rim – Tamborine Mountain

One of the best day trips from Brisbane was to Tamborine Mountain in the Scenic Rim. Tamborine Mountain features some of the most incredible outdoor activities from tree top walks and waterfall hikes. Or if you need to do a spot of gift shopping before heading back home you can head into Eagle Heights Village where you can explore some of the most gorgeous boutique shops.

Christmas on Tamborine

If you’re a big fan of Christmas and enjoy collecting Christmas related decorations every where you go then you can’t miss out on visiting the Christmas on Tamborine shop. Open all year round, this fantastic Christmas shop has everything from simple tree ornaments to Santa statues and table top decorations. Located on the main road through the Tamborine suburb of Eagle Height, you will find joy in every corner of the Tamborine Christmas shop.

German Cuckoo Clock

This was one of the most unexpected but pleasant surprises when we visited Tamborine. This German Cuckoo Shop sits proudly on the main road through Eagle Heights and is certainly hard to miss. This authentic German cuckoo clock shop sources their clocks only from the best manufacturers in Germany, so you know what you’re getting is genuine and you don’t have to go all the way to Germany to get it. This German Clock shop in Tamborine Mountain stocks everything from watches the grandfather clocks and the most incredible hand carved wooden cuckoo clocks.

The Gnome Gallery

Eagle Heights has some of the most gorgeous boutique shops which I certainly didn’t expect; this Gnome Gallery was another pleasant surprise sitting next door to the Cuckoo Clock shop. Selling hand made soft toy gnomes with crocheted coats or hats and lovely garden ornaments. Each Gnome comes with their own name and are all individually dressed making these a great gift for your Mum or Grandmother.

Curtis Falls

If you’ve been looking for an enchanting walk through the Australian rain forest in search of a beautiful waterfall that look no further than Curtis Falls. This forest thick with ferns and green trees creates a charming backdrop where lizards flourish on the forest floor and birds thrive within the thick canopy of green leaves above. Reaching Curtis Falls you will spot plenty of lizards sunbathing in the rock pool, and if you look hard enough you may just spot bats resting in the palm trees above.

Cedar Creek Falls

Cedar Creek Falls is an easy to get to waterfall that is favoured for its dramatic drop and easy to reach path that winds down to the rock pool below. Enjoy a walk through the eucalyptus forest and take a moments rest at the bottom while enjoy the tranquil sound of thousands of liters of water plummeting into the pool below.

Sunshine Coast

A Brisbane travel guide is not complete without making mention of a day trip to the Sunshine Coast, a calmer and less crowded alternative to visiting the Gold Coast. The Sunshine Coast is lined with beautiful white sand beaches, beach shops and plenty of cafes and bars to cool off at. Driving to Sunshine Coast from Brisbane takes around 2 hours via the M1 motorway, and with plenty of things to see along the way you can easily fill a day with sun, sand and adventure.

Things to do in Sunshine Coast

• Sea Life Aquarium
• Australia Zoo
• Noosa National Park
• Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World
• Aussie World (Theme Park)

Moreton Bay and Mount Glorious

Visit the rainforest and small towns on Mount Glorious as part of one of your spectacular day trips from Brisbane. Hike the Northbrook Gorge or simply explore the boutique shops around Samford Village. Moreton Bay covers a large area in Queensland so you won’t be short of things to do on a Brisbane day trip.

Maiala Park Lodge

Maiala Park Lodge was our accommodation while we stayed on Mt Glorious. The gorgeous colonial styled home is nestled within the forest of Mt Glorious and is a truly unique accommodation option. Maiala Park Lodge is First Nations owned and operated and offers a unique perspective into staying on the outskirts of Brisbane; Sulphur-Crested Cocktoos can be heard screeching from the tree tops above or drinking water from the edge of the pool, once evening hits the frogs and cicadas create a harmonious choir welcoming in the nightfall and native flying-fox bats can be seen ducking and diving from the tree tops above the lodge.

Maiala Park Lodge has a fully functional kitchen in the main lodge and each room has a kitchenette including a small fridge. Joaben and Lucy were fantastic hosts so I can highly recommend staying at Maiala Park Lodge if you’re wanting to escape the bustling city for a few days.

Northbrook Gorge

Northbrook Gorges is not a stroll in the park, the path we took was steep and uneven and once we reached the gorge we were stone hopping across the river to make our way upstream. Northbrook Gorges was an incredible place to be but it is only suited for those with a good level of fitness and sturdy walking shoes. You can find the carpark for Northbrook Gorges on Google Maps, the path we took was on the bend and past the large metal barrier, the path isn’t well sign posted so you need to keep your eyes peeled while walking down the road.

Owlery Cafe and Store of Requirement

Calling all Harry Potter fans! The Store of Requirement in Samford Village is the only licensed Harry Potter store in Australia; enjoy a delicious butterscotch brew or purchase your very own wizards wand. Sitting only 30 minutes from Brisbane CBD making The Store of Requirement the perfect day trip from Brisbane. Attached to an amazing owl and wizardry inspired café, you can refresh yourself with an iced latte and slice of cake before heading further into Mount Glorious.

Moreton Island

Moreton Island is one of two main islands that sits just off the coast of Brisbane, and is one of the most beautiful locations you will step foot on while visiting Brisbane. Take the 7:30am ferry to Tangalooma Resort and spend a day lapping up the sun on the white sand beaches or by one of the pools. Moreton Island is where you can experience one of the best snorkeling adventures; swim with thousands of friendly fish while weaving between old shipwrecks lying just below the surface, relax on a sunset cruise, or test your driving abilities with a quad bike through the sand dunes.

I highly recommend Moreton Island as one of your day trips from Brisbane; If you want more information, check out my article on the best day trip to Moreton Island from Brisbane.

More Experiences for your Brisbane Travel Guide

Brisbane is surrounded by wonderful experiences but of course I haven’t indulged in them all. The following list of days trips from Brisbane are worth adding to your Australian travel guide. But be sure to do your own research as I am not lucky enough to share my own personal experiences with these adventures!

• Gold Coast
• Bribie Island
• North Stradbroke Island
• Lamington National Park
• Springbrook National Park