If you have found this page, chances are you are searching for some detailed information about our beloved Brisbane city. Whether that is because you are looking to relocate here, or you’re just interested in finding out more facts about our river city, we are here to answer a lot of your questions. There is nothing we love more than sharing information about our home city, so read on to find out not only where Brisbane is, but many other useful facts about what it is like to live here.
Where is Brisbane located?
Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland, otherwise known as Australia’s ‘sunshine state’, and is located right in the heart of Southeast Queensland’s coastline – a desirable pocket of the state that sees mostly sunny days fall over its glittering beaches and surrounding environment.
Who lives in Brisbane: Some quick demographics
Population: Currently, over 2.5 million people call Brisbane home (2023).
Race & Ethnicity: Brisbane prides itself on being a multicultural city, with the five largest recorded race groups being English, Australian, Irish, Scottish, and Chinese.
Median Age: A relatively young city, the median age of residents in Brisbane is 36 years old.
Education: In 2023, 61% of people aged 15-24 years were at school or enrolled in further study in Brisbane and 40% of people aged 20-24 years were studying towards a non-school qualification at certificate III level or above. Of people aged 15-74 years, 63% had a non-school qualification.
Brisbane climate
One of the main reasons people move to Brisbane is because of its postcard-perfect climate. As the capital of the Sunshine State, its sub-tropical and humid climate delivers nearly 300 sunny days each year.
Although we have four seasons, many locals agree it really only feels like two. The warmer summer temperatures descend not long after our brief and chilly winter subsides. Perfect blue skies are common throughout every season, but sticky, humid days and tropical thunderstorms are also a big part of our Brisbane weather system.
Brisbane lifestyle
Due to its enviable climate, riverside position and spectacular natural environment, Brisbane residents enjoy a pretty active and outdoorsy lifestyle.
On most weekends, the city and surrounds are teeming with families who are out and about exploring all that the wonderful city has to offer. The outdoor cafes are plentiful and busy, as are the many parks, gardens and playgrounds. From packing picnics, heading to the local beaches for a swim or surf, riding along the many bike paths, or exploring the surrounding mountains, to checking out a museum or show, there is just so much to do for those who live in Brisbane.
Its location between both the Gold Coast to the south and the Sunshine Coast to the north also means that, while Brisbane residents live in a busy city, the ability to wind down and escape to the beach on any given day is also a very real option for many.
Families living in Brisbane
Brisbane is a very family-focussed and friendly city. There is a wealth of outdoor and indoor recreational activities for kids to entertain themselves with – you just need to check out our website and you will see just how spoilt we are!
Playgrounds in Brisbane
When it comes to playgrounds, Brisbane is overflowing with an incredible array of options that cater for all ages and abilities. From smaller, themed playgrounds to impressive WOW playgrounds, you can have a look at our detailed directory of playgrounds to get an idea of just how many incredible play spaces are available to explore all across our city.
Family-friendly dining
Brisbane is home to some incredible food experiences for the whole family. You can enjoy 5 star restaurants, local pub meals, all-you-can-eat buffets, and street food too.
There is also a whole range of child-friendly cafes around the city and suburbs that have play spaces, facilities, and menus that are all designed to make eating out a fun and affordable experience for the many families that reside here.
Activities in Brisbane
There is a reason why we have created an entire website dedicated to events and things to do with kids in Brisbane. We think it’s the perfect place to raise a family, because kids have a number of outdoor and indoor things to be entertained by; with parks and gardens, wildlife experiences, adventurous play, nature-filled exploration, shows, museums, and more.
Parks and gardens in Brisbane
From small, secluded local parks to wide, expansive parklands and botanic gardens, Brisbane is one of the greenest cities you will find. With over 2,000 parks maintained by the council alone, many of our residents may sometimes take for granted the ability to relax within a central green space.
Brisbane wildlife
A move to Brisbane will almost certainly mean you will share your space with some incredible native birds and animals. In fact, Brisbane has more species of plants, animals, and insects than any other capital city in Australia!
Numerous zoos and farms, both big and small, are located in the Brisbane area.
Equally, wildlife spotting is something that can just as easily be done at any of our local parks, wetlands, or even your own backyard! Want to know more? These links below will give you an idea of just what animals you can find and where if you live in Brisbane:
Places to see animals near Brisbane
Animal encounters near Brisbane
Wild native animals in Brisbane
Cultural experiences in Brisbane
It’s not all about our outdoor lifestyle – Brisbane also has a very active and vibrant cultural scene too! The city’s cultural hub can be found along the river, just south of the city centre. Here, you will find the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art.
Although these are our most well-known cultural spaces, there is also an abundance of themed museums and galleries that can be found in and around the city, such the Museum of Brisbane, Ipswich Art Gallery, and the Queensland Maritime Museum, to name only a few.
Medical services in Brisbane
Australia recently was rated as having the second-best healthcare system in the world, so it already has a pretty solid reputation. As one of the major capital cities in our country, Brisbane is a leading location for medical assistance and hospitals.
There are more than fourteen public and sixteen private hospitals in the Greater Brisbane region. The Mater Hospital (private) and neighbouring Queensland Children’s Hospital (public) located in South Brisbane is major hub, offering emergency services with world-class facilities and care, as well as dedicated children’s facitilies.
Transport in Brisbane
Brisbane’s Translink offers a pretty efficient public transport network. Trains and buses run along numerous routes daily, stopping off at all the central city locations and travelling out throughout the suburbs and onto major state and interstate locations.
Being a River City, another enjoyable and unique transport system we enjoy are the CityCat catamarans which travel up and down the central sections of the river. There is even a free KittyCat service that transports patrons from the north to the south side of the river within the CBD.
As far as air travel is concerned, there are two main airports in Brisbane. The Brisbane International and Brisbane Domestic Airports are both located only 15km from the city centre and service a huge number of domestic and international routes daily.
Cities near Brisbane
If you are looking to venture out of Brisbane for a weekend trip, you might be interested to know which are our favourite closest cities to visit.
Nearest capital city – Sydney
Although there are many smaller cities closer, the nearest capital city to Brisbane is Sydney. Located approximately 1,000km south of Brisbane, it takes around 11 hours to drive there along the coastline. Alternatively, a quick one and a half-hour flight may be a more desirable option.
West of Brisbane – Ipswich
A short 30-minute drive west from Brisbane is Ipswich. Although it’s a comparatively quiet city, it still features heavily on our website due to the abundance of child-friendly activities and play spaces on offer.
South of Brisbane – Gold Coast
You would have to live under a rock not to have heard about the famed Gold Coast, its sandy beaches, glittering nightlife, and vibrant centre. Brisbane is located only a 45-minute drive north of the Gold Coast, which is why it is such a popular weekend destination for locals.
As you can see, Brisbane is one of the best places to live in the world. With friendly faces, incredible wildlife, spectacular natural surrounds, and an abundance of incredible activities and places to visit, why wouldn’t you want to be here?!
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