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All ports › Australia & New Zealand › Queensland, Australia
🦘 Cruise port guide

🐨 Brisbane

Brisbane is sunny Queensland's relaxed river city, with riverside parks, South Bank's swimming lagoon and the chance to cuddle a koala. The Gold Coast and Moreton Island are close by.

⚓ Docked (Brisbane International Cruise Terminal)🕒 Typical call: Embarkation day or 10–12 hrs💵 Australian $🗣️ English
DockingDocked
To townTaxi 25 min to CBD
Best forWildlife · River · Sunshine
Don't missLone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Browse all Brisbane tours →
Destination view of Brisbane. Brisbane CBD seen from Kangaroo Point, 2024, 01 (2)
Brisbane destination photography; not a confirmation of your berth or current conditions. Photo: Chris Olszewski · Wikimedia Commons source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Color, tone and detail enhanced non-generatively with Adobe; resized and converted to WebP under the same stated license. Display may crop the view.
Step by step

Getting ashore

Most ships dock at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal at Luggage Point near the mouth of the river. Smaller ships use Portside Wharf at Hamilton.

  1. 1
    Exit the terminal

    Taxis, rideshare and shuttles wait outside.

  2. 2
    Get to the city

    About 25 minutes by road to the CBD.

  3. 3
    Ride a CityCat

    River ferries are a great way to see the city.

💡 Pro move: Ride the free CityHopper or the CityCat ferry along the Brisbane River — the easiest sightseeing in town.
Where your ship arrives

Piers & Tendering by Cruise Line

Two cruise facilities.

Typical cruise-line arrival arrangements; confirm your ship’s assignment.
Cruise line / shipTypical berth / arrivalDock or tender
Large shipsBrisbane International Cruise Terminal (Luggage Point) 📍 Docked
Smaller shipsPortside Wharf, Hamilton 📍 Docked

Typical arrangements only — your ship's berth is confirmed in the daily planner.

These typical arrangements are retained from the supplied port guide and have not all been independently reverified. Map links are location searches, not live ship assignments. Confirm the berth, tender landing and boarding arrangements for your sailing. Read this port’s researched access notes →

Starting or ending here?

Homeport & airport

✈️ Airport: Brisbane (BNE) — about 15 min

🚐 Getting to the ship: Taxi or rideshare.

🏨 Where to stay: CBD or South Bank.

Sail here

Recommended cruises

Starting your cruise here? Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises and Seabourn sail from Brisbane; the other lines below visit on their itineraries. Tap one to see current sailings.

Typical lines only — which ships visit changes every season. Live sailings and prices come from Cruise Travellers' booking engine.

Worth your day

Top excursions

Compare access requirements for this port before booking an excursion →

The shore excursions most worth your time in Brisbane.

ICONIC

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

The world's first koala sanctuary — koalas, kangaroos and platypus.

⏱ 4 hrs🚐 Transfer🐨 Wildlife
Find tours →
CITY

City & river tour

South Bank, Mt Coot-tha lookout and a CityCat cruise.

⏱ 4 hrs🚐 Bus🏙️ Sightseeing
Find tours →
BEACH

Gold Coast day trip

Surfers Paradise, beaches and SkyPoint observation deck.

⏱ 7–8 hrs🚐 Transfer🏄 Beach
Find tours →
NATURE

Moreton Island

Wild dolphins, sand dunes and snorkelling at the Tangalooma wrecks.

⏱ 8–9 hrs⛴️ Ferry🐬 Nature
Find tours →

Tours booked through Viator, Cruise Travellers' excursion partner. Check the operator’s written return-to-ship policy; a guarantee is not assumed.

No tour needed

Self-guided walks

These are sightseeing suggestions. Distances and walking difficulty labels do not establish a step-free route. Read the port-specific access notes before choosing a route.

🚶 South Bank & CBD

3 km · 1.5 hrs · easy

Queen Street Mall, across Victoria Bridge to South Bank's parklands, Streets Beach lagoon and the Wheel of Brisbane.

  1. Queen Street Mall
  2. Victoria Bridge Brisbane
  3. South Bank Parklands
  4. Streets Beach
  5. Wheel of Brisbane
🗺️ Open this route in Google Maps →
Pack for your month

Weather & best time to visit

Best time: April–November. Warm, 22–30°C / 72–86°F; humid summers.

MonthAvg highAvg lowRainy days
Jan86°F / 30°C70°F / 21°C13
Feb86°F / 30°C70°F / 21°C13
Mar84°F / 29°C68°F / 20°C13
Apr ⭐81°F / 27°C63°F / 17°C10
May ⭐75°F / 24°C57°F / 14°C9
Jun ⭐72°F / 22°C52°F / 11°C8
Jul ⭐70°F / 21°C50°F / 10°C6
Aug ⭐73°F / 23°C50°F / 10°C6
Sep ⭐77°F / 25°C55°F / 13°C7
Oct ⭐81°F / 27°C61°F / 16°C9
Nov82°F / 28°C64°F / 18°C10
Dec84°F / 29°C68°F / 20°C12

⭐ = best months to visit. Approximate long-term averages — check the forecast before you sail.

From Melody

Insider tips

  • ⛴️
    CityCat ferries. Scenic, cheap river transport.
  • 🐨
    Lone Pine. Book a koala hold experience.
  • ☀️
    Strong sun. Even in winter — sunscreen and hats.
  • 🏊
    Free lagoon at South Bank. Streets Beach is lifeguarded.
  • 🚕
    Terminal is out of town. Allow 25+ minutes to the CBD.
From the pier

Getting around

🚗 Ride-share: ✅ Available
Uber and DiDi widely available.
🚕 Taxi to CBDA$50–70

About 25 minutes.

🚗 Uber / DiDiA$40–60

To the CBD.

⛴️ CityCat~A$3–5

River ferries (go card or contactless).

Prices are typical ranges and change — confirm before you ride.

Keep exploring

Nearby ports

Other port guides close to Brisbane.

Tours, prices, transport fares and pier assignments change. Always confirm with the operator, your cruise line and your ship's all-aboard time before relying on anything here.

Make it your own

Choose your day in Brisbane

Riverside parks, koala cuddling at Lone Pine and beaches nearby.

First visitLone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Build around one priority, then confirm admission, transfers and time ashore.
Explore independently🚶 South Bank & CBD. Published walking routes are ideas, not verified step-free routes.
A slower dayChoose one stop with seating and a confirmed return transfer. Ask the operator for the actual distance from the vehicle to the entrance.
Advisor planning lensFor an embarkation day, work backwards from your assigned check-in window; confirm baggage drop and terminal access.
Port-specific access research

Mobility & accessibility in Brisbane

QAGOMA provides a specific indoor cultural option with wheelchair access and an adult changing facility. Reaching the South Bank precinct from the cruise terminal still needs a suitable transfer.

Published sources reviewed October 17, 2026. This is desk research, not an on-site access audit. Access can change with the ship, berth, equipment and operating conditions.

Attractions and excursions: what changes the choice

Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA

Wheelchair access and bookable loan chairs

QAGOMA confirms wheelchair access in both buildings and offers free loan chairs by advance request, subject to availability. Select the exhibitions you want and check any temporary installation's conditions.

Official access information ↗

GOMA facilities and supported tours

Adult change table and hoist

GOMA has an adult changing facility with a height-adjustable table and hoist. Tailored access programs are available with advance notice; these are booked services rather than something to assume on arrival.

Official access information ↗

A practical way to plan this port

Planning suggestion: Prebook an adapted terminal transfer and a focused QAGOMA visit, requesting the necessary chair or supported program ahead.

Confirm before booking

  • Current gallery drop-off and transfer duration from your berth.
  • Hoist/sling requirements or any bespoke tour's notice period.

Detailed access-planning questions · Save these arrangements in your day plan

Discuss my access needs
Private · Personal · Thoughtfully paced

Curated Ashore — Brisbane

Turn the interests in this guide into a private shore-day brief. These are ideas to discuss with Melody, not confirmed bookable products.

A private take on a local highlightAsk about Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary with a private guide, a flexible pace and a clearly agreed meeting point.
A day built around your interestsRequest food, culture, scenery or a quieter outing. Specify your budget, group size, walking comfort and ship schedule.

Before booking, request the named operator, inclusions, vehicle specification, entry tickets, cancellation terms and a written return plan. Private access, special entry and availability must be confirmed.

Request a Curated Ashore proposal Book a consultation
Your day, your pace

Build your Brisbane port-day plan

Save a personal checklist on this device, then print it or share your brief with Melody. Times are your inputs in ship time; this tool does not calculate travel times or guarantee return.

Before you step ashore

Plans stay in this browser when storage is available. Email opens your own mail app; nothing is submitted automatically.

Information Status

Confirm piers, fares, transfers, admission, tour duration and assistance with your cruise line and the relevant operator. Weather tables are inherited indicative averages, not a forecast. Report a correction.