These day trips from Brisbane will show you that you don’t have to travel far from Queensland’s capital to find ancient rainforests with waterfalls and peaceful swimming holes, island adventures, mountain villages, historic towns and some awesome food and beverage offerings.
Brisbane has a lot going for it: you can spend the morning exploring its many galleries and eat your way through the endless cafes, restaurants, bars and pop-up food vans across the city, and after lunch, dive into a slower pace and lap up the chilled vibes of a little village on the side of a mountain.
That’s the beauty of Brisbane – Queensland’s best experiences are right on its doorstep. Pack your walking shoes, grab a towel and a picnic basket, and in less than an hour, you can be surrounded by rainforest, standing on a beach or exploring a country town learning something new about Australia’s rich history.
Ancient rainforests at Lamington National Park
There’s something wonderfully calming about driving into the lush hinterland near a busy city and seeing the landscape morph into green havens as you breathe in the cool air of a rainforest. Around two hours from Brisbane, Lamington National Park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests and is home to more than 130 kilometres of walking tracks.
You don’t have to be an experienced hiker to enjoy the trails. The Rainforest Return is a short 30-minute walk and a good choice if you’re travelling with children or simply want to wander beneath the canopies without committing an entire day to hiking.
The rainforest feels ancient, and indeed it is. In fact, the trees in Lamington National Park include some of the oldest and most ancient living plant lineages on the Australian mainland. Along the way you’ll see enormous boulders dating back around 23 million years, and plenty of birdlife.
For serious walkers, the 21.4-kilometre Border Track takes around seven hours to tackle, winding through stunning valleys, alongside mountain streams and right up to waterfalls. When the weather is clear, the views across the rainforest are simply extraordinary.
Keep an eye out for king parrots, lyrebirds, Antarctic beech trees, hoop vines and, if you’re lucky, some of the park’s less conspicuous residents, such as the spotted-tail quoll and long-nosed potoroos. If you find yourself wishing you had more time, you can always stay overnight at one of the park’s camping areas.
Make a splash on Moreton Island
There’s something pretty special about catching a ferry from Brisbane and just over an hour later, finding yourself surrounded by white-sand beaches, turquoise seas and an incredible array of marine life.
Moreton Bay is famous for the shipwrecks just offshore that have become a thriving artificial reef, and swimming above them is like entering another world, with more than 200 species of fish and three species of marine turtles making their home among the wrecks.
At sunset, you can join Tangalooma Island Resort’s Wild Dolphin Feeding Experience, and hand-feed a bottlenose dolphin as it comes in from the sea. It’s one of those experiences that is magical and also a little surreal – particularly when you’re standing at the water’s edge watching the sun disappear behind the island.
Make time for a cold one at the iconic The Gutter Bar – a relaxed island institution in Kooringal that doubles as a bar and general store. Fresh seafood arrives daily from local trawlers, and there are burgers and oysters if you’re after something a little more substantial. It’s the perfect place to sit down, order something cold and remind yourself that you’re only 75 minutes from Brisbane, yet chilling out, island-style.
Find your creative side in arty Montville
You’d be hard-pressed to find a village on the Sunshine Coast that has more arty vibes than picturesque Montville. On the slopes of Blackall Range, this quaint village of around a thousand residents is home to art galleries, cosy coffee shops and boutique stores where you’ll find everything from handmade scarves and colourful gem earrings to one-off garden sculptures and oil paintings made by local artists.
About 90 minutes from Brisbane, Montville has long attracted artists, makers and people who appreciate good food and beautiful things. I love places where you can wander without a strict itinerary, and Montville is made for that. Take your time exploring the galleries, boutiques and shops along the main street, stopping whenever something catches your eye. It’s the perfect place for ambling along with a coffee in hand, breathing in the fresh country air and admiring the amazing art.
The Montville Art Gallery is housed in a beautiful 1890s Queenslander and showcases the work of more than 40 award-winning Australian artists.
Tina Cooper Glass is a special space where art is created right in front of you, by the artist herself – Tina. Watching glass objects being blown and shaped is mesmerising, particularly when you see a glowing piece of molten glass gradually transformed into something delicate and beautiful.
Tina has been honing her art for more than three decades the gallery is something to behold – spread over many levels and jutting into the rainforest where eagles and black cockatoos nest.
If you’re visiting on the second Saturday of the month, there’s a market at the Village Hall featuring produce from nearby farms, wineries and breweries. Meet the locals, sample produce and buy everything for a picnic to be enjoyed in nearby rainforest.
Or if you feel like having a delectable meal made for you, head to The Edge Cafe, Bar and Restaurant which sits above a dramatic escarpment with sweeping views across the valleys below.
The Edge is open from 8.30am until 4pm every day serving breakfast and lunch, and it’s fully licensed so you can also enjoy a wine, craft beer or a refreshing cocktail while lapping up the most amazing views. If you’re after a pick-me-up, coffee and cake is served all day.
Dive into paradise on a day trip from Brisbane to Noosa
If you have a full day do yourself a favour and make the two-hour drive north to gorgeous Noosa. Maybe it’s the ocean and wildlife, the endless lush greenery, the impossibly pretty main street and beautiful boutiques … or a combination of all of these things that makes Noosa so magical.
At Noosa Ocean Adventures you can get out on the water in purpose-built boat to watch dolphins play around you in the water, head out on a whale tour and see the gentle giants breaching before your eyes, or embark on a more peaceful cruise down Noosa River. Whatever you choose, you will be blown away by the amount of marine life and incredible river and ocean vistas.
For something completely different, take a detour towards the Glass House Mountains, which are an hour south of Noosa and only a 75-minute drive from Brisbane. These dramatic volcanic peaks were formed more than 27 million years ago and rise unexpectedly from the surrounding landscape.
Mount Ngungun is one of the popular peaks to climb, with the effort rewarded by sweeping 360-degree views. If you can manage an early start, sunrise is particularly beautiful. Sunset is pretty special, too, when the changing light washes across the mountains.
And after a day of walking, swimming and exploring, there’s only one thing left to do: find somewhere to sit down and enjoy a cold one. Land & Sea Brewery is a great place to finish the day, with craft beers and ciders inspired by the Noosa region. You can join a brewery tour, learn about the brewing process and traditional techniques, then settle in with a tasting paddle.
Ipswich: history lovers will enjoy this day trip from Brisbane
Less than an hour from Brisbane (and only 45 minutes by train) you’ll find Ipswich – Queensland’s fastest growing city. With its rich mix of 19th-century colonial heritage, classic Queenslander timber homes, and grand Victorian architecture, it has thankfully retained much of its original charm.
Kick off your experience at the Cooneana Heritage Centre, where the story of Queensland’s oldest provincial city unfolds through photographs, artefacts, traditional crafts and a range of fascinating displays such as equipment used in early coal mining. There’s something so lovely about seeing history being kept alive by the locals, and two days a week visitors can watch spinners and weavers practising skills that have been handed down through generations.
Ipswich is surrounded by nature, with the White Rock Conservation Park located just 20 minutes from Ipswich Central, only 35 minutes from Brisbane. It’s a hiker’s haven, and photographers will love the distinctive, sculptured, rocky outcrops of White Rock and Spring Mountain.
There’s easy 200-metre strolls through quintessentially Australian bushland (think gums and paperbark lined gullies) and hikes of up to 19 kilometres for more experienced adventurers. Keep in mind that the park is a sacred place for the Traditional Owners – the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul people – and they ask that visitors do not climb Big White Rock.
If you feel like a special night out while also embracing Ipswich’s colonial history and style, The Cottage Restaurant is a fine dining establishment serving modern Australian fare. Set in a heritage-listed Queenslander, it was built in 1861 as a private home, and the rooms have been beautifully converted into intimate, luxurious dining spaces.
The restaurant has been winning chef’s hats with the AGFG since 2017, and in the summer you can sit out on the verandah, or in the cooler months, be warmed by the original fireplaces. The seven-course degustation is a great way to get the whole experience, and you’ll enjoy a delicious range of dishes such as prawn ravioli, quail with eggplant and caviar, barramundi with baked crab velouté, veal tenderloin and a decadent dessert.
One of the best things about Brisbane is what lies just beyond it. Within a couple of hours, you can be walking through an ancient rainforest, snorkelling around a shipwreck, hiking across mountains, watching a glass vase being blown or swimming alongside dolphins. So, the next time you find yourself with a free day in Brisbane, don’t spend it wondering what to do….Just pick a direction and hit the road.
If you enjoyed this feature on great day trips from Brisbane, you might like our story on Tamborine Mountain.
Rex flies all over Queensland and Brisbane is one of the airline’s main hubs. Plan your next getaway HERE, and check out the route map below.
