Our Australian adventure started in Brisbane on Christmas morning when our plane landed after our 24 hours of travel. Our itinerary was staying in the Brisbane area for about 3 days total plus two additional days where we drove to Hervey Bay to fly to Lady Elliot Island then would drive back to Brisbane.
When we landed that morning and were unsure what would be open vs closed due to it being Christmas day. We were luckily able to check into our hotel early and allowed us to get settled. Many places were closed and employees on their own holiday, so with limited options, we decided to stop and visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary which was open with limited hours.
First we visited the kangaroos and were able to feed them, it was pretty hot that day and most of them just wanted to sleep.
Being a Koala Sanctuary, of course they have Koalas! It actually is the largest collection of Koalas, somewhere around 200+.
The next day we took it easy and just did a little shopping as it was Boxing day. Overall I was surprised at how many people were out and about shopping. Then that evening we went to the gold coast, which is south east of Brisbane. We got there a little later then expected, so I don’t have many pictures, but the area has a great surfers vibe and the beaches were lively.
We stopped by the famous Brooki Bakehouse and picked up a few desserts to enjoy. The display cases overflowed with tempting sweets, making it tough to choose. We indulged in their signature macarons, unique cupcakes flavors, and perfectly baked cookies. Every bite was sweet leaving us with happy taste buds and made the trip worth it.
Wrapping up our Brisbane trip, we had to visit the famous Brisbane sign located in the South Bank park.You can visit during the day or at night, we really enjoyed the colorfulness of it at night.
Nice view of the bridge glowing and the city skyline in the background.
Although our time was limited, there were a few things we had hoped to do but simply ran out of time for. We visited the South Bank at night, which was beautiful, but I’d also recommend experiencing it during the day for a different perspective. Mount Coot-Tha Summit Lookout offers stunning panoramic views of the city and is well worth a visit. Lastly, while we had the chance to explore Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary—which I still highly recommend—it does come with an entry fee. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative, the Daisy Hill Koala Centre offers a great experience free of charge.
Hope you get to enjoy this beautiful city, what are the things you recommend?
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