Brisbane is home to a number of different sports teams and events. The capital of the state of Queensland is about halfway up Australia’s east coast and has a population of 2.5 million. Brisbane is a great destination for Sports Tourist’s and hosts a number of sports teams and events.
Sport in Brisbane
Rugby League in Brisbane
The Brisbane Broncos play at the Suncorp Stadium and compete in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition which runs from March to September.
The State of Origin is a best of three match series, played between state representatives from Queensland and New South Wales. The match hosted in Queensland is usually played at the Suncorp Stadium in June/July.
Rugby Union in Brisbane
The Queensland Reds compete in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition held from March to August, with home matches played at the Suncorp Stadium.
Football (Soccer) in Brisbane
Brisbane Roar play in the A-League at the Suncorp Stadium, with the season running from October to May. Read my blog here from a visit in January 2018 to watch Brisbane Roar play.
Cricket in Brisbane
Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls play their matches at The Gabba, with the Heat competing in the Big Bash and the Bulls in the Sheffield Shield/One-Day Cup.
AFL in Brisbane
The Brisbane Lions compete in the AFL between March and September and play their home fixtures at The Gabba.
Basketball in Brisbane
The Brisbane Bullets play in the National Basketball League between October and March. Most of their matches are played at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with some hosted at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
Netball in Brisbane
Queensland Firebirds play between April and August in the National Netball League at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
Tennis in Brisbane
The Brisbane International tennis event at the Queensland Tennis Centre takes place the end of December/start of January and features some of the biggest tennis’ players as they warm up for the Australian Open.
Travelling to Brisbane
Air –Â Brisbane Airport is 16km north of Brisbane CBD and serves many international and domestic destinations.
Thinking of flying? Search & book your flights through Skyscanner here.
Coach – The Brisbane Transit Centre is the main bus station and has long distance services to Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville.
Greyhound is one of the most well known companies and tickets can be booked through the official website here.
Train – Roma Street Station is the main train hub for Brisbane with regional trains, as well as long distance services to Cairns, Charleville, Rockhampton, Sydney and Townsville.
Travelling around Brisbane
Brisbane’s public transport network is run by TransLink, I would recommend purchasing one of the reusable Go Card’s.
There is an excellent TransLink journey planner available online or as an app, click here to access.
To/From Airport – The Airtrain links Brisbane Airport with the CBD with tickets costing $16.50 one way, $31 return.
Bus – Most services stop at Queen Street Bus Station and King George Square Bus Station.
Ferry – TransLink also runs a number of ferry services along Brisbane River.
Train – The Citytrain network has six main lines, which all pass through Roma Street Station, Central Station and Fortitude Valley Station.
Hotels in Brisbane
I visited Brisbane several times in 2018 and can therefore recommend the following accommodation:
Mercure Brisbane King George Square – Located right in the heart of King George Square, this is everything you’d expect from a Mercure hotel and more. Rooms from about $150 a night.
The Capitol Apartments – located in South Brisbane, these modern apartments are located about a 15 minute walk from South Bank. Apartments from about $120 a night.
Oaks Aurora Tower – another set of modern apartments overlooking Brisbane River, about a 10 minute walk from Brisbane CBD. Apartments from about $150 a night.
Art Series Hotel – The Johnson – a very modern and bright hotel, set in the area of Spring Hill. A little further out, it will take you about 15 minutes to walk into the CBD and rooms start from $100 a night.
Food & Drink in Brisbane
The main hub of Brisbane is located at Queen Street, with plenty of restaurants and bars to be found nearby. Fortitude Valley has a number of reasonably priced restaurants and bars.
If you’re looking for some quick and easy food pre-match, try Sushi Hub on Albert Street, probably the best sushi I’ve had anywhere in the world, or the Ginger Garlic Indian Cuisine on Adelaide Street for a cheap takeaway Indian.
What to do in Brisbane
The largest city in Queensland, Brisbane is great to simply walk around, with museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants dotted either side of the Brisbane River. The South Bank Parklands has a free tropical lagoon, with the Wheel of Brisbane offering 360-degree views of the city.
A little further afield, one of Australia’s most famous tourist attractions, Australia Zoo, can be reached by Beerwah train station in about an hour.
The beaches of the Gold Coast are just over an hour away from Brisbane, and can be reached via the Airtrain from Roma Street Station.
Last Updated on September 14, 2022 by Sports Tourist