24 Day Trips from Brisbane

Brisbane is the Capital of Queensland. Whilst it isn’t in the middle of Queensland, it is in the middle of the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, making it the perfect base to take day trips to both areas! Not to mention the 10+ national parks that surround the city. This post is full of ideas for day trips from Brisbane city, included details of getting there by car, public transport and recommended tour options. If you want more information on exploring the city itself, take a look at my self-guided walking tour route for Brisbane. 

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission but at no extra cost to you.

1. Noosa Everglades and Noosa National Park

Did you know that Australia is home to one of only two everglade ecosystems in the world? You can explore Noosa’s waterways by boat or kayak or simply follow the walking trails through the everglade.

Not far from the everglades, on the edge of the town, is Noosa National Park. The park covers a large coastal area with several hiking trails and fairy pools that you can take a dip in. Once you’ve explored the park, you can relax on the beach or explore the beach town of Noosa.

Click here to read about more things to do in Noosa

If you are driving up to Noosa on a Wednesday or Saturday, stop by Eumundi to visit their artisan markets for crafts, baked goods and souvenirs.

Car: Noosa is a 2 hour drive from Brisbane
Public Transport: Greyhound offer a 2 hour bus from Brisbane to Noosa Junction
Tour option: Click here to view a tour from Brisbane to Noosa.

2. Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a popular beach town, south of Brisbane in New South Wales. The town has a history of being popular with hippies in the 1960s and that happy, chill vibe is still present in the town today. As an Australian coastal town, Byron Bay offers the usual sand and surf but you can also go whale watching and kayak with dolphins. 

Byron Bay is among the more easterly points of mainland Australia. If you make it there before sunrise, walk along to Cape Byron Lighthouse to be among the first in the country to see the sun come up!  

If you are driving to Byron, it’s worth also stopping to visit Bangalow, a nearby historic town. This charming town is filled with timber frame buildings, parks and street markets.

Car: Byron Bay is a 2 hour drive from Brisbane
Public Transport: Greyhound and Byron Easy Bus offer bus services from Brisbane to Byron Bay which take around 2.5 hours. 
Tour option: Click here to view a Brisbane to Byron Bay Tour

3. Springbrook National Park

Springbrook is a national park south of Brisbane, filled with waterfalls and rainforests. It is also well known as the location for the British version of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! You won’t see much of a set there but you may see some snakes, lizards and creepy crawlies!

I recommend visiting the follow key sites in Springbrook:

• Purling Falls
• Twin Falls
• Natural Bridge
• Best of All Lookout

Car: Springbrook National Park is 1.5 hours drive from Brisbane.
Public Transport: There aren’t viable public transport options from Brisbane.
Tour option: Click here to see a Brisbane to Springbrook Tour

4. Tamborine National Park

Another National Park with great hikes and waterfalls close to Brisbane. Tamborine National Park surrounds Tamborine Mountain. I’d recommend starting with the Curtis Falls hiking trail, near Tamborine Mountain town. If you want to walk amongst the treetops, try the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. A little further from town, you’ll also find Cedar Creek Falls.

Whilst exploring Tamborine Mountain, be sure to take a tour of the glowworm caves! If you have a little more time in the area, you can also take a tour of a vineyard around the mountain.

Tamborine National Park is fairly close to Springbrook National Park so you could potentially visit them both in one day trip from Brisbane. 

Car: Tamborine National Park is a 1 hour drive from Brisbane.
Public Transport: There aren’t viable public transport options from Brisbane.
Tour option: Click here to view a Brisbane to Tamborine Mountain tour

5. Moreton Island

This island is a sandy paradise just off the coast of Queensland. One of the most popular activities on the island is to go snorkelling around wildlife and shipwrecks. You can also kayaking and swimming in crystal clear waters. If you prefer dry land there are also hiking trails and you can visit Australia’s oldest lighthouse.

Car: You can get the vehicle ferry across to the island but you will have to drive on sand when you arrive. The ferry takes 1 hour 15 minutes
Public Transport: There is a ferry from Brisbane which takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Tour option: Click here to view a Moreton Island tour.

6. North Stradbroke Island

Another island worth visiting in Moreton Bay. Again this island offers lots of water based activities such as surfing, swimming, diving and fishing. There are also opportunities to spot iconic wildlife like koalas, kangaroos and dolphins. Some of the best walks on the island include Gorge Walk (1.2km, 20 minutes) at Point Lookout in the north of the island and Kaboora (blue lake) walk (5.2km, 2 hours)

Car: It takes around 1.5 hours to drive to North Stradbroke. Drive to Cleveland and the ferry takes 45 minutes from there. 
Public Transport: Take the train to Cleveland (1hour) and catch the ferry (45mins) from there. 
Tour option: Click here to view a Stradbroke Island Tour.

7. Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast is a fairly big coastal region which stretches from Noosa all the way down to Pelican Waters. There are several small beach towns and resorts you could visit along this stretch. I’d highly recommend Noosa as mentioned above. If you want to visit somewhere along the coast a little closer to Brisbane, you could also try Mooloolaba. This is a small beach town with a wharf filled with great restaurants, a SEALIFE Aquarium and short coastal hiking trails. 

Car: Mooloolaba is 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Brisbane
Public Transport: Greyhound and Premier offer buses from Brisbane to Mooloolaba which take around 1.5 hours.
Tour option: Click here to view a Sunshine Coast Tour

8. Kondalilla National Park

This national park is definitely work a visit for the spectacular Kondalilla Falls. The most popular hike here is a 5km Kondalilla Falls Circuit. There are also rock pools for you to take a dip in a cool off if the humid rainforest gets too hot!

Kondalilla National Park is close to the Sunshine Coast so could be combined with a trip to the coast. Australia Zoo is also on the way.

Car: Kondalilla National Park is a 1.5 hour drive from Brisbane
Public Transport: There aren’t viable public transport options for a day trip from Brisbane.

9. Gold Coast

A popular tourist destination, Gold Coast is a coastal city south of Brisbane. Surfer’s Paradise is a suburb of Gold Coast that is particularly known for its long stretch of beach and of course, surfing. There you will also find the skypoint observation deck for views over city and sea, Cavill Avenue filled with shops and restaurants. 

Car: Gold Coast is a 1 hour drive from Brisbane.
Public Transport: There are several bus routes from Brisbane to Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise which take around 1.5 hours.

10. D’Aguillar National Park

This national park covers a vast area of woodland, rainforest and gorges. There is a wide range of hiking trails ranging from 20 minutes to 20 hours! A great place to start is the Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre. You can also join guided walks, mountain biking and horse-back riding.

D’Augilar is also home to Northbrook Gorges. For experienced hikers, there is a trail through the gorges following the creek to a waterfall and rock pool. 

Car: Southern D’Augilar is a 20 minute drive from Brisbane. Northbrook Gorge is roughly a 1 hour drive from Brisbane.
Public Transport: The 380 and 385 buses run from Brisbane to nearby the par in around 30 minutes plus a 10-15 walk on the other side.

11. Australia Zoo

Brisbane is the nearest big city to the world famous Australia Zoo – definitely worth a visit while you’re nearby. Australia Zoo was run by Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin and is still owned and run by this family. There are plenty of crocs, kangaroos and koalas to see as well as many animals not native to Australia.

Car: Australia Zoo is 1 hour drive from Brisbane
Public Transport: Take the train from Brisbane to Beerwah (1.5 hours). From there call the Zoo’s free shuttle bus to collect you.
Tour option: Click here to view a tour from Brisbane to Australia Zoo.

12 – 24 More National Parks Near Brisbane

There are 650 national parks across Australia, with 237 of those being in Queensland. So of course there are plenty of national parks around Brisbane that you could take day trips too. Here is a quick list of more national parks within a 2 hour drive, perfect for day trips from Brisbane:

Fort Lytton National Park

Known for: Historical pentagonal fortress used from 1881-1945.
Distance: Fort Lytton is a 30 minute drive east of Brisbane.
Nearby: St Helena National Park

Venman Bushland National Park

Known for: Eucalyptus forest, koala habitat. hiking.
Distance: Venman Bushland is a 35 minute drive south of Brisbane
Nearby: Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park & Stradbroke Island

Glass House Mountains National Park

Known for: mountains, hiking, rock climbing.
Distance: Glasshouse Mountains is a 1 hour drive north of Brisbane.
Nearby: Moololah River National Park, Sunshine Coast, Australia Zoo, Bribie Island, Bellthorpe

Bribie Island National Park

Known for: boating, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, WWII fort
Distance: Bribie Island is a 1 hour drive north from Brisbane. You can reach the island by bridge, rather than ferry but you do need to pay a toll.
Nearby: Moreton Island, Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast, D’Aguilar National Park.

Mooloolah River National Park

Known for: forests, heath, wildflowers, hiking, cycling
Distance: Mooloolah River is a 1 hour drive north of Brisbane.
Nearby: Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba, Australia Zoo, Glass House Mountains, Kondalilla National Park.

Burleigh Head National Park

Known for: whale watching, hiking, rainforest, mangroves, beaches
Distance: Burleigh Heads is a 1 hour drive south of Brisbane.
Nearby: Gold Coast, Surfer’s Paradise, Springbrook National Park.

St Helena Island National Park

Known for: Island in Moreton Bay, ruins of 19th century prison and fort.
Distance: To reach St Helena Island, drive to Manly (30 minutes) then take a 45 minute ferry from there.
Nearby: Fort Lytton National Park, Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island.

Moogerah Peaks National Park

Known for: volcanic peaks, wildlife, hiking, rock climbing
Distance: Moogerah Peaks is a 1 hour 20 minute drive south-west of Brisbane.
Nearby: Main Range National Park, Mount Barney, Tamborine Mountai.

Main Range National Park

Known for: hiking, horse riding, cycling
Distance: Main Range is a 1 hour 20 minute drive south-west of Brisbane.
Nearby: Moogerah Peaks National Park, Mount Barney, Tamborine Mountai.

Bellthorpe National Park

Known for: old sawmill, eucalyptus forest, stoney creek, hiking, horseback riding.
Distance: Bellthorpe is a 1.5 hour drive north of Brisbane.
Nearby: Moololah River National Park, Sunshine Coast, Australia Zoo, Bribie Island, Glass House Mountains

Mapleton Falls National Park

Known for: rainforest, waterfall, hiking
Distance: Mapleton Falls is a 1.5 hour drive north of Brisbane
Nearby: Sunshine Coast, Australia Zoo, Noosa, Kondalilla National Park

Mount Barney National Park

Known for: mountains, rainforest, wildlife, hiking, rock scrambling
Distance: Mount Barney is a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Brisbane
Nearby: Lamington National Park, Moogerah Peaks, Main Range National Park.

Lamington National Park

Known for: rainforest, waterfall, hiking, wildlife
Distance: Lamington National Park is 2 hours south of Brisbane
Nearby: Springbrook National Park, Mount Chinghee, Tamborine Mountain National Park, Burleigh Heads National Park, Gold Coast.

Where to Next?