Audio Guide: Brisbane Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Brisbane

Often described by its residents as “a river with a city wrapped around it,” Brisbane stands along the winding Brisbane River on Australia’s eastern coast and is today the third-most populous city in Australia, after Sydney and Melbourne. Long before European settlement, the area was home to the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, Aboriginal Australians who had inhabited the region for at least 22,000 years. By the time European settlers arrived in the early 1820s, the Indigenous population in the surrounding area was estimated to have numbered between 6,000 and 10,000 people.

The city’s European history began in the early 19th century. In 1823, the English explorer John Oxley sailed up the river while searching for a suitable location for a new penal settlement. Guided by local Aboriginal knowledge, Oxley reported favorably on the area. The following year, in 1824, the British established a penal colony at nearby Redcliffe, which was soon relocated to the banks of the river at what is now central Brisbane. The settlement initially housed secondary offenders from the Sydney colony.

The city takes its name from the Brisbane River, which in turn was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825. Over time, the penal colony gradually transformed into a free settlement. Following the arrival of Christian missionaries, the region opened to free settlers in 1842, attracting farmers, traders, and merchants who began building a permanent town.

Brisbane continued to grow throughout the 19th century as Queensland developed. In 1859, Queensland separated from New South Wales and Brisbane was chosen as the capital of the new colony. By the late 19th century, its strategic riverside location helped it develop into an important port city and centre of immigration, exporting wool, agricultural goods, and minerals from the interior.

The 20th century brought further expansion. Bridges, railways, and public institutions reshaped the city, while during World War II Brisbane served as the headquarters for Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific under General Douglas MacArthur.

Walking through central Brisbane reveals a lively riverside city where modern towers stand beside historic sandstone buildings. Visitors pass Brisbane City Hall and the Museum of Brisbane overlooking King George Square, then continue along Queen Street Mall, the city’s main pedestrian shopping avenue lined with cafés, arcades, and street performers. Nearby, the riverfront opens toward South Bank Parklands, where gardens, walking paths, and public art create a relaxed green space along the Brisbane River.

And as you explore its streets and riverbanks, it becomes clear why locals say Brisbane is a city wrapped around a river—because wherever you walk, the river is never far away.