Brisbane offers a convenient, inexpensive and traffic-free way to explore the town using the CITYCAT, a system of catamaran ferries that stop at 14 terminals along the river.
The schedule is every 15 minutes and residents use the ferries as public transportation to get around so you see local people while riding, not just tourists. For visitors it’s easy – you can get on/off anywhere along the way and spend the day both on and off the river. The staff on the boat were great fun and super helpful to those who had questions.
To ride, we bought obligatory pre-loaded Go Cards to swipe/pay and spent about $5 each for the whole day. Soon the ferries will let you just swipe your credit card or other touchless payment method, but for now you have to buy a Go Card.
Along the way we picked up Jack, a long-time friend of Katherine and Andrew, and he joined us for the day. We stopped at New Farm Park for coffee first and then jumped back on the ferry to South Bank, where many restaurants and attractions are found. We had lunch at a great Vietnamese restaurant and then walked through parks, swimming areas and shopping areas back to the ferry. And then rode the Ferris wheel to see the city and surrounds from the air.
Brisbane is a city under construction. Everywhere you look, there are cranes and buildings being built. Since the river snakes continuously as it bisects the city, there are many bridges connecting the sides. Far from being consistent, they are crazily varied in style. Really interesting.
So overall, a really enjoyable way to spend the day. Highly recommended for visitors to Brisbane!
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