An Evening at Queen’s Wharf Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf is the newest part of the Brisbane CBD. It runs along the river at the southern end of the city, and it joins South Bank by a walking bridge.

This guide covers what is there, how to get there, where to eat and which hotels are close by. Venues change, so check the precinct’s own website before you book.

What Queen’s Wharf is in Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf is a large riverside precinct at the southern end of the Brisbane CBD, around William Street and George Street. It covers restaurants, bars, hotels, apartment towers, a casino, restored heritage buildings and new public space along the river.

The first stage opened in late August 2024. The casino there trades as The Star Brisbane. Its opening replaced the old Treasury Casino on Queen Street, which closed on 25 August 2024 after almost 30 years.

For a night out, three things matter most. There is the river frontage, with paths and places to sit. There is the Sky Deck, a rooftop walkway about 100 metres above the street with restaurants and bars along it. And there is the Neville Bonner Bridge, which puts South Bank a few minutes away on foot.

Much of the precinct is public space, open to anyone. You do not need to visit the casino to spend an evening there.

Along the water, a new riverside path called the Riverline runs past the precinct for walkers and cyclists. It links up with the paths towards the Goodwill Bridge and North Quay, so you can walk a long way beside the river from here.

The Neville Bonner Bridge: South Bank to the Brisbane CBD

The Neville Bonner Bridge opened to the public on 28 August 2024. It is a walking bridge of more than 300 metres, from Queen’s Wharf to South Bank Parklands and the Cultural Centre.

The bridge is named after Neville Bonner, a senator for Queensland and the first Aboriginal Australian to sit in federal Parliament. It is for pedestrians only. Bikes and e-scooters are not allowed on it.

The bridge changes how you can plan an evening. You can see a show at QPAC or walk through South Bank Parklands, then cross the river for dinner. Or eat at Queen’s Wharf first and walk over to South Bank for a drink after.

At night the walk across is part of the evening. The city is lit up on one side and South Bank on the other. Take a few minutes in the middle of the bridge. It is one of the best free views in Brisbane.

Getting to Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf is in the city centre, so most ways into the CBD bring you close. The main options are:

• On foot from South Bank. Cross the Neville Bonner Bridge or the Victoria Bridge.
• On foot from the city. Walk down George Street or William Street from the Queen Street Mall.
• By ferry. The North Quay ferry terminal is a short walk away.
• By train. Brisbane Central station is in the CBD, and South Brisbane station is across the river near the Neville Bonner Bridge.
• By bus. Many city buses stop close by, including the free City Loop.
• By car. The precinct has car parks. Check its website for current details.
• By bike. The riverside path from the Goodwill Bridge to North Quay runs along the front of the precinct.

If you are staying in a city hotel, walking is usually quickest. From most CBD hotels you can reach Queen’s Wharf in a few minutes.

Queen’s Wharf also makes a good meeting point. If you are meeting someone for the first time, a named spot such as the city end of the Neville Bonner Bridge is easy to find.

Coming straight from the airport? The Airtrain runs from Brisbane Airport to the city, including Brisbane Central station. Allow extra time in peak hour.

Late on a weekend, rideshare pick-ups around the precinct can be busy. Walking a block or two up into the city before you book a car can save time.

Dinner with river views at Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf has dozens of places to eat and drink. The line-up changes, so treat this list as a starting point and check the precinct’s website before you book.

The Sky Deck is the main draw for views. It is a rooftop walkway high above the street, with three venues along it: Aloria, Babblers and Cicada Blu. From up there you look across the river to South Bank and down the length of the city reach.

At street level and in the resort, the precinct lists places such as:

• Sokyo: Japanese dining.
• Black Hide Steak & Seafood by Gambaro: a steak and seafood restaurant.
• Cucina Regina: an Italian restaurant.
• Fat Noodle: Southeast Asian dishes.

For a date, the Sky Deck suits a first drink before dinner, while the light fades. Then you can move down to a restaurant, or across the bridge to South Bank.

The Sky Deck is popular at sunset, so book ahead if you want a table there at that time.

We do not list prices or opening hours. They change, and each venue publishes its own. Book with the venue directly, and ask for a table with a river view if that matters to you.

If you would rather eat somewhere quieter, the restaurants around Eagle Street and the rest of the CBD are a short walk away. South Bank, over the bridge, has more choice again.

Heritage buildings at Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf is not all new towers. The precinct takes in a group of state-owned heritage buildings from Brisbane’s early years as the capital of Queensland. Most of them are open to the public again after years behind closed doors.

The best known is the Land Administration Building, now the Treasury Hotel. Next to it is the old Treasury Building, which housed the Treasury Casino until August 2024.

Nearby on William Street is the Commissariat Store. It was built by convicts in the 1820s and is one of the oldest buildings in Brisbane. Queens Gardens, with its statue of Queen Victoria, sits beside the old Treasury Building.

A slow walk past these buildings before dinner is a good way to start the evening. They are lit at night, and the sandstone looks its best after dark.

Most of these buildings date from the 1800s. Queensland became a separate colony in 1859, and Brisbane’s new government built many of its offices along George Street and William Street.

Hotels near Queen’s Wharf in the Brisbane CBD

If you are in Brisbane for work or a short stay, there are hotels inside the precinct and many more a short walk away.

• The Star Grand: the five-star hotel inside the precinct, next to the casino.
• Treasury Hotel: in the heritage Land Administration Building.
• W Brisbane: on North Quay, beside the precinct.
• The Westin Brisbane and Sofitel Brisbane Central: elsewhere in the CBD, a short rideshare or walk away.

More hotels are planned for the precinct, including a Dorsett and a Rosewood. Check whether they have opened before you plan a stay around them.

In Brisbane for work? Our guide on hotel outcall for business travellers covers planning around meetings and late flights.

We name these hotels as places only. Elara has no partnership with any hotel or venue at Queen’s Wharf. If you are staying in the city, our page on Brisbane CBD escorts explains how hotel outcall in Brisbane works: a companion comes to your room at the time you choose.

An evening plan for Queen’s Wharf and South Bank, Brisbane

Queen’s Wharf and South Bank work best together. The Neville Bonner Bridge turns them into one evening instead of two. Here is a simple plan you can adjust:

• Before sunset: walk past the heritage buildings and Queens Gardens while there is still light.
• At sunset: head up to the Sky Deck for a first drink as the city lights come on.
• Dinner: choose a restaurant in the precinct, or cross the bridge to South Bank.
• After dinner: walk across the Neville Bonner Bridge, and stop in the middle for the view.
• Late: a nightcap at a city hotel bar, or a slow walk along the river at South Bank.

If you are seeing a show at QPAC, turn the plan around. Eat early at Queen’s Wharf, cross the bridge for the show, then come back over for a late drink.

Brisbane evenings are warm for most of the year. From June to August they are cool and dry, which suits the walk across the river. In summer, storms can arrive in the late afternoon, so have an indoor option ready.

The precinct is busiest on Friday and Saturday nights and during big events in the city. Book restaurants ahead for those nights, and allow extra time to get a table on the Sky Deck.

A dinner date at Queen’s Wharf with a Brisbane companion

Queen’s Wharf suits a dinner date. You can start with a drink on the Sky Deck, have dinner with a river view and walk back to a city hotel. A dinner date companion in Brisbane can meet you at the restaurant, dressed for the venue.

When you enquire, tell reception the venue, the time, how long you have in mind and the dress code. Reception confirms availability and the details with you before anything is booked. Payment is cash, at the time of the booking.

If you want to extend the evening across the river, our page on South Bank escorts covers that side of the Neville Bonner Bridge.

The casino floor at The Star Brisbane is for adults only, and staff can ask for ID. Plan the evening around the restaurants and the river, and treat the casino as optional.

Reception answers enquiries 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If plans change, please give at least 2 hours’ notice to cancel.