Brisbane Shore Excursions
Australia · 22 independent tours
Across Australia — laws, safety & health
National rules and risks that apply anywhere in Australia — relayed from official sources, not our verdict. We pass on what the authority says and leave the judgement to you.
Laws that catch visitors out
- In all states it is illegal to smoke in enclosed public spaces.
- The Australian authorities act against anyone who imports or traffics illegal drugs — prosecution can lead to a lengthy prison sentence and deportation.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal, the penalties can be severe, and you must always wear a seat belt.
- Some drinks served in bars can be stronger than those in the UK.
Drones
Drones are regulated by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Flying for fun you do not need to register a recreational drone, but you must keep it within visual line of sight, fly no higher than 120m (400ft), stay at least 30m from people, fly only in daylight, and keep clear of airports (a drone over 250g must stay more than 5.5km from a controlled airport). Follow CASA’s drone safety rules.
via CASA (Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority) — drone safety rules · 28 Jun 2026
Scams to watch
Many types of scams target people in or travelling to Australia, including dating and romance scams, websites offering fake services, and building-repair scams. Guard against petty crime too: do not leave bags or luggage unattended, keep luggage out of sight in cars, and keep valuables and your passport in a hotel safe.
Health hazards
Australia has many dangerous animal species — crocodiles, jellyfish, sharks, and venomous insects, spiders and snakes — in many parts of the country. Rip currents are the main hazard for swimmers and surfers and can sweep even strong swimmers out to sea: swim at patrolled beaches and check there is enough depth before diving. Extreme heat is a serious risk, and bushfires can occur in any part of the country (the risk is highest November to February) and can start, change direction and threaten life very suddenly. In the tropical north, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and other insect- or tick-borne diseases are present.
via UK FCDO travel advice — Australia (safety and security + health) · 18 Jul 2026
Relayed from UK FCDO travel advice — Australia · checked 18 Jul 2026
Traffic drives on the left. Look right first when you cross the road.
Docking & terminals in Brisbane
Cruise ships berth at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) at 1 Cruise Terminal Drive, Pinkenba — 'Luggage Point', at the mouth of the Brisbane River. It is a purpose-built terminal over two floors (travelators and passenger lifts), and it is only open on days when a cruise ship is at berth.
- Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (Pinkenba / Luggage Point) — about 21 km from the Brisbane CBD — roughly a 30-minute drive; 12 km (15 minutes) from Brisbane Airport (taxi or rideshare from the terminal — the port states the terminal is not currently serviced by public transport)
Mobility & step-free access
Getting around between the pier and town:
- Taxi — Taxis serve the terminal on cruise days; the CBD is roughly a 30-minute drive (Port of Brisbane).
- Rideshare — Rideshare pick-up operates at the terminal (Port of Brisbane lists it alongside taxis and private vehicles).
- Shuttle / charter — Chartered connections and offsite-parking shuttles operate on cruise days — check whether your cruise line runs a city shuttle.
- Public transport — None to the terminal itself — the port states BICT is not currently serviced by public transport. In the city, Translink runs bus, train, ferry and tram services paid with a go card or contactless bank card.
Step-free options vary by pier and by the day — confirm the specifics with your operator and the ship’s guest-services desk before booking.
Your exact pier is assigned per sailing — confirm it on the ship's daily programme or gangway signage before heading ashore.
Getting around & must-sees in Brisbane
Getting around
BICT is a drive-out terminal — about 21 km (30 minutes) from the CBD at the river mouth, and the Port of Brisbane states it is not currently serviced by public transport. Plan on a taxi or rideshare into town (or a cruise-line/charter shuttle if your ship offers one).
- Taxi — Taxis serve the terminal on cruise days; the CBD is roughly a 30-minute drive (Port of Brisbane).
- Rideshare — Rideshare pick-up operates at the terminal (Port of Brisbane lists it alongside taxis and private vehicles).
- Shuttle / charter — Chartered connections and offsite-parking shuttles operate on cruise days — check whether your cruise line runs a city shuttle.
- Public transport — None to the terminal itself — the port states BICT is not currently serviced by public transport. In the city, Translink runs bus, train, ferry and tram services paid with a go card or contactless bank card.
Must-see sights
- South Bank Parklands — riverside lifestyle precinct — almost 15 hectares of lawns and the famous Streets Beach city pool with skyline views
- Museum of Brisbane — Located on Level 3, Brisbane City Hall; explores the city's history and culture through exhibitions and events — City Hall also runs Clock Tower tours
- Queen Street Mall — the city's main shopping strip — 500+ stores, dining and entertainment
Taxis & ride-hailing — Rideshare operates at the cruise terminal — the Port of Brisbane lists rideshare pick-up alongside taxis on its Getting Here page.
Getting back to the pier
Allow proper time: the terminal is about 30 minutes' drive from the CBD with no public-transport fallback, so book your taxi or rideshare back rather than assuming a rank queue on a busy ship day.
- Taxi / Rideshare — Both pick up at the terminal (Port of Brisbane); the CBD is ~21 km / 30 minutes away, 12 km / 15 minutes from the airport.
- Shuttle — Cruise-line or chartered shuttles where offered — confirm the last departure time ashore.
Key facts only — confirm times, fares and seasonal openings locally.
Operator policies we’ve checked in Brisbane
Before a tour earns its trust pills, we read the operator’s own site — their terms, cancellation and accessibility pages — and relay what they state. These are the operators’ own terms, not our verdicts; confirm when booking.
-
Adventure Moreton Island
- Cancellation policy — Cancelling never gets a refund at any notice period. You can pay to move to another date — $20 per person more than 48 hours ahead, and the full price inside 48 hours.
Checked 10 Aug 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Brisbane Whale Watching
- Cancellation policy — The operator publishes no customer cancellation policy — only an operator-side promise of a seat on the next cruise or a full refund if a cruise is cancelled for tide or weather.
- Accessibility — Wheelchair access depends on tides — the operator asks that you contact its booking team before booking.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Croc Tours
- Cancellation — varies across this operator’s tours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour with a full refund; inside 24 hours, and for a no-show, the full price is charged. Separately: Cancellation within 24 hours of the start incurs a 100% fee and no-shows are charged in full; the operator does not state what refund applies with more notice.
Checked 10 Aug 2026 · covers 2 tours listed on this page
-
Dark Stories Pty Ltd
- Cancellation policy — This operator publishes no cancellation terms on its own site — check the cancellation terms shown at booking.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Hit The Road Tours
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Full refund when cancelling or rescheduling up to 24 hours before the tour starts; no refunds or rescheduling after that.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Koala and River Cruises
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Full refund or credit when you cancel by phone at least 24 hours ahead; no-shows are charged in full. If the operator cancels for weather, you receive a full refund or credit.
- Accessibility — There are 28 stairs to climb from the boat to the entry gates at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Koala Xperience Tours
- Cancellation policy — This operator has no website of its own where cancellation terms could be checked — check the cancellation terms shown at booking.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Local Sauce Tours
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Free cancellation and date changes (subject to availability) up to 24 hours before the tour; no refunds for cancellations within 24 hours.
- Accessibility — The tour is wheelchair-friendly and accessible for guests with vision impairments; the roughly 3 km route is mostly flat and can be adjusted with advance notice.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- Cancellation policy — The venue's own conditions state tickets, experiences and tours are non-refundable, not redeemable for cash and not transferable — and if a chosen experience is sold out, the admission ticket is still not refunded.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Pineapple Tours
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Full refund with no fee if you cancel more than 48 hours before departure; nothing back inside 48 hours or for a no-show.
Checked 10 Aug 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Queensland Day Tours
- Cancellation policy — For direct bookings the operator refunds 100% with 24 hours notice, but its terms direct agent-booked customers to the agent's own cancellation policy — so the operator's window does not automatically cover platform bookings.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
River City Cruises
- Cancellation policy — The operator asks for 24 hours notice for cancellations, refunds and reschedules, without stating what refund is then given; late arrivals and no-shows forfeit full payment.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 2 tours listed on this page
-
Riverlife Adventure Centre
- Cancellation policy — All bookings are non-refundable; rescheduling is possible for a fee with at least 24 to 48 hours notice, and not at all with less than 24 hours notice.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Story Bridge Adventure Climb
- Cancellation policy — No refunds unless staff cancel the climb for safety. If you cannot make it, the operator may offer another date or a credit valid six months, but that is at its discretion.
Checked 10 Aug 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Stradbroke Island Tours
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Full refund when cancelling 24 or more hours before departure; less notice or a no-show gets no refund.
- Accessibility — Tours run in 12-seater minibuses which do not currently have wheelchair lift access; certified assistance animals are allowed subject to transport safety requirements.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Sunset Safaris
- Cancellation policy — Cancellation always incurs a fee on a sliding scale — 5% even with more than 7 days notice, rising to 100% within 24 hours — and the operator states there is no refund if an activity is cancelled for bad weather.
- Accessibility — The itinerary requires some mobility (or a carer to assist with lifting) for transfers onto shuttle buses, the 4WD bus and the kayaks; standard wheelchairs bog in Moreton Island's soft sand, so the operator advises hiring a beach wheelchair from a local supplier.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
-
Tangalooma Island Resort
- Free cancellation — verified with conditions: Free cancellation more than 48 hours before travel; inside 48 hours, on the day, or for a no-show, the full price is charged.
Checked 10 Aug 2026 · covers 3 tours listed on this page
-
Wesley Taylor Art Studios
- Cancellation policy — No refund is given if you miss your session, and dates cannot be changed within 7 days of the class — though you may give your seat to someone else. Check the exact terms at booking.
Checked 27 Jul 2026 · covers 1 tour listed on this page
Local know-hows in Brisbane
Money
- Currency
- Australian dollar (AUD)
- Cards
- Cards and contactless (tap) payment are accepted almost everywhere, including on Translink public transport via a go card or a contactless bank card.
- ATMs
- ATMs are widely available.
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in Australia — service staff are paid a full wage. Rounding up or leaving about 10% for exceptional restaurant service is appreciated but never obligatory.
Practicalities
- Language
- English.
- Tap water
- Tap water in Brisbane is supplied by Urban Utilities, which states it is committed to delivering drinking water meeting the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and complying with the Public Health Act 2005; water undergoes regular, thorough testing at many points of the treatment and distribution system. Bulk supply for South East Queensland comes from Seqwater.
- Plugs
- Type I sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz. Most non-Australian appliances need a plug adapter.
Key facts to know before you step off — confirm anything time-sensitive locally.
Port busyness in Brisbane
Usually quiet
Brisbane is a big city with a drive-out cruise terminal — ships berth at BICT, about 21 km from the centre, so passengers disperse by vehicle rather than pooling around a waterfront district. The terminal itself (opened June 2022) has welcomed hundreds of ships, but the city absorbs the crowds easily.
- Terminal is ~21 km from the CBD — crowds disperse by vehicle (Port of Brisbane)
- BICT opened June 2022 and has welcomed hundreds of cruise ships since (Port of Brisbane)
- Large city centre absorbs visitors
- Terminal only open on cruise-ship days
This shows a typical day for the time of year — actual crowds vary on your date, and it isn’t a guarantee.
What we’ve checked in Brisbane — and when
We last checked the facts on this page on 20 Jul 2026. Live travel advisories refresh automatically from the official sources.
- Docking & getting ashore
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 20 Jul 2026
- Getting around
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 20 Jul 2026
- How busy it gets
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 20 Jul 2026
- Operator policies
- From each operator’s own site and terms · 10 Aug 2026
- Travel advisories
- FCDO (GOV.UK) & US State Department · refreshed automatically