Secrets Of Brisbane's Cbd
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Brisbane’s CBD may be a bustling, modern, retail and commercial hub, but its streets contain a motley bunch of secrets that only few are privy to. Some are well-hidden, some you need to head off the beaten track to find, and a few are walked past every day without being noticed.
From convict relics to mushroom farms in historic basements, here are some of Brisbane CBD’s secrets revealed:
Tucked away in the Queensland Police HQ on Roma Street is this fascinating little museum that is free to visit, showcasing the history of the Qld police force as well as the crimes that defined the state ..more
More than a million books are packed into the shelves of this museum-like bookshop in a century-old warehouse, including rare and out-of-print editions and pre-loved books across all genres...more
Behind the stately Corinthian columns of this grand Masonic Temple lies an extraordinary ornate hall decorated with gold leaf and with one of Qld's oldest organs, with tours available annually on Brisbane Open House weekend...more
Brisbane's oldest collection of books & publications including the 1st edition of The Moreton Bay Courier can be found inside Parliament House and accessed by the public as part of the visitor's tour...more
Brisbane's oldest surviving drinking fountain dating from 1867 when mains water was first introduced to the town, can be found in the City Botanic Gardens and takes its name from the Gardens' first curator... more
Tucked away in a laneway at the rear of the heritage warehouse housing Archives Books is another hidden treasure - a quaint pocket-sized cafewith its own piano...more
Behind the GPO near St Stephen's Cathedral is oldest chapel c1850, designed by Gothic revivalist Pugin and still in use, noted for its life-size camphor sculpture of St Mary MacKillop...more
One of only 2 remaining convict-built buildings from the penal settlement offers a glimpse into the convict era and early colonial times of Brisbane from the fascinating little in-house museum...more
General Macarthur's wartime office sits untouched from the time he sat at the leather-top desk during World War II, the HQ from where he directed the entire Asia Pacific wartime effort...more
Festival Hall Walk of Fame
Brisbane's iconic Festival Hall, where the entertainment greats of the 20th century performed may be gone but inside Oaks on the Albert St corner where it stood is a gallery of photos from its glory days.
Underneath the south-east freeway is another world, with this brand new start-of-the-art gym that is free to use that comes with its own urban ping pong tables... more
Everybody knows the landmark Shrine of Remembrance overlooking Anzac Square but few take time out to visit the galleries underneath where you'll get an extraordinary insight into...more
Many walk past this city church without a clue that inside are some amazing historical relics from Gallipoli in World War I and from the Braveheart era of seventeenth century Scotland...more
One of Brisbane's earliest drinking fountains and a rare public relic from the Victorian era, this ornate Gothic monument was originally a memorial to a death in the great fire of 1877...more
Uncover more of the secrets of Brisbane CBD and beyond at Brisbane Open House weekend on Jul 19 & 20.
