Brisbane events & things to do in December 2026
Start with Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse, plus Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA. December in Brisbane averages 28°C / 83°F highs, 20°C / 67°F nights, and about 9 rainy days.
Expect 28°C/83°F days and about 9 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Queensland Museum and Sciencentre★ 4.6 · 10.0k reviewsThe museum in the South Bank cultural precinct covers Queensland natural history, fossils, biodiversity, First Nations material, transport, and family…
- New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse★ 4.6 · 5.4k reviewsNew Farm Park has river lawns, jacarandas, rose gardens, and ferry access, while the former 1920s power station became an arts venue in 2000.
- James Blake - Trying Times Australia TourDec 1The Fortitude Music Hall · Source: Ticketmaster
30% off a Going membership when you plan your trip.
By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Brisbane in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
83°F / 67°F
28.3°C / 19.5°C
RainPrecipitation
9d
5.1in · 130mm
LightDaylight
13.7h
Sea
81.1°F
27.3°C
December is hot, wet, and subtropical, with South Bank, Christmas events, and coast trips needing storm flexibility.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- Dec 1 – Dec 24
Christmas Parade and Pantomime
Each evening from early December until Christmas, the central city's Queen Street pedestrian mall is transformed with elves, sugarplum fairies, live camels, and a giant teddy bear.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 2
- Dec 3
Show all 17 events for December
- Dec 4
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 6
- Dec 6
- Dec 6
- Dec 8
- Dec 10
- Dec 10
- Dec 11
- Dec 12
- Dec 13
- Dec 15
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 26Boxing DayPublic holiday
- Dec 28Boxing Day (substitute day)Public holiday
- Dec 25-Dec 28Long weekend
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
- Dec 26-Dec 28Long weekend
About Brisbane
City overview
Brisbane sits on the Brisbane River in subtropical southeast Queensland, with the CBD, South Bank, Fortitude Valley, New Farm, West End, Kangaroo Point, Teneriffe, and Mount Coot-tha linking river ferries, art museums, music venues, markets, botanic gardens, and coast day trips. The city is warmer, greener, and more river-focused than Sydney or Melbourne, with South Bank, Story Bridge, GOMA, Lone Pine, and CityCat ferries shaping the first visit.
Food & drink
Brisbane food is subtropical and river-city casual: Moreton Bay bugs are sweet slipper-lobster tails often grilled with butter, barramundi and prawns carry seafood menus, mango desserts and avocado toast fit warm mornings, and steak stays common in Queensland pubs and grills. Eat Street Northshore, Fish Lane, James Street, West End, Howard Smith Wharves, Fortitude Valley, and South Bank add modern Australian plates, Greek food, Thai noodles, Vietnamese pho, and Japanese izakaya meals.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA
- 2Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane
- 3South Bank Parklands
- 4Story Bridge
- 5Roma Street Parkland
- 6Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens and Lookout
- 7Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- 8Wheel of Brisbane
1Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA
4.6★ · 695indoorOpen dailyQueensland Art Gallery opened at South Bank in 1982, and the Gallery of Modern Art followed in 2006 beside the river. The pair covers Australian, Indigenous, Asian-Pacific, contemporary, film, and major touring exhibitions.
2Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane
4.5★ · 3,337indoorOpen dailyCity Hall opened in 1930 on King George Square, with a clock tower, auditorium, civic rooms, and the Museum of Brisbane inside. It is close to Queen Street Mall and Central station.
3South Bank Parklands
4.8★ · 2,036outdoorOpen dailyThe former Expo 88 site reopened as riverfront parkland in the 1990s, with Streets Beach, lawns, restaurants, gardens, playgrounds, and cultural-precinct access. It sits across the Victoria Bridge from the CBD.
Wikipedia
Show 3 more sights
- 4Story Bridge
- 5Roma Street Parkland
- 6Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens and Lookout
Neighborhoods
1CBD and Riverfront
The CBD is compact and office-led, with Queen Street Mall, City Hall, Eagle Street Pier, Botanic Gardens, riverwalks, and ferry terminals.
2South Bank and South Brisbane
South Bank and South Brisbane are cultural and family-friendly, with GOMA, Queensland Museum, QPAC, Streets Beach, Fish Lane, and river promenades.
3Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley is nightlife-and-music focused, with Brunswick Street, Chinatown Mall, James Street, clubs, live rooms, Asian restaurants, and late dining.
Day trips
80km / 45-75min by train from Central to Helensvale, then tram or bus to beach districts
Gold Coast
Surf beaches, Burleigh Heads, Surfers Paradise, theme parks, and coastal restaurants make the fastest ocean day south of Brisbane.
105km / about 90min by car or train-bus links from Brisbane
Sunshine Coast
Mooloolaba, Noosa, beaches, national-park headlands, markets, and hinterland towns give a slower northbound coast day.
40km / about 75min by ferry from Holt Street Wharf to Tangalooma
Moreton Island
Sand dunes, clear water, snorkeling wrecks, kayaking, beaches, and dolphin-viewing programs make a full island day.
Getting around
Translink trains, buses, CityCat ferries, and river crossings use go card and Smart Ticketing on many routes, with Central, Roma Street, South Bank, and Fortitude Valley as key nodes. Use CityCats for river movement, trains for Gold Coast and airport links, and buses or rideshare for Mount Coot-tha and Lone Pine.
Planning a Brisbane trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Common questions about Brisbane in December
- What to pack for Brisbane in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Brisbane checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 28°C / 83°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 20°C / 67°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 9 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Brisbane
- 4 days covers the main Brisbane highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Brisbane worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Brisbane averages 28°C / 83°F highs, 20°C / 67°F nights, and about 9 rainy days.
Ready to plan Brisbane?
You've seen what's on — now get a day-by-day Brisbane plan for December 2026, every place checked for your exact dates.