The Best Accessible Things To Do In Brisbane

Last updated: 29 July 2026

By Sarah Townsend, Marketing Manager at Story Bridge Adventure Climb

Brisbane is one of Australia’s most accessible cities to visit: flat riverside paths, lift-equipped ferries, free wheelchair-accessible galleries, and the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb. This two-day itinerary strings the best of it together, centred on Howard Smith Wharves so you can do the whole trip with one base and minimal transfers.

The best accessible things to do in Brisbane are the Story Bridge Adventure Climb’s Accessible Climb ($180, the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb), dining at Felons Brewing Co and the Howard Smith Wharves precinct, an accessible stay at Crystalbrook Vincent beneath the bridge, the free galleries of the South Bank Cultural Precinct reached by lift-equipped CityCat ferry, New Farm Park and the Brisbane Powerhouse, and Vertigo, Australia’s first vertical dining experience at the Powerhouse.

Key Takeaways

• The Accessible Climb ($180) makes the Story Bridge the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb, a benchmark for inclusive adventure tourism
• Crystalbrook Vincent lists wheelchair access among its facilities and its rooftop pool has a wheelchair lift, but it does not publish an adapted-room count, so confirm room type with reservations
• CityCat ferries are wheelchair-accessible with designated spaces, and every trip costs 50 cents
• GOMA, the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum Kurilpa and the State Library are all free to enter
• Two days covers this itinerary comfortably, all within a 20-minute ferry radius of Howard Smith Wharves

What Does This Accessible Brisbane Itinerary Cost?

Excluding accommodation and the Vertigo dinner, which is priced on booking, this two-day accessible itinerary costs roughly $210 to $245 per adult. The Accessible Climb is most of that at $180. Two of the seven experiences, the South Bank Cultural Precinct and the Brisbane Powerhouse with New Farm Park, are free, and the CityCat ferry that links them costs a flat 50 cents a trip.

Day 1: Can Wheelchair Users Climb The Story Bridge?

Yes. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb made history by launching the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb, setting a new benchmark for inclusive adventure tourism. Participants ascend in a motorised stair-climber wheelchair built to the highest safety standard and customised for the Story Bridge, with climb leaders operating the chair while three group members manage a guide rope. The Accessible Climb runs as a private morning group of up to nine people: one wheelchair user plus a minimum of three supporting companions, on a four-person minimum booking. It costs $180 per person, one concession card is accepted per booking, and it takes 2.5 to 3 hours. The minimum age is six and the weight limit is 130kg. The summit gives panoramic views across the river, Moreton Bay and the city, and every climber gets an SBAC cap and a group photo.

Advance booking is essential so the team can tailor the experience to your requirements: contact the reservations team when booking to discuss your needs. The climb departs from Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, which is step-free with lift access from the car park.

Day 1: Celebrate At Felons Brewing Co

Head beneath the bridge to Felons Brewing Co at 5 Boundary Street, the same address the climb departs from. Felons brews on site and states that all sections of the venue except a small upper deck balcony are wheelchair accessible. It is open 11am to late daily. The core range runs from Crisp Light to the IPA, alongside an average of 26 specialty beers a year, roughly one a fortnight. Food is woodfired pizza, burgers and pub classics, plus fresh seafood from the Fish n Chipper. If you want the story behind the beer, brewery tours run Saturdays and Sundays at 12pm and 2pm for $35 per person, capped at eight people, over 18s only, closed-toe shoes required. Toasting the climb while looking up at the span you just conquered is rather the point.

Day 1: Stay At Crystalbrook Vincent

Crystalbrook Vincent is carved into the cliff face directly beneath the Story Bridge, sharing the 5 Boundary Street address with the climb, so the whole day happens in one precinct with no transfers. It has 166 rooms, runs on the group’s Responsible Luxury programme as an EarthCheck certified partner, and lists wheelchair access among its facilities, with a wheelchair lift serving the rooftop pool. The hotel asks guests with mobility needs to flag them in advance so it can prioritise lift access and help with luggage. It does not publish a count of adapted rooms, so confirm the room configuration with reservations before you book. Check-in is from 2pm and check-out by 10am. Fiume, the rooftop bar on Level 3, is reached through the entrance behind Felons Brewing Co and serves a five-plate tasting menu at $59 per person.

Day 2: Ferry To Brisbane’s Cultural Precinct

Spend the morning in South Bank, Brisbane’s cultural centre, home to Queensland Museum Kurilpa, the State Library, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Performing Arts Centre and GOMA, all free to enter. Queensland Museum Kurilpa states that all entrances and areas are wheelchair accessible with lifts to every level, and the State Library states the same for its South Bank building. For QAGOMA, contact the Information Desk on +61 (0)7 3840 7303 to confirm access and to book a free wheelchair loan. From the Howard Smith Wharves ferry terminal, catch the F1 CityCat towards UQ St Lucia for the 18-minute ride to South Bank; CityCats have ramp boarding and designated wheelchair spaces, and the trip costs 50 cents (TransLink). Ferry back for lunch at one of the Wharves’ waterfront restaurants.

Day 2: Ferry To Brisbane Powerhouse In New Farm Park

A CityCat ride in the other direction lands you at the New Farm Park ferry terminal on the F1 route, a 440-metre walk from the Brisbane Powerhouse, with services every 15 to 30 minutes. The Powerhouse is a 1920s power station reborn as Queensland’s home of contemporary art and culture, staging more than 1,250 performances a year across two main-stage theatres, three smaller venues and gallery spaces. Entry to the building and the ground-floor Fairfax Studio gallery is free. Accessibility here is unusually thorough: lifts connect all levels, wheelchair-accessible toilets are on every level, five accessible parking bays are set aside for permit holders, wheelchairs are available on request and Companion Cards are accepted. Accessible seating and staff assistance both need 24 hours notice, and note that the Powerhouse Theatre balcony is not wheelchair accessible. New Farm Park itself covers 15 hectares, open 8.30am to 11pm daily, with rose gardens, an Edwardian bandstand rotunda and two playgrounds.

Day 2: Have Dinner 17 Metres Above The Ground

Finish with Access Vertigo, billed as the first vertical dining experience of its kind for wheelchair users. Guests are winched to the dining platform in a purpose-built chair made from aircraft-grade aluminium, with their own wheelchair winched alongside on a backup safety system and its wheels locked. A sling is provided for private transfers, staff assist as needed, and the transfer method is tailored from a questionnaire you complete beforehand. Once up, you get a curated charcuterie box and panoramic views over the Powerhouse. Standard Vertigo sits four storeys up on the building industrial facade, 17 metres above the ground, and runs Friday and Saturday 5pm to 9pm from $159 per person. Access Vertigo runs in the same window, is assessed case by case, and is booked by emailing the venue rather than online. Arrive 30 minutes early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Story Bridge climb wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb launched the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb, allowing people with accessibility requirements including wheelchair users to summit Brisbane’s iconic bridge. The Accessible Climb costs $180 per person and takes 2.5 to 3 hours. It runs as a private morning group of up to nine, made up of one wheelchair user and at least three supporting companions, with a four-person minimum. Climbers ride a motorised stair-climber wheelchair customised for the Story Bridge, operated by trained climb leaders. The minimum age is six and the weight limit is 130kg. Book ahead through the reservations team to discuss individual requirements.

Are Brisbane’s ferries wheelchair accessible?

Yes. CityCat ferries have ramp boarding and designated wheelchair spaces, and terminals along the main river route including Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and New Farm Park are accessible. Every trip costs a flat 50 cents with tap-on from any Visa, Mastercard or go card, making the ferry both the most accessible and the cheapest way to move around Brisbane.

Which Brisbane attractions are free and accessible?

The entire South Bank Cultural Precinct is free to enter: GOMA, the Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum Kurilpa and the State Library of Queensland. Queensland Museum Kurilpa and the State Library both state that all entrances and areas are wheelchair accessible with lifts to all levels and accessible toilets on each floor. New Farm Park, the Brisbane Powerhouse and the South Bank Parklands riverfront paths are also free and accessible.

Where should wheelchair users stay in Brisbane?

Crystalbrook Vincent at Howard Smith Wharves is the natural base for this itinerary. It sits beneath the Story Bridge at 5 Boundary Street, the same address the Accessible Climb departs from, and lists wheelchair access among its facilities. It does not publish a count of adapted rooms, so confirm the room configuration with reservations before booking, and flag any mobility needs in advance so the hotel can prioritise lift access. Staying in the precinct puts the climb, the restaurants and the ferry terminal all within a few hundred metres.

How many days do you need for an accessible Brisbane trip?

Two days covers Brisbane’s accessible highlights comfortably: day one for the Accessible Climb, Felons Brewing Co and Howard Smith Wharves, day two for the South Bank Cultural Precinct, New Farm Park and dinner at Vertigo, all connected by accessible CityCat ferries within a 20-minute radius.