Brisbane for backpackers
A cheap, sunny base between the Gold Coast, Noosa and farm work up north.
Updated 12 October 2026
This guide has affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. More
Where to stay
- Fortitude Valley — nightlife central.
- South Brisbane / West End — South Bank, markets and food.
- Roma Street / CBD — close to the transit centre for buses up the coast.
Work
Hospitality and events are steady year-round. Brisbane is also the jumping-off point for farm work around Bundaberg, Gatton, the Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe.
Use the postcode checker before you take a job just outside the city — some outer suburbs count and some don’t.
Check a postcodeGetting around
Buses, trains and the CityCat ferries are run by Translink. Queensland has run a flat 50c fare on public transport — check Translink for current prices.
Do this
- South Bank lagoon (free).
- CityCat ferry along the river at sunset.
- Kangaroo Point cliffs.
- Day trips to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and North Stradbroke Island.
Keep reading
Sydney for backpackers: stay, work and play
Where to base yourself, how to find work fast, and the best free things to do.
Melbourne for backpackers: stay, work and play
Neighbourhoods, hospo jobs, the free tram zone and day trips worth the money.
Cairns for backpackers: reef, rainforest and work
The end of the East Coast run — and a great place to find work and sell your car.