Where to find fairies in Brisbane City

Hunting for fairies in Brisbane? Find secret fairy doors, enchanting (beer) gardens, magical fairy lights, and hidden nooks in the CBD.

Whether you’re looking for a fun, free activity to do with the kids or somewhere sparkly to grab a drink, you’ll find a tiny oasis around every corner.

Discover the entrance to fairyland

Enter the City Botanic Gardens adjacent to the Goodwill Bridge to find two magical fig trees covered in fairy lights. The sparkling canopy welcomes you in to the historic gardens. Chase fairies through Brisbane's lush, inner-city haven, meet the wildlife and explore the fig trees.

Brisbane City Council's City of Lights project lights up Brisbane City

Source: Lady Brisbane. Follow Lady Brisbane on Instagram.

Source: Lady Brisbane

Uncover a hidden fairy door

Stroll down Burnett Lane, a hidden laneway in Queen Street Mall, and you’ll find a little red fairy door. Take a break at one of the hideaway cafes, Felix or Brew, along the way.

Artwork and photograph by environmental/guerrilla artist Mace Robertson. Follow Mace Robertson on Instagram.

Felix for Goodness, laneway cafe in Brisbane CBD

Felix for Goodness, Burnett Lane.

For the big kids

Love the magic of fairy lights but prefer to do it with a bevvy in hand (glitter wings optional)?

Sip on apertivi and snack on Sicilian fare at Bar OTTO, complete with a ceiling of twinkling fairy lights and a city view overlooking St John’s Cathedral.

Head to the Stock Exchange rooftop bar and sit beneath a canopy of fairy lights and hanging plants while enjoying the city skyline.

Riverbar and Kitchen is one of Brisbane City’s favourite beer gardens with sparkling fairy lights and waterfront views. Tuck into bar snacks and keep an eye out for water fairies.

Riverbar

The Grand Central Hotel gets lit every evening with cascading fairy lights hanging down the face of the heritage building. Dine al fresco to soak up the magic and people-watching.

City of Lights

Brisbane City Council's City of Lights project is seeing creative lighting installed across Brisbane City and wider Brisbane. You can find a map of lights around Brisbane and the City of Lights strategy here.

By Penny Massey

When Penny’s not brunching on chicken waffles at Kettle & Tin or hanging out with her cat, she’s probably in @BrisbaneCity buying shoes or channelling her spirit animal, Annabel Crab. If you happen to catch her outside the suburb of Paddington, it’ll likely be at Doo Bop dancing to free jazz, eating the award-winning degustation at Urbane or immersing herself in Brisbane’s startup ecosystem. Either way, hand her a champagne saber and see what happens next.

Fun things to do with the fam

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33 cheap eats in Brisbane City
A week to go before pay day and you're feeling the pinch? We've got you covered and have sourced the wallet-friendly eats in Brisbane City that cost no more than $15.
Family-friendly dining
Grab the kids' attention and get them involved with some of these family-friendly eats in the CBD. If it’s something that makes them go “COOL!”, then you know you’re onto a winner.
Picnic spots in Brisbane City
If you’re planning a picnic with friends or a loved one, we’ve made the job easy for you by compiling all of Brisbane City’s best spots.
Your guide to markets in Brisbane City
Discover the best of the city’s markets offerings - from farm-fresh produce to handmade jewellery, Brisbane City’s markets have got the goods. There's flavours to sample, second-hand stalls to peruse and handmade goods of both the edible and non-edible variety to entice.