Car hire in Brisbane
A city of sun and sophistication
Whether you’re sun-seekers or culture vultures, Brisbane has a great deal to offer its visitors. Live city life to the full, then take off in your car rental to discover the many delights of Queensland and its awe-inspiring coastline.
Car rental that’s streets ahead
Our car hire facilities are on hand to provide you with the vehicle of your choice, whatever the type, whatever the size. Priority service is also on offer via our Avis Preferred loyalty programme so you can beat the queues and cut down on the paperwork.
Popular car hire locations in Brisbane
A subtropical hotspot
In a laid-back city like this you’ll have plenty of opportunities to relax. South Bank Parklands even has a man-made beach and fresh water lagoon along the riverside. The facility also offers rainforest walks, restaurants and cafés, markets and landscaped gardens. The South Bank Lifestyle Market is held all day at weekends and is a great place to pick up an arty souvenir or just to soak up the local atmosphere. The summertime ‘Riverfestival’ also takes place here and opens with ‘Riverfire’, a fabulous choreographed fireworks display. In recent years, the event has merged with the Brisbane Festival, which hosts a range of theatre, dance, comedy and music performances.
South Bank can also be said to be the city’s cultural centre and the location of the Queensland art gallery, state library, museum and performing arts centre.
You could also venture further afield and drive to the Powerhouse, the contemporary arts hub in the New Farm suburb, with facilities for dining and conferences. It stands next to New Farm Park on the banks of the river. Free parking is available in New Farm Park or onsite.
Brisbane river, lined with mangroves, winds its way scenically and serenely through the city centre. It is also the setting for a wide range of exciting sports and adventure activities. Try your hand at kayaking past the city skyline at night. Good head for heights? Why not climb or abseil the Kangaroo Point cliffs or scale the Story Bridge to enjoy the spectacular views.
With your feet firmly back on the ground, discover the Queen Street shopping mall featuring more than 700 retailers. While on Queen Street you can also admire period façades and historic buildings, notably the impressive Customs House, now a cultural and educational facility and events venue.
When it’s time for wining and dining, why not book a table with a view in one of the many riverside restaurants or eateries situated along the South Bank lagoon.
Car hire and the coast
The city is an ideal starting point for visits to eastern Australia’s magnificent coastline.Do as the locals do and take a day trip to Moreton Bay and its islands. Here, you’ll find the city’s marine park a mere 15 miles from the city centre. You can sail, swim and surf or do a spot of whale watching. Try your hand at sea kayaking or snorkelling among the coral reefs or hire a boat and go fishing. Of course, you could just soak up some sun on the beach.
Drive north along the beautiful Sunshine Coast to Noosa, an easy 90-minute drive along the Bruce Highway. This is a subtropical paradise of long sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, a cosmopolitan atmosphere and national park. The lush Noosa ‘hinterland’ is made up of a fascinating pattern of peaceful lakes, forests and volcanic formations.
Further north up the coast lies Fraser Island, around four hours from the city. This is the world’s largest sand island, World Heritage listed, and the only place in the world where rainforests grow on sand dunes to over 200 m in height. Most of the island is a protected national park and home to possums, wallabies and dingoes, as well as rainforest trees over a thousand years old. Admire the pure white sands, strikingly coloured cliffs and freshwater lakes.
Also World Heritage listed is of course the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for more than 1,200 miles along the Queensland coast, from the towns of Port Douglas to Bundaberg. It’s a living work of art, big enough to be seen from outer space. You can hop between palm tree-lined islands and then explore the coral and marine life below.
They don’t call it the sunshine state for nothing.