Brisbane Tours
for Seniors

Established in 1927 and the oldest koala sanctuary in the world, with more than 130 koalas in open, naturalistic enclosures rather than cages. Paved and level throughout, with seating at regular intervals and shade over most of the main paths. The site slopes gently from the entrance down toward the river enclosures, so the return leg is uphill — gentle, but noticeable at the end of a warm morning. Wheelchairs are available to borrow at the entrance and do not need booking. Koala holding means standing for a minute or two with a handler beside you; guests who cannot stand comfortably are photographed seated instead, which staff arrange without any fuss. In the kangaroo meadow you can stay on a bench and let the animals come to you.

The easiest thing we do in Brisbane, and the one that shows the city best — the Story Bridge (opened 1940), the Kangaroo Point cliffs, the mangroves and the CBD reach all read better from the water than from a coach window. The river winds twenty-three kilometres through the city, and a cruise covers more of it in an hour than a day of walking would. Boarding is by ramp from a floating pontoon, which rises and falls with the tide so the gradient stays shallow whatever time you sail. Indoor and outdoor seating, accessible toilets on board, and commentary through a PA that works with a hearing loop. Almost no walking at any point. If a guest is having a difficult day, this is the stop we keep and the walking ones we drop.

The city, the river's whole course and Moreton Bay in one view, with the Glass House Mountains visible to the north on a clear day. Accessible parking sits close to the terrace and the main viewing platform is step-free from there. The restaurant and cafe terrace both have seating with the full panorama, so nobody has to stand at the rail to see it, and there are shade shelters on the terrace itself for anyone who would rather stay outside without the sun. Large windows inside the restaurant give the same view from a chair on a hot or wet day. The bushland tracks below the lookout are unsealed and steep and are not part of our itinerary. Wind at the top can be strong and cold even on a warm day — worth a layer.

The 1988 World Expo site, now seventeen hectares of riverside parkland with the Nepalese Peace Pagoda, the Wheel of Brisbane and the arts precinct along its western edge. The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art sit at the northern end and charge nothing for general entry to the permanent collections, though major touring exhibitions are ticketed — worth knowing if the weather turns and the group wants somewhere cool and seated. Flat, sealed and well shaded by the Arbour walkway — but it is a long precinct, end to end is well over a kilometre, and guests regularly underestimate it. We drop and collect at different points rather than making anyone walk the full length twice. Streets Beach has ramp entry into shallow water. Accessible toilets are frequent and marked on the map we hand out at the start of the day.

Fifty-two hectares below the lookout, and the best of it is reachable without steps: the Japanese Garden, the tropical display dome and the lagoon circuit all sit on sealed paths with a gentle grade and plenty of bench seating. The bamboo grove and the arid zone involve firmer gradients and loose surfaces in places, so we treat those as optional rather than pretending otherwise. There is a free shuttle within the gardens on some days — worth asking at the information kiosk when we arrive.

Door-to-door pickup from retirement villages and aged care facilities across greater Brisbane, coordinated directly with facility staff or the activity coordinator so boarding happens at a time that suits the routine rather than ours. For private addresses we confirm a kerbside point with a level step-down and no long walk from the door. If the driveway will not take a coach, we say so when we quote rather than discovering it on the morning.