Parliament House
Constructed back in 1868, the Brisbane Parliament House is the active seat of Queensland’s ruling Parliament. It was Australia’s first Parliament House to be wired with electricity, and remains an architectural gem in Queensland’s bustling capital. For a detailed look at inside the building, join an afternoon public tour through the building’s exquisite interior, where you’ll pass the foyer and grand staircase and see the building’s verandah, and view the curious “wind yarn,” or Parliament’s didgeridoo. When Parliament is in session, you can sit and watch as the laws are made and Queensland’s elect are at work, and there are even those who say the building is haunted with political ghosts. Aside from the architecture, regal surroundings, and dose of Australian history, a visit to Brisbane’s Parliament house is a way to view the political process that rules the northeastern state.
Practical Info
Brisbane’s Parliament House is located on the corner of Alice and George streets, and is an easy walk from any site in Brisbane’s CBD. It’s set just across the street from the Botanic Gardens, and public tours are conducted Monday-Friday, at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm. On days when Parliament is actively sitting, there is one tour at day at 2pm where you can also watch Parliament in session. To join the tour, check in at the visitor center in the Parliament Annex by using the Alice Street entrance. Once per month, there is a High Tea from 10:30am-noon for $47/person.
