A Definitive Guide To Howard Smith Wharves

Kiss the Brisbane of yesteryear goodbye as Howard Smith Wharves sends the city’s cool factor to soaring new heights.

Brisbane is unravelling from its nondescript cocoon into a vivacious social butterfly. Home to more than a fistful of the world’s best restaurants, euphoric waterfront bars and high-luxe accommodation offerings, the city is having a real moment. Nothing encompasses everything it’s destined to become more vividly than Howard Smith Wharves, located beneath Story Bridge and right on the Brisbane River. A beautifully planned portal into the city’s re-energised future, the entertainment precinct continues to be a one-stop shop for play-all-day fun.

Top 3 reasons to visit Howard Smith Wharves

From an idyllic riverfront setting to its surprising amount of communal spaces, Howard Smith Wharves offers something for every member of your clan.

1. Felons Brewing Co.

A sunny day at Felon Brewing Co. at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane — Felons Brewing Co. is the jewel in the crown of Howard Smith Wharves.

Sure, there’s plenty to adore here, but Felons Brewing Co. , sprawled across two gigantic venues that spill into turfed al fresco spaces and riverfronting deck seating, is Howard Smith Wharves’ headline act.

While the food in the brewery makes magic out of top-notch, often locally sourced, ingredients (and three pizza ovens, including one dedicated to thin ‘n’ crispy) and the beer is as good as it gets, Felons’ unpretentious, fearlessly creative ethos serves as the lifeblood of the precinct.

Explore the Barrel Hall, Felons’ second venue, lined with barrel-aged beer and welcoming festivals, concerts, the odd art fair and smashing Thai food (more on that later), to discover just how ambitious this part of town truly is.

2. Howard Smith Wharves’ outdoor spaces

Couple picnic in New Farm Park near Howard Smith Wharves — Head to the New Farm end of the precinct for the perfect picnic patch. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Multiple grass patches at the New Farm end of Howard Smith Wharves blend interactive art installations with ample room for parents to stretch their kids’ legs. But best of all, they’re positioned to take in solid eyefuls of the Brown Snake as the Brooklyn-esque Story Bridge looms overhead. Plus, the Main Lawn is dotted with bean bags, picnic tables, live music and umbrellas on Saturday and Sunday from 3 pm to 6 pm, and you can order food to-go from the eateries. If it’s a gourmet picnic you’re famished for, they’ve got you sorted.

3. A waterfront walk in the heart of Brisbane

People walking and cycling the New Farm River Walk — Early birds love to take advantage of the New Farm Riverwalk. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Early birds love the New Farm Riverwalk, a suspended pathway that wraps the Brisbane River from Riverview Court in New Farm to the Howard Smith Wharves.

If you’re visiting the entertainment precinct in the morning, you’ll spy activewear-clad, caffeine-gripping exercisers dotting the entertainment precinct. If you’re keen to venture into Brisbane’s CBD, the riverside boardwalk will take you directly to the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

Howard Smith Wharves restaurants and bars

Perched right up against the Brisbane River (except Gigi’s, which fronts directly onto the Main Lawn), each of Howard Smith Wharves’ dining and drinking venues offers a distinct taste of high-life revelry.

Ciao Papi

Evoking sun-drenched Italian vacay vibes, Ciao Papi is a long-lunching hot spot that nails authentic carb-embracing fare from everyone’s favourite European destination.

Located right next to Gigis at the New Farm end of Howard Smith Wharves, the sophisticated eatery plates up a menu of al dente pasta, fresh seafood, pudgy and crispy pizzas and more.

Stanley

Situated at the CBD end of Howard Smith Wharves, Stanley ’s waterfront setting pairs the warm Brisbane breeze with acclaimed Cantonese cuisine.

A restaurant and bar, it’s a slick operation that strives to shine a light on the world’s best produce while warming your belly with the flavour bombs of Southern China. And did we mention they do yum cha?

Yoko

Next door to Stanley, you’ll find Yoko , renowned for its incredible Japanese fine dining and one heck of a weekend brunch – one of Brisbane’s best bottomless brunches.

Score a table on Saturday to seize their Buns + Bubbles brunch package or visit any other time for relentless good times. The fit-out is sensational, paying homage to traditional Japanese dining with a minimalistic palette of soft leather booths and warm timbers.

Greca

Stretchy pants are recommended. You’ll savour the fabulous flavours of Greece at Greca , a restaurant inspired by traditional Greek tavernas and mirroring the same fun-loving ambience.

Located right next to Yoko before you hit Mr Percival’s, this light and airy space dishes up an a la carte menu with all the classics (pita and dips, saganaki, eggplant moussaka, grilled sardines, lamb shoulder, souvlaki, and it goes on) refined through elegant technique.

Mr Percival’s

Here for a good time? Mr Percival’s is Howard Smith Wharves’ overwater bar and one of the original venues to pull serious crowds to the entertainment precinct. And for good reason.

It’s impossible to avoid getting swept up in the merriment of cocktail-laced catchups when the views directly beneath Story Bridge are this iconic. Sit back and spur on all-day waterfront antics with a menu that features small plates and large plates to pick at between drinks.

Felons Barrel Hall

While the brewery food next door is bangin’, Felons Barrel Hall offers an entirely separate menu of flavour-crammed Thai. Designed to share with the whole table, dishes span traditional snacks, salads, curries and three very surprising burgers. Wash the goodness down with the team’s barrel-aged beers that come on tap or by the bottle in the shape of cleverly packaged wine-inspired designs.

Howard Smith Wharves accommodation

There may only be one spot to rest your head at Howard Smith Wharves, but it’s one of the city’s most acclaimed overnight stays.

Crystalbrook Vincent

If you haven’t fallen head over heels for the Crystalbrook chain yet, prepare for hotel excellence centred on creativity and design.

As each location is distinguished through a unique character, Crystalbrook Vincent celebrates Australian artist Vincent Fantauzzo so naturally, hundreds of his original works line the walls.

While the rooms are flawless, there’s also Fiume, the rooftop bar, to slink into come sundowner o’clock, plus Mews, a top Howard Smith Wharves spot for breakfast at the CBD end of the precinct.

The history behind Howard Smith Wharves

Brisbane skyine — The transformation of Brisbane and Howard Smith Wharves continues to evolve. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Modernising while showcasing its original 1930s structure, Howard Smith Wharves is a tribute to the last surviving wharfage in central Brisbane. It was first built by the Queensland Government as a project to provide relief work during the Depression era, around the same time Story Bridge was erected across the Brisbane River.

Soon after, it served as a shipping facility for Howard Smith Co Ltd.

Sitting pretty, yet vacant, since 1960, the heritage-listed site was transformed through a $110 million development project in 2017, which aimed to breathe new life into the precinct while honouring its legacy roots. Several buildings were raised above sea level to create flat grounds, and in went the new structures that stand today.

In 2023, it was revealed that Howard Smith Wharves is set to undertake a $20 million expansion in the coming year,s which will see multiple pontoons added to utterly transform the face and potential of the Brisbane River.

Unlock more insider secrets inside our Brisbane travel guide.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

A definitive guide to Howard Smith Wharves