Tourism in Brisbane is an important industry for the Queensland economy, being the third-most popular destination for international tourists after Sydney and Melbourne.[1]
Brisbane is a popular tourist destination, serving as a gateway to the state of Queensland, particularly to the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, which are home to numerous popular surf beaches, located immediately south and north of Brisbane respectively. Major landmarks and attractions include South Bank Parklands, the Queensland Cultural Centre (including the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and State Library of Queensland), City Hall, the Story Bridge, the City Botanic Gardens and Parliament of Queensland, the Howard Smith Wharves, ANZAC Square, Fortitude Valley (including James Street and Chinatown), West End, the Teneriffe woolstores precinct, Roma Street Parkland, New Farm Park (including the Brisbane Powerhouse), St John's Cathedral, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens, the D'Aguilar Range and National Park, the Brisbane River and its Riverwalk network, as well as Moreton Bay (including Moreton, North Stradbroke and Bribie islands, and coastal suburbs such as Shorncliffe, Wynnum and those on the Redcliffe Peninsula).