Brisbane River Cruise with entry to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Overview
Available languages
5 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
See Australia’s amazing animals on a day trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary from Brisbane. Your river cruise takes you from the bustling waterfront of Southbank to the lush parklands of Lone Pine, with the chance to see iconic sights as you glide along the water. At the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, you can get up close to koalas, kangaroos and watch platypus, sheepdogs, and birds of prey in action. Animal lovers will not want to miss this experience!
Check-in is required by 8.45 am, departs at 9am sharp, arriving at Lone Pine Sanctuary 10:15- departing Lone Pine at 1:30pm and arriving back in the city at 2:45pm
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Wheelchair: Cruise is accessible however Lone Pine has a set of 28 steps to climb from the jetty to the entrance
No health restrictions apply to this tour
What To Expect
The Brisbane River
You’ll board your boat in Brisbane’s Southbank district and leave the city behind on a relaxing cruise to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Enjoy informative commentary from your captain as you glide along Brisbane’s waterfront, passing from the bustle of the city’s skyscrapers to leafy suburbs with waterside mansions.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
At 10:15am you’ll arrive at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where you’ll be free to explore for 3 hours. Lone Pine opened in 1927 as a safe refuge for sick, injured, and orphaned koalas, at a time when the species was being culled for the fur trade. Today, Lone Pine remains as a destination not only see native Australian animals, but to also connect and learn, and to leave feeling inspired to make small, positive changes in your daily lives to help protect native wildlife and habitats. Along with koalas and kangaroos, Lone Pine hosts a sheepdog show where you see the dogs round up a herd of sheep, responding to their master’s whistles, calls and signals. You can see owls, kites and sea eagles soar above you at the Birds of Prey show, or marvel at the colorful feathers of the wild lorikeets that fly in twice daily for feedings. Other bird species and a population of Eastern Water Dragons, a lizard that grows up to 3 feet (90cm) long also like to visit Lone Pine’s natural parkland.
Options
Option 1
What‘s Included
General Admission into Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Round-trip cruise
Food and drinks (available to purchase)
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Koala Moments (Touch a Koala)bookings online
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
1,666 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
had an amazing experience
959eszters,Jul 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing experience on the Brisbane River Cruise with entry to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The cruise was relaxing and offered beautiful views of the Brisbane River, making the journey just as enjoyable as the destination. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was fantastic—we loved seeing the koalas up close and learning about Australia's unique wildlife. The staff were friendly, the facilities were well maintained, and everything was well organized from start to finish. It was a perfect day out for families, couples, or anyone visiting Brisbane. Highly recommended!
First time down the river!
538kelsys,Jul 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great service and help! Has confusion with tickets from travel agent, boat captain called our travel company to get the tickets straightened out. Amazing animal sanctuary and koala experience. Loved exploring all the animals and well maintained property.
Cool Way to See Australian Wildlife
Edward O,Jul 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was our first adventure on the first day of our first visit to Australia. The "up close and personal" encounters with unique Australian wildlife was the perfect start to our trip. It is possible to find kangaroos and koalas in the wild, but it's nothing compared to petting them at Lone Pine Sanctuary! Other animals we were able to see included: dingo, crocodile, Tasmanian devil, and a variety of birds and reptiles (there is a platypus observation area that – for the protection of the animal – is way too dark to really see much).
On time ferry there and...
Beth S,Jul 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00On time ferry there and back, great hospitality once on board, plenty of time to explore Line Pine park, easy way to get there.
This was a lovely day to...
Miranda C,Jun 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a lovely day to spend the day. From the ferry ride to the sanctuary, everything was phenomenal. You can book extra things at the sanctuary once you get there. And if you don’t want to spend your money on food, lots of people brought little picnics with them.
staff was wonderful and...
Claire O,Jun 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00staff was wonderful and friendly, cruise was informative and had beautiful views. On board food and drink options were great as well.
A relaxing boat ride with...
Jeff K,Jun 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A relaxing boat ride with information about the city along the river route leads you to an australian wildlife oasis, where you can see and interact with koalas, wombats, dingos, kangaroos and other australian animals. A fabulous day!
Very relaxing, plenty of...
Jenice C,Jun 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Very relaxing, plenty of time to visit Lone Pine as well. Commentary was excellent. Should have remembered about food and drink available.
Great day out!
Mark F,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great day out along the river and at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It was quite cool in the morning so the blankets supplied were very handy.
The crew was great and...
Marilyn P,Jun 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The crew was great and very accommodating. The sanctuary was very family oriented with a lot of animal experiences.
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Operated by Koala and River Cruises