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
1,652 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Pleasant and informative...
Gordon,Jun 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Pleasant and informative boat trip and Lone Pine free raptor show was beaut. All of the animals were very well cared for with very clean conditions.
Great trip. Feeding the...
Michele K,Jun 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great trip. Feeding the kangaroos and petting a koala was the greatest experience. Sandwiches on the boat were good and reasonably priced
Excellent Toir!
Discover30802058682,Jun 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour of the Brisbane River. I loved the koala sanctuary. I would take this trip again.
Worth It
T5539MXkatelynm,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The river cruise was wonderful. There were tons of fun facts about Brisbane on the way. And of course the Koala Sanctuary was so worth the money and full of adorable koalas. They had a handful of animal talks and lots of staff around who could answer questions. Well worth it!
Loved the River Cruise and Koala Sanctuary
Denigirl,Jun 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The cruise down the river was beautiful, and we loved looking at all the lovely homes along the river. The koala reserve was the best. We fed and petted the kangaroos and got to pet a koala. It was a great reserve. We'd highly recommend this experience!
Koala Sanctuary Bliss
janinel938,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an incredible day - the gentle cruise down the river with interesting and comedic narration was good but the sanctuary was unbelievably good - so hard to believe something so special is so close to a big city - the staff on the boat and at the sanctuary were amazing and the cruise back with a glass of sparkling wine capped off a day worth the time and money
River Cruise to Lone Pine Sanctuary
tina t,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The boat ride was very relaxing to and from the sanctuary. We did leave in the morning, so it was kind of cool but blankets were offered. We had plenty of time to look around and even had time for a snack. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone with children or not.
Cruise to lone pine
Hannah B,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The crew was great during the trip, very friendly and inviting. Lone pine itself was incredible!
Exhilarating Animals
Nikhil G,May 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00There is nothing that can compare to the unique experience this tour gives. The river boat itself is well put together and comfortable. The outdoor section is especially nice. The information provided about Brisbane and the sights along the way are helpful. The Koala sanctuary itself was a deeply memorable experience. Apart from the exhilarating up close encounters with Koalas. Kangaroos, Wallabys, birds etc., the educational value of the information provided is in my view difficult to obtain elsewhere. I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion. The ride back was also enjoyable. The duration of the trip was perfect - more than sufficient time to enjoy the sanctuary at a leisurely pace, yet back in the city to spend more visiting time in the afternoon.
Beautiful boat tour and...
Lauren N,May 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Beautiful boat tour and wonderful experience at the sanctuary! Highly recommend for anyone visiting Brisbane
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Operated by Koala and River Cruises