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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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.
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
Options
Option 1
Reviews
1,598 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Everything we expected and more
Marc E,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience with the boat and the sanctuary. The cruise was a smooth experience, the food on the ship smelled delicious, and the sanctuary gave so many experiences with the animals there. Lots of wonderful photo opportunities.
Nice, slow paced excursion
Shahin M,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00The ferry ride was pretty average. The sanctuary was as advertised. Nice variety of animals and free shows by park staff. Very informative and a great way to see local animals.
Great crew and the boat...
Jim l,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great crew and the boat was smooth despite the rain. The park was fun, being amongst the wildlife. Photo withe the Koala was expensive but still fun.
Feeding kangaroos was the highlight of my trip
michael s,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a fantastic adventure. Starting with the narrated river cruise with our very friendly captain to the animals, I couldn't have asked for more. The koalas were so adorable to watch, we viewed them sleeping, eating and moving from tree to tree, each more adorable than the other. Feeding and petting the kangaroos was the highlight though. Coming from the states, I would never have that opportunity and truly enjoyed every minute. Not just the furry creatures stole my heart though. The bats (flying foxes) were fascinating and there was particular friendly Tasmanian Devil that made me want to adopt him.
Fantastic trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Venture08233575837,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My husband and I had a fantastic visit at the Sanctuary. We paid extra to pet a koala and we also bought food to feed the kangaroos. Wow, what an experience!
Do this while you’re in Brisbane
534nickyv,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The cruise was on time with an interesting recorded commentary about what we were seeing and the history of the area. The sanctuary was well worth the trip with all the animals to see, and being able to actually let a kangaroo and a koala, well, definitely once in a lifetime experience for me. The staff on board were friendly and attentive. Highly recommend
Lovely experience
STEPHANY E,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The trip to the sanctuary was informative and entertaining. The sanctuary was so great, a good amount of walking. The steps up from the boat were steep but doable for anyone without serious knee or hip issues. The koalas and other animals were well worth it! The trip back was a peaceful ride with time to reflect on your visit.
Down River …
Barbara A,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00It was a lovely trip down the river. Brisbane is a beautiful city with many outer suburbs view along the . The koala sanctuary, with many other animals and activities, was a lot of fun. Overall, it was a very smooth experience and well with it.
We had a great time. The...
Dana K,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great time. The boat ride was nice and informative. The Koala sanctuary was fun seeing all the animals. Got to pet and feed the kangaroos.
The relaxing cruise to...
Luana H,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The relaxing cruise to the Sanctuary was an excellent start to the day, as well as being very informative about the history of the area. The Sanctuary is well laid out and easy to get around. A great selection of animals and especially lovely to be able to pat the Koala 🐨.
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