The Best Things to Do This ANZAC Day in Brisbane

Here's where to rise for the dawn service, indulge in a spot of two-up, check out a field of poppies and pay your respects.
Concrete Playground
April 24, 2023

No matter which day of the week it falls on, ANZAC Day is a day of significance. It's also a day of thinking about the past, tossing coins into the air and throwing back cold ones — remembering Australia and New Zealand's military war efforts both then and now, and savouring the things worth fighting for.

Whether getting up early to attend official events is your thing, or enjoying a few brews with friends is more your style, there's a way to mark the occasion to suit everyone. To help you decide, here's our round-up of the best things to do in Brisbane. Eating ANZAC biscuits isn't one of them, but we suggest you do that anyway.

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ATTEND AN ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICE

More than a century ago, ANZAC forces landed at Gallipoli on April 25. Sacrificing sleep to honour their sacrifice is the least we can do to mark the occasion.

In the CBD, the Brisbane ANZAC Day Dawn Service kicks off at 4.28am at the Shrine of Remembrance in ANZAC Square, timed to come to a close just as the sun rises — and there'll be no tickets or restrictions on access. As always, it includes the laying of wreaths, the sounding of the Last Post and the observance of one minute's silence — and if you can't make it into the thick of the action, both dawn and morning services are also happening at plenty of places around town.

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HEAD ALONG TO THE ANZAC DAY PARADE

Since the first ANZAC Day parade in 1916, Brisbane has come out in force to pay their respects to past and present servicemen and women — and this year won't be any different. At 9.45am, the procession starts on the corner of George and Elizabeth streets, making its way through the city's roadways.

As always, finding a spot along Adelaide Street will give you the best vantage point; however, the parade will also be broadcast on ABC if you can't make it along.

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PLAY A NATIONAL SPORT: TWO-UP

It's the only day of the year that two-up is legal, so plenty of pubs will be throwing coins into the air to see which way they fall. That includes The Boundary in West End, where there'll also be live entertainment from 4pm — and The Regatta, where you can check out its pop-up food stalls and bars, start flinging currency from 12pm and listen to live music. It's also doing a dawn breakfast from 5pm

Also getting in on the action: The Osbourne, with doors open from 11am. There'll be a bugle performance of 'The Last Post' just before 2pm, and the rest of the tunes start at 6pm. And, you can sip from karma kegs filled with Young Henrys and Stone & Wood beer, with proceeds going to Survive to Thrive Nation Organisation to support the mental health of veterans.

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Jared Vethaak

SPEND THE DAY HANGING OUT BY THE RIVER

Fancy pairing all those flung-about coins with a cruisy day by the river? Then you have a couple of options. The first: head to Howard Smith Wharves from 11am for the Felons' ANZAC Day event, which will let beer-loving patrons mark the day with two-up and beers. Attendees can also expect to see historical cars on display throughout the precinct, especially if you spend the day hanging out on the brewery lawn, and donate to the folks from the New Farm RSL, who'll be on hand all day.

Or, Eagle Street's Riverbar & Kitchen is getting in on the action from 8am. There'll also be brews, views and two-up here, plus live music and pig from the spit. And, $1 from every Balter purchased will go to Legacy Australia.

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CHECK OUT A FIELD OF HANDMADE POPPIES

Each year, West End's West Village finds a colourful and creative way to mark ANZAC Day: 1000 Blooms, an installation filled with handmade poppies. It asks the community to add their own red flowers, and it's completely fine with going over its titular number. The time for contributing is over, but you can still scope out the end results until Monday, May 1.

The place to head to: Mollison Park, where crimson petals pepper the green grass. It's free to see, and aims to share not just remembrance but hope — as the red flower has symbolised since World War I.

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WATCH A NATIONAL SPORT

It's the day that stops the nation, rather than the race; however there's still a sporting component to ANZAC Day. Whichever code of football you prefer — NRL or AFL — you'll be able to combine sinking a few brewskis with watching some of the year's big matches, with both on the screens at Brisbane's pubs.

Rugby fans can watch the traditional clash between St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters, with Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Warriors also hitting the field the same day. In Aussie Rules, it's all about black, red and white as Essendon take on Collingwood as usual in their annual berth. And this time, it's a top-of-the-table clash, with both teams in the top four on the AFL ladder at the time of writing.

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TUCK INTO A LIMITED-EDITION ANZAC DAY PASTRY

If you like flaky pastries, the folks at Lune Croissanterie have probably already won over your tastebuds. There's a great reason for that — their regular wares are next-tier, and its special one-offs are even better.

For ANZAC Day, Lune has whipped up something particularly enticing in the second category: ANZAKAs, aka sweet and salty caramelised kouign-amann made with a classic ANZAC biscuit dough inside, then tossed in brown sugar. It's only available in store from Saturday, April 22–Tuesday, April 25 — and yes, getting in quickly is obviously recommended.

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Tourism and Events Queensland

ENJOY A MUCH-DESERVED NATURE FIX

Public holidays don't come around every weekend — and if you'd like to spend this one making the most of the great outdoors, Brisbane certainly isn't short on options. Soak up some nature while stretching your legs on one of these scenic hikes within 50 kilometres of the city. Or, for something a little more challenging, tackle one of these mountain hikes near Brissie.

And, because Brisbane is both cool enough for caves and warm enough for river swims in April, you can pop them on your agenda as well.

Published on April 24, 2023 by Concrete Playground
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