Seven Places to Celebrate New Year's Eve If You're Staying in Brisbane This Year

Is roaming the world one of your resolutions for 2020? Get into the right mood with the Regatta’s Midnight on Bourbon Street party. It’s the New Orleans-style shindig you go to when you can’t travel halfway around the globe just yet — and it’s a whole venue affair. From the Toowong watering hole’s courtyard and its historic main bar to its top floor and underground Walrus Club, every space will be getting into the Big Easy spirit with live music, DJs, roving entertainers, street buskers, southern-inspired food stations and plenty of beverages. Your $125 ticket also includes four hours of drinks, covering cocktails, spirits, wine, sparkling, beer and cider, and you’ll also be in a prime position to watch the fireworks over the river at midnight.

Even when you’re in the mood to celebrate and it’s the night for doing just that, we’re not all big party people. Some really know how to let their hair down but others prefer a more intimate get-together with their nearest and dearest by catching up and marking the New Year over a suitably spirited meal. If you fall into the latter category and you’re keen to spend the evening taking in a view of the Raby Bay Harbour then make a date with the Cleveland Sands Hotel. It’s doing a three-course dinner for a very reasonable $55, which includes your choice of entree, main and dessert as well as a drink on arrival. Seeing out the year eating Italian dumplings, red duck curry and popcorn ice cream sounds mighty fine, really.

Steak night can fall on any night, including the biggest night on the calendar. And if you’re all about seeing out the year as you wish to go on, then tucking into a decadent three-course dinner while sitting by the river watching fireworks is a mighty fine way to do it. Kingsleys’ $99 NYE package also includes champagne on arrival, and the meal will serve up freshly shucked oysters, steaks (naturally) and options for vegetarians, too. Bonus: no crowds. The highly regarded riverside restaurant definitely won’t be empty — in fact, you’ll have plenty of other diners for company — but you won’t need to battle your way to get a drink or to soak up the view.

If you live on the western side of Brisbane, Darling & Co already boasts one huge advantage when it comes to picking your NYE spot: it won’t require a trip into the city. That’s not all the Paddington bar has going for it, of course. There’s also the leafy, laidback but still upmarket vibe, and the fact that its end-of-year party is channelling Capri all the way. Pretend you’re in the Mediterranean and drink cocktails for four hours, snack on canapés and make the most of the separate charcuterie and oyster stations. That’s all included in your $99 ticket, as are DJs and other entertainment. It’ll be an Italian island-themed night to remember (and plenty of travel inspiration for 2020 as well).

Planning on kicking off your New Year’s celebrations mid-afternoon, then dancing, eating and drinking the night away? Throw in a gorgeous river vantage and that’s the plan at Friday’s, too, with doors opening at 4pm and Odd Mob, Kyro and Lionette taking care of the music from 7pm. You can also choose your own adventure here, in a fashion. Go all out with a $125 ticket, which includes three hours of beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks and canapes on the deck from 7–10pm, or take things as they come with the $35 general admission option. Whichever you choose, just make sure your mates pick the same — the two different types of ticket holders will be partying in separate spaces until 10pm rolls around.

December 31 is a globally recognised special occasion — but it’s really just another day. So where do you head when you want to have a few drinks with your friends, enjoy Brisbane’s best NYE features (aka the river and the fireworks), but also want to do so in a thoroughly cruisy way? Mosey along to Riverland. Given that it’s a bar made out of shipping containers, the vibe is always relaxed. Entry is free, which is ace if you’re on a budget, too. You can level up your celebrations with a $75 ticket if you’d like, which will get you access to a reserved spot, three hours of booze from 7–10pm and $25 in credit to use at Riverland’s street kitchens.

Wild, colourful parties and The Wickham have long gone hand-in-hand, and that was always going to remain the case on New Year’s Eve. At the bar’s royal-themed farewell to 2019, revellers can expect everything that makes this Fortitude Valley mainstay great, including drag performers, DJs keeping the beat going all night and free entry. Fancy dressing up in royal attire (and interpreting that idea however you see fit)? Of course, you do. And, once you’ve raided your wardrobe, found a tiara and channelled your regal side, The Wickham will also be anointing Brisbane’s best king and queen. Yes, it’s the NYE party that could send you home as the belle or beau of the ball. Now that’s how you start 2020 in a unique way. Make you sure RSVP over here.