Today , Brisbane is well known for its distinct Queenslander architecture which forms much of the city 's built heritage . It also received attention for its damaging flood events , most notably in 1974 and 2011 . Major landmarks and precincts include ; the South Bank Parklands and the Queensland Cultural Centre , City Hall and King George Square , the Story Bridge , the City Botanic Gardens and Parliament of Queensland , ANZAC Square , Howard Smith Wharves , Fortitude Valley , West End , Roma Street Parkland , New Farm Park and the Brisbane Powerhouse , St John 's Cathedral , Mount Coot-tha , Redcliffe and Moreton and Stradbroke Islands . The city is a popular tourist destination , serving as a gateway to the state of Queensland , particularly to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast , popular resort areas immediately south and north of Brisbane respectively . Several large cultural , international and sporting events have been held at Brisbane , including the 1982 Commonwealth Games , World Expo ' 88 , the final Goodwill Games in 2001 , and the 2014 G-20 summit . In 2016 , the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked Brisbane as a Beta world city
2014 G-20 summit
2014 G20 Brisbane summit
Brisbane