Review: Brisbane High Tea River Cruise
Please note: Sadly, Brisbane’s Kookaburra Queens are no longer operating. You can browse all our available Brisbane river cruises here.
Old time paddle wheelers might seem more at home plying their trade along the Mississippi River in the 19th century, than plying guests in modern day Brisbane with a decadent high tea.
But as the city glides by on a grey Saturday afternoon, I’m feeling very much at home! I’m on board the Kookaburra Queen II — one of the grand maritime ladies of the Brisbane River — for a High Tea Cruise, which operates on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Check in at Eagle Street Pier is fuss-free and I spend my short wait enjoying the bustling waterfront. Before long we’re shepherded on board and escorted to the upper deck of this timber treasure. This vessel was built by local shipwrights entirely from Queensland timber for Brisbane Expo 88, as was her sister ship — the original Kookaburra Queen.
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My table is next to a window, where I can fully appreciate the views, the autumn breeze, and even the distinctive smell of the river. The great paddle wheel begins to turn with a deep rumble, and we’re off upriver!
Our MC introduces himself and provides a safety briefing. He encourages audience participation from the diverse group of singles, couples, families, and girls’-day-out groups. Some are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, while others are here simply to enjoy the city views. Commentary is provided on passing points of interest and a musical soundtrack of easy-listening favourites fills in the gaps.
High tea is served as we drift past the towering Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Three generously laden tiers of dainty delicacies appear, and I put my shoulder to the wheel with the finger sandwiches as a starter. They’re delicious!
We sweep past the Queensland Maritime Museum, before doing a u-turn at South Bank and heading back downriver. Travelling under the Goodwill and Captain Cook Bridges, we pass the verdant expanse of the City Botanic Gardens — a pretty backdrop for the scores of bobbing yachts moored in this stretch of the river. We steam past our starting point and wave to a crowd gathered at the striking copper-domed Customs House (a popular wedding venue).
I’m now enjoying fluffy scones topped with jam and a dollop of cream, accompanied by a cheeky glass of bubbles. This seems like a good time to explore the vessel, so I head outside for a stroll around the deck. Clouds drift by, along with a procession of landmarks — the Brisbane Riverwalk, New Farm Park, the Brisbane Powerhouse arts facility, and the Woolstore residential precinct.
The rain — which has threatened to fall all afternoon — finally tumbles down. I watch the huge paddle wheel turn and am mesmerised by its vast size and whirring efficiency. From there, it’s a short climb up to the top deck to watch the captain at work. Unlike other passengers who’ve stayed under the covered walkways, I’m wet from paddle splash and light rain, but I don’t care. A damp day out on the Brisbane River is better than twenty days elsewhere — and with a tasty high tea thrown in, who could complain?
We turn around in the suburb of Hawthorne for our homeward trip and I return to my seat to tackle the third tier of sweet treats (and another glass of bubbly!). We’re soon heading back under the heritage-listed Story Bridge and on towards Eagle Street Pier.
This Brisbane High Tea River Cruise is the perfect outing, no matter what the weather. You’ll enjoy great food, bottomless bubbles and beer, and an opportunity to travel along the city’s grand watercourse on a truly unique vessel.
The writer travelled as a guest of Kookaburra Showboat Cruises.
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Cover image: Alamy. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Geraldine Massey won her first writing prize when she was eight for a story about travelling with Howard Carter on his expedition to discover Tutankhamun’s tomb. It was an early indicator of her lifelong enthusiasm for writing and travel. An experienced corporate communicator and editor, Geraldine once wrote text for Centrelink payment brochures and is now a writer and editor for WeekendNotes. In recent years she has become a ‘wedding traveller’ — using family weddings in New Zealand, Argentina, and the USA as jumping-off points for further exploration.
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