Kangaroo Point is the peninsula directly south of the CBD, separated from the city centre by the river bend. The cliffs on its western edge — basalt rock faces dropping 20 metres to the river — are a Brisbane institution: families picnic on the grass above, rock climbers work the faces on weekday evenings, and the view across to the city skyline is the best you'll find at river level. There are floodlit paths for evening walkers and a popular outdoor gym on the riverbank.
The free Kangaroo Point Ferry crosses to the city centre in about two minutes and is a Brisbane novelty in itself. The Story Bridge is visible from the northern tip of the cliffs, and it is a ten-minute walk from there to Howard Smith Wharves. This is a good starting point for a circuit: ferry across, walk the riverside path to South Bank, cross the pedestrian bridge back, and return through Kangaroo Point along the cliff tops.