About 12 km southwest of the city centre in Fig Tree Pocket, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world's oldest and largest dedicated koala sanctuary. It holds over 70 koalas and you can hold one for a photograph — one of the few places in Australia where this is permitted. There are also kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, echidnas, and a large selection of Australian birds.
It is unambiguously a tourist operation, and feels like one, but the animals are well maintained and the koalas are genuinely engaging up close. A river ferry runs from South Bank to the sanctuary in about 75 minutes — slower than driving but far more pleasant, winding through the residential river bends of Fig Tree Pocket. Admission is not cheap, but this is one of the reliable Brisbane experiences and the wildlife variety is good.