At a glance
- Parking
- There is no on-site parking; limited street parking around the City Botanic Gardens and paid parking stations in the CBD and South Bank
- Closest stops
- South Bank station is an 850-metre walk, QUT Gardens Point ferry terminal is 280 metres, and the free City Loop (routes 40 and 50) stops on Alice Street
- Bags
- Bags larger than A4 and all backpacks are banned; a free cloakroom is outside Gate 1
- Food and drink
- No food, alcohol or glass; sealed or empty soft plastic water bottles up to 600 ml are allowed
- Passouts
- None; you cannot leave and come back in
- Who it’s for
- Anyone with a ticket to a Riverstage concert
- What to do now
- Read the event-specific email from Ticketmaster, because some rules vary by event
- Last checked
- Monday 9 November 2026, against Brisbane City Council’s Riverstage page
- Not yet confirmed
- Gate and set times, which are set per event and published on Ticketmaster and the event listing
You cannot park at Riverstage, you cannot bring a backpack or any bag bigger than A4, and you cannot leave and come back in. Brisbane City Council, which runs the venue, says public transport is the easiest way to get there, and if no finish time is listed, events must end by 10pm.
This guide is built from Brisbane City Council’s Riverstage page, read on Monday 9 November 2026. Entry rules can change on the day of an event, and the council says some items depend on the event, so use this as the starting point and read the email Ticketmaster sends you. For the one Riverstage event we have covered so far, see the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols on 5 December.
Where is Riverstage, and how many people does it hold?
Riverstage is at 59 Gardens Point Road, Brisbane City, in the City Botanic Gardens beside the Brisbane River. The council says it has a capacity of 9,000 patrons and describes it as an open-air venue on a slope, with gradients that change across the site. For questions about entry conditions or the cloakroom, the council’s number is 07 3403 7921 during business hours. Ticketmaster is the contracted ticketing provider.
How do I get to Riverstage?
The council recommends public transport. It lists these options and distances.
| Option | What the council says |
|---|---|
| Train | South Bank station is an 850-metre walk via Goodwill Bridge; Central station is 1.9 kilometres away via Edward Street and the City Botanic Gardens |
| Ferry | QUT Gardens Point terminal, served by CityCat and Express CityCat, is a 280-metre walk |
| Bus | South Bank bus station is a 1-kilometre walk via Goodwill Bridge; the Alice Street and George Street stops are 800 metres away via George Street and Gardens Point Road |
| Free bus | The free City Loop (routes 40 and 50) stops in front of the City Botanic Gardens on Alice Street |
For timetables, the council points to Translink’s Journey Planner.
Can I park at Riverstage?
No. The council says there is no on-site parking. There is limited parking on Alice Street and other streets around the City Botanic Gardens, and paid parking in the parking stations in the CBD and in South Bank. For people with a disability parking permit, the council points to its map of on-street disability parking spaces in the CBD. Patrons with accessibility needs can be dropped off at the roundabout on Gardens Point Road; the council says the closest car park is the QUT car park next door and that the road is often congested, so allow extra time.
What can I bring in?
The council says you can bring the following, and some items depend on the event, so check the event-specific email from Ticketmaster.
- Sealed, unopened soft plastic water bottles up to 600 ml (lids will be removed; event dependent)
- Empty soft plastic water bottles up to 600 ml with lids removed, to fill at the free water stations
- Empty reusable water bottles, no glass (event dependent)
- A reusable cup
- A small packet of lollies
- Small prams or strollers (event dependent), which must stay on the concrete at the top of the hill or in the free cloakroom outside Gate 1
- Small rugs and blankets (event and capacity dependent)
- Working guide dogs and assistance dogs
What is banned?
The council’s list of items you cannot bring is long, and it says the venue may add to it and decides what comes in on the day.
| Banned item | Note from the council |
|---|---|
| Alcohol, food, glass | Full or empty beverage bottles, cans or containers of any kind are banned, except soft water bottles where the event allows |
| Backpacks and bags larger than A4 | The council encourages you to travel light |
| Chairs or elevated seating | You can bring a small cushion for reserved seating |
| Eskies, wagon trolleys, large prams | Not permitted |
| Cameras with detachable lenses, video or audio recorders, iPads | Not permitted |
| Umbrellas, selfie sticks, large torches, laser pointers | Not permitted |
| Fireworks, flares, weapons, studded fashion items, skateboards | Not permitted |
| Domestic animals | Guide and assistance dogs are the exception |
Items you cannot bring can be left at the free cloakroom outside Gate 1. All items must be collected immediately after the show.
What happens at the gate?
Your bag will be searched, personal safety and security checks will be done, and security wanding may occur. Patrons must wear a shirt and shoes at all times, and the council recommends enclosed shoes. You must not stand on bins or fences, and camping is not allowed in the City Botanic Gardens. Illegal items will be confiscated. Smoking is allowed in designated smoking areas only.
Do I need ID?
For ticketed events for people 18 and over, you need current identification: an Australian driver’s licence or learner’s permit, a passport from any country, an adult proof of age card, a recognised proof of age card such as a Keypass identity card, or a foreign driver’s licence. It can be hard copy or digital, and the venue may refuse entry without a refund if the ID is not satisfactory. At all-ages events, adults must accompany children 12 and under, adults are strongly recommended to accompany those aged 13 to 15, and everyone needs a valid ticket regardless of age unless the event says otherwise.
Can I sit down, and can I leave and come back?
General admission means standing room only unless stated otherwise, and chairs are not permitted. You may be able to bring a small blanket or a flat-to-ground back support cushion, and if you sit on a blanket you may be asked to stand closer to the main act. At reserved seating events, check the venue map before buying, and you can bring a small cushion but not your own chair. Passouts are not given: the council says tickets that let you leave and re-enter will not be issued.
When do the gates open and when does it finish?
The gate time for your concert is shown on the What’s On in Brisbane event listing and on Ticketmaster. Set times are not announced for every event, so watch the promoter’s or artist’s social media in the days before. Set times can change. If you cannot see an end time, all events must end by 10pm. A temporary Ticketmaster box office is generally open outside Gate 1, opening about 30 to 60 minutes before the gates and closing at about 8pm, subject to change, and it sells tickets first come, first served when tickets are available.
What if it rains?
Riverstage is an outdoor amphitheatre. The council says the show will go ahead in rain or bad weather unless it is judged unsafe, and no refunds are authorised unless the event is cancelled. Refund requests go through the point of purchase, most likely Ticketmaster.
What facilities are there?
- First aid: the medical tent is to the right of the stage.
- Food and drink outlets are on site; for special dietary needs, email the council.
- Merchandise: artists usually sell it from a stall inside near Gate 1 and sometimes another outside, run by an external operator.
- Mosh pits: they may occur, and the council advises people new to moshing to stay outside; tell security if you feel unsafe.
What is there for accessibility?
The venue is wheelchair accessible but sits on a slope. An accessible sign at the bottom of Gate 1 directs patrons to the entry. A limited accessible viewing platform is at the top of the hill, with a wheelchair-accessible portable toilet nearby; the option may only appear during the general on-sale. You can buy one accessible ticket and one accompanying seat or Companion Card seat through Ticketmaster, by using the accessible toggle on its website, phoning 1300 446 925 or using its online request form. Foldable chairs are available on the platform, and some may not be undercover. The council says there is no quiet room, and the upstairs of the bar is reachable only by stairs. Events may include sudden loud noises, fireworks, strobe lights and lasers, and the council suggests sunglasses, a hat and noise-cancelling headphones. Riverstage supports the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program.
Sources
- Brisbane City Council: Riverstage (read 9 November 2026)
- Translink: Journey planner
Featured image: Lorde performing at Riverstage in Brisbane in November 2017 (photo: DavidEye / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Riverstage, Brisbane City Council, Ticketmaster or Translink. Rules can change; check the event listing and your Ticketmaster email before you go.