Drop-in mending sessions where you can bring torn clothes or an unfinished sewing project and fix them with help from local makers and staff. Beginners are welcome.
A guided trip up the heritage-listed clock tower in an old cage lift that still runs, going behind huge analogue clock faces and out to a lookout platform. Watch for the bells.
Parents and toddlers aged one to two get together to sing, clap and dance. The rhymes with actions and songs help build early language, communication and social skills.
Families with children gather to sing, rhyme, hear stories and play, with everything in Indonesian. Open to Indonesian families of any background, and a way for kids to stay close to the culture.
The journalist and author talks through his new book on decades of odd, contradictory and sometimes cruel parenting advice, with humour and his own 20 tips. You can bring a copy to be signed.
A space show narrated by Whoopi Goldberg that follows how stars are born and die, our Sun included. It ends with a guided look at the sky over Brisbane.
Babies up to one and their parents sing, clap and move through rhymes and action songs that build early language and social skills. A relaxed way to meet other new parents.
A sing-along for toddlers and their parents, with clapping, dancing, songs and action rhymes that help with early speech and getting along with others. A chance to meet other local families too.
Toddlers aged 1 to 2 and their parents sing, clap and move to rhymes and songs with actions, building early skills in talking, reading and mixing with others.
Toddlers aged one to two and their parents sing, clap and dance together, learning rhymes with actions that help with early speech, communication and mixing with others.
A session for toddlers aged one to two and their parents, with songs, action rhymes, clapping and dancing that support early speech and social development.
A drop-in playgroup held entirely in Portuguese, with songs, rhymes and stories drawn from Brazilian traditions to help little ones pick up the language. Families from any Portuguese-speaking background are welcome.
Stories and rhymes with LGBTIQ+ themes about family, friends and community, celebrating the different shapes families take. For children five and under, with their grown-ups.
A one-on-one session at the library to fix tech problems, build your digital skills and feel more confident online. Get in touch with the library to arrange one.
A drop-in playgroup run in both Mandarin and English, where children learn Chinese nursery rhymes, music games and classic stories, and make crafts like lanterns around traditional festivals.
A Navratri celebration with prayer, Garba dancing for beginners and regulars alike, live music and cultural performances, a festival meal, henna and stalls. Traditional dress is encouraged.
Classes in Wing Chun, a kung fu style built around close-range fighting and self-defence in street situations. Students of any age, background, body type or skill level are welcome.
A sing, clap and dance session for toddlers and their parents, learning action songs that help with early talking and getting along with others. Also a chance to meet other parents.
A sing-along for parents and toddlers with clapping, dancing, songs and action rhymes that build early language, communication and social skills. Suited to children aged one to two.
Author Kathie Elliot-Scott joins a panel of writers and advocates to talk about living with invisible illness and chronic pain, and how telling stories can help people feel understood. Bring your copy to be signed.
Toddlers and their parents sing, clap and dance their way through songs and action rhymes. It's aimed at building early language and communication, and you get to meet other families.
A group session for parents and toddlers to sing, clap and dance, picking up rhymes with actions that support early talking and social skills. Suits one and two year olds.
Toddlers and their parents get together to sing, clap and dance, learning songs and action rhymes that support early reading, language and social skills. Suits one to two year olds.
A monthly book club for gallery members to talk about art, life and creativity over light refreshments. Spring titles include novels by Michelle de Kretser and Claire Thomas and a biography of Jim Henson.
Tom Hanks narrates this space journey past the planets, beyond our galaxy and out to the far edge of the known universe, returning through a black hole. It ends with a tour of Brisbane's night sky.
A breast cancer awareness gathering for women: a sunset walk together, a guest speaker on breast health, then drinks and wellness goodies. Wear pink, and donations go to NBCF.
An open drop-in session for makers, designers and the curious to work on their own or shared builds with the labs' fabrication and digital gear. Regulars often share skills and team up.
Novelist Garth Nix talks with John Birmingham about Massif, his first science fiction book for adults. Copies will be on sale, or bring your own to get signed.
A monthly open mic, this time a fundraiser co-hosted by Brown Girl Collective. Money raised backs youth music education in Northern Pakistan and a project giving books about women of colour in the arts to young people.
A drop-in playgroup run entirely in German, with singing, rhymes and stories for children, followed by free play. Families come along to share the language and culture together.
Parents and toddlers sing, clap and dance together, learning action songs and rhymes that build early language and social skills. For little ones aged one to two.
A book club where members read a set title and talk it over as a group. The current pick is Anthony Horowitz's Close to Death, and newcomers are welcome.
A morning book group for adults and seniors where everyone reads the same novel, then meets to talk it over. Each month has a new book, and one of the picks is Tana French's The Searcher.
Pedro Pascal narrates this space show, made with NASA's support, which moves back through time to trace how chance meetings in space shaped our part of the galaxy. It finishes with a virtual look at the sky above Brisbane.
A monthly social club where people meet new faces over drinks at a different Brisbane bar each time. This one has share plates, cocktails and wine, with a first drink and snacks included.
Poetry readings across a morning, open to new and experienced writers as well as people who like to listen. Put your name down for the open mic to read something you wrote.
A panel of Queensland crime writers talks about setting murder mysteries everywhere from beaches to country towns. There's also afternoon tea, book signings and a chance to meet the authors.
A monthly group that meets to talk over one chosen book. The current pick is Samantha Harvey's Orbital, so read it beforehand and come ready to share your take.
A low-impact Pilates class outdoors by the river for any fitness level, followed by coffee and a chat with the group. Bring a mat or towel and water; bad weather cancels it.
A book club for women that walks to coffee together, talks through the book everyone has read, then walks back. Spoilers are fair game, so finish it first.
A weekly get-together run by Brisbane's Malayalam-speaking community, with time to connect, reflect and hear encouraging messages. Everyone is welcome.
A planetarium show where astronomers guide you from the night sky over Brisbane out to distant parts of the universe on the dome. Suited to ages 8 and up, and children need an adult with them.
A volunteer-run writing session for writers of any level. You work in 25-minute bursts with short breaks between, using the Pomodoro method, and get to meet other local writers.
Parents and toddlers sing, clap and dance together, learning rhymes with actions that help with early talking, listening and getting along with others. Suits one and two year olds.
A slow-paced Spanish class for over-50s who have never studied it. The first part covers handy travel phrases, the second grammar and building sentences, all taught in English.
The opening night reception for the Convene social enterprise conference, a chance to meet people from social enterprises, business and government over food and drinks.
The Gardens Club, 75 Gardens Point Rd, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Author Tess Rowley runs this Seniors Month session from the Queensland Writers Centre on memoir: how to turn real people, places and memories into a story worth reading, for family or a wider audience.
A playgroup run fully in Vietnamese, where children and their families sing, read stories and play together while staying connected to Vietnamese language and culture.
Three Queensland not-for-profits pitch to a room of donors, who each chip in and vote on how the pooled money is split. The three run women's self-defence classes, co-housing for older women and a TV show made by young hospital patients.
An evening book club where readers meet to talk through a chosen novel together, with Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone and R.F. Kuang's Katabasis up next.
The first Mr First Nation, a new competition for Blak Kings from across the country that grew out of Miss First Nation. It's as much about culture, creativity and community as the contest.
A playgroup held entirely in Spanish, with stories, songs and play for families. Spanish speakers of any background and anyone curious about the language can join in.
A volunteer-run group where local writers come together to keep each other inspired, whether you're just starting out or already well into your writing.
A relaxed Italian meal with matched wines and some entertainment, for women to wind down the year together. Winners of the Boss Lady Awards are announced, recognising women who made bold moves.
Family sessions led by playgroups from the Spanish, Indonesian and Chinese communities, with bilingual stories and songs, a talk on children's language, Chinese crafts and games, and a go at the Indonesian bamboo angklung.
A Halloween fair for families with trick-or-treating, horror and magic acts, pony rides, reptile displays, face painting, jumping castles and rides. Come in costume, as there are prizes for the best one.
A local park becomes an open-air cinema at dusk, with food stalls and things to do, plus the South Brisbane Federal Band playing live. Bring a blanket and come with family or friends.
The party that opens Melt Festival, starting once the River Pride Parade arrives. Expect DJs, a guest spot from The Huxleys and the first outing of the newly crowned First Nation King.
A treasure hunt for kids that puts kindness into practice. Along the way they meet firefighters, police, other emergency workers and hospital staff, learn what they do, and hand them thank-you gifts.
A neighbourhood day out with Bayside Brass playing, a sausage sizzle, stalls selling food and plants, and steam train rides operated by the local Lions Club.
A picnic day for the gardens' 50th birthday, where you can learn about the people and groups that keep them running and follow a trail of old photos and stories.
Windsor Brass plays an afternoon set for Grandparents Day, moving from swing standards to modern big band charts, plus some jazz, blues and funk. Bring the whole family.
A relaxed trivia session where you answer general knowledge questions over a cup of tea. Come on your own or bring a team, and meet a few new people along the way.
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, phones or the internet to this relaxed session. Staff point you to where you can find support and help troubleshoot problems.
A Halloween session for kids aged 5 to 12, exploring spooky stories, eerie tales and creepy characters from the library's shelves. Costumes are encouraged.
A Brisbane Fashion Month runway night for new designers, with graduate collections and independent labels on show. The line-up includes Disco Queen, KG Bold, Tribe Tropical and TAFE Queensland.
A social night for the lesbian, queer and trans community, run with Melt festival. An icebreaker name game leads into short one-on-one friend dates, then open mingling for the rest of the evening.
Queer performers each take a pet obsession, strong opinion or oddly niche topic and present it as a PowerPoint talk, turning the office slideshow into a night of strange stories and made-up tangents.
An evening fashion parade of Queensland designers for Brisbane Fashion Month. George Wu opens the show and Sacha Drake closes it, with eveningwear, resort looks and sharp tailoring in between.
Watch an experienced Genealogical Society Queensland researcher trace a family tree from scratch, using Brisbane's first mayor, John Petrie, as the example. You'll see how shipping, birth, death, marriage and land records, plus old newspapers, are used.
A meet-up where young manga and anime fans can hang out with others into the same things. Bring along the series you're reading at the moment and talk about it with the group.
A small, friendly book club of men and women that meets monthly to talk over a chosen book. Picks move between novels, non-fiction and classics, and the chat stays casual.
Kids come in Halloween costume to explore spooky stories, creepy classics and eerie adventures from the library's collection. Aimed at primary school ages.
Children come in costume for a Halloween story session exploring creepy classic books, eerie tales and the scariest characters on the library shelves. Suits kids aged 5 to 12.
A professional open-air staging of both parts of Henry IV in one, in which Prince Hal trades a carefree life for the battle over England's throne. Before it, there's a kids' activity, Elizabethan dancing, swordplay and a language talk.
A night of live Bulgarian folk music and dance marking 25 years since Zhiva Voda began, with guest acts including Linsey Pollak, East of West and the Zdravets dance group.
The book club discusses Beatriz Serrano's Discontent, then a trainer runs through basic self-defence for women: calming a tense situation and speaking up when you freeze. Proceeds go to domestic violence services.
RSL Queensland marks Remembrance Day with a poppy installation. Visitors can lay a poppy in tribute, watch a light display of falling poppies after dark and attend the commemorative ceremony on the day itself.
An end-of-year evening in a garden function space for women in business, with drinks for two hours, finger food and networking. The dress code is summer chic.
The two women who started a volunteer group marking veterans' unmarked graves talk about why so many lie without a marker and how they research each one. Afterwards you can wander the war history galleries.
School students who developed their own business ideas in class pitch live to a judging panel for prize money and support. First there's an expo of the teams' stalls, where the crowd votes for a favourite.
RSL Queensland runs the state's Remembrance Day ceremony, with a minute's silence for Australians killed in war and peacekeeping service. The memorial galleries also open on the day to visit.
A three-day pop-up on designing homes to cope with floods, from raised floors to tougher materials, with case studies, short talks and craft sessions for kids. Aimed at homeowners, industry and students.
A talk on how migration has shaped Australia and what holds a multicultural society together. Aleem Ali of Welcoming Australia and Mark Cully, once chief economist at the immigration department, lead the conversation.
An end-of-year party for women in the Common Grounds business community, with drinks, food, networking and a short personal development talk led by Tanya McQueen. The room is on the third floor with no lift.
Gallery members get a bigger discount than usual across the gallery shops, sale stock included, on purchases made in person. Membership sales and the Christmas market stalls are left out.
An exhibition about 12 of Queensland's giant roadside attractions, using photos, film, building plans and objects to tell their history and the locals who dreamt them up and kept them standing.
Speed dating for singles in this age bracket: you fill in a short profile, then an app pairs you for six to eight brief dates. Two drinks are included, and mutual matches can message each other afterwards.
