Brisbane lies within the South East Queensland biogeographic region and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Iconic trees in the city include the Moreton Bay fig, known for its expansive buttress roots and often illuminated in the inner city, as well as the jacaranda, a subtropical South American species that blooms with striking purple flowers in October. Other common trees include the Moreton Bay chestnut, broad-leaved paperbark, poinciana, weeping lilli pilli, and Bangalow palm. Along the banks of the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay, mangrove wetlands provide essential habitat for coastal wildlife. The red poinsettia is Brisbane’s original floral emblem, while the Brisbane wattle, native to the area, was added as an official emblem in 2023.

The city supports a diverse array of fauna. Bird species commonly seen include rainbow lorikeets, kookaburras, galahs, Australian white ibises, Australian brushturkeys, Torresian crows, Australian magpies, and noisy miners. Reptiles such as common garden skinks, Australian water dragons, bearded dragons, and blue-tongued lizards inhabit parks and gardens. Ringtail possums and flying foxes are frequent visitors to suburban yards, alongside invertebrates such as common crow butterflies, blue triangle butterflies, golden orb-weaver spiders, and St Andrew’s Cross spiders.

Brisbane’s waterways are ecologically significant. The Brisbane River is home to yellowfin bream, flathead, Australasian snapper, and bull sharks, while Moreton Bay supports dugongs, humpback whales, dolphins, mud crabs, soldier crabs, Moreton Bay bugs, and numerous shellfish species. The koala and graceful tree frog are Brisbane’s official faunal emblems, although both species face increasing pressures from urban development and climate change. Brisbane’s ecology reflects the balance between vibrant urban life and the preservation of its unique natural environment.