Brisbane’s central business district (CBD), colloquially known as “the city,” lies within a curve of the Brisbane River. Covering 2.2 km² (0.8 sq mi), the CBD is highly walkable, with Queen Street—named in honour of Queen Victoria—serving as the city’s traditional main street and home to the bustling Queen Street Mall. Streets in the CBD reflect British heritage, with female-named streets (Adelaide, Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Mary) running parallel to Queen Street, and male-named streets (Albert, Edward, George, and William) intersecting them. Key public squares include King George Square, Post Office Square, and ANZAC Square, which houses the city’s central war memorial.

The Brisbane metropolitan area is broadly divided into the northside and southside, separated by the Brisbane River. Due to the river’s winding course, some areas south of the CBD are considered northside and vice versa. Informal regions include the northern, southern, eastern, and western suburbs, bayside suburbs along Moreton Bay, and outer regions encompassing Moreton Bay, Redland, Logan, and Ipswich. Greater Brisbane had a population density of 159 inhabitants per square kilometre (410/sq mi) in 2021, with the sprawling metropolitan area often taking over an hour to traverse by car without traffic.

From the 1970s onwards, apartment construction increased significantly, with mid-rise and high-rise developments accelerating in the 21st century. At the 2021 census, 73.4% of Brisbane residents lived in separate houses, 14.7% in apartments, and 11.4% in townhouses, terrace houses, or semidetached dwellings. This mix of housing reflects Brisbane’s evolving urban character, blending heritage architecture, riverfront development, and modern high-density living while maintaining a sprawling, suburban feel across its metropolitan area.