About Queensland Maritime Museum
The Queensland Maritime Museum is a specialist maritime museum located at 412 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, on the Brisbane River. Housed in and around the heritage-listed South Brisbane Dry Dock built in 1881, it preserves and displays Queensland's maritime history. Notable for its collection of historic vessels, lighthouse exhibits, ship models, and naval artefacts, it documents commercial shipping, navigation and river history in Queensland.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect an indoor and outdoor museum centred on the historic South Brisbane Dry Dock. Inside, exhibition halls display ship models, navigational instruments, uniforms, photographs and lighthouse optics. Outside, the dry dock contains the World War II frigate HMAS Diamantina (K377), the steam tug Forceful and the lightship Carpentaria. Visitors can explore vessel decks, view engine rooms, and walk around the dock area with interpretive signage and guided tours.
Key highlights
- 01
Heritage-listed South Brisbane Dry Dock (1881) housing the museum
- 02
HMAS Diamantina (K377) - preserved River-class frigate open for deck tours
- 03
Steam tug Forceful and lightship CLS Carpentaria moored in the dock
- 04
Historic lighthouse lenses and optics including Bulwer Island and Bustard Head lights
- 05
Extensive collection of ship models, charts, photographs and maritime artefacts