Bonsai Nurseries Brisbane: Where to Buy Bonsai Trees (2026)
Brisbane is one of the easiest Australian cities to grow bonsai in. The subtropical climate suits figs, Chinese elm, lilly pilly and many natives year-round. You’re also never far from a specialist Bonsai Nurseries Brisbane, a bonsai club or a free advice day.
This guide compares Brisbane’s bonsai nurseries and teachers. It covers where they are, whether you need an appointment, what beginner trees they stock, whether they run workshops or offer repotting, how you can collect or receive your tree, and which kind of buyer each one suits best.
Before you visit: Many bonsai nurseries are small, family-run businesses, some operating from home. Hours change, so phone or message before you make the drive.
Brisbane Bonsai Nurseries at a Glance
| Nursery | Area | Visiting | Workshops and classes | Services | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Bonsai Grower | Park Ridge (south) | Set opening hours; closed Wed and Thu | Regular workshops | Stock trees, ready-made bonsai, accessories | Browsing a large range on the southside |
| The Bonsai Man | Keperra (north-west) | Phone ahead for an appointment | 6-hour basic course with two trees | Styling, maintenance, holiday tree-minding | Beginners who want a structured course |
| Bonsai Northside Nursery | Morayfield (north) | Set opening hours; closed Tue and Wed | Monthly workshops, beginner courses | Ready-made and pre-bonsai, supplies, gift vouchers | Northside buyers wanting ongoing classes |
| Arabella Bonsai | Brisbane northside | By appointment only | Not advertised | Pre-bonsai, ready-made bonsai, maintenance | A quiet, one-on-one visit |
| Brisbane International Bonsai School | Southside | Contact to arrange | Structured classes, private and group workshops | Re-design and maintenance | Learners wanting expert, structured tuition |
| Hardware stores and garden centres | Citywide | Normal retail hours | No | Mixed starter bonsai | Low-cost starter material |
Delivery and click-and-collect aren’t advertised by most specialist nurseries. Ask when you call.
Brisbane Bonsai Nurseries Compared
Australian Bonsai Grower, Park Ridge
A long-established southside specialist run by Stephen and Dianne Rawkins, focused on quality bonsai stock and accessories.
- Location: 190 Hubner Road, Park Ridge, QLD 4125
- Visiting: Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 9am–4pm, and Sunday 10am–3pm. Closed Wednesday, Thursday, Christmas Day and Good Friday. No appointment needed.
- Trees: A wide range, from starter stock to advanced trees and ready-made bonsai, plus pots and accessories.
- Workshops and services: Holds workshops regularly. Ask about upcoming dates.
- Collection and delivery: Pick up in person. Delivery isn’t advertised; ask when you call.
- Best for: Southside and Logan buyers who want to browse a big range and choose their own tree.
- Contact: (07) 3803 3060 · australianbonsaigrower.com
The Bonsai Man, Keperra
A bonsai studio in Brisbane’s north-west run by Roger Lund, selling trees, tools and ornaments, with tuition and care services.
- Location: 9 Whitby Street, Keperra, QLD 4054
- Visiting: Phone ahead to arrange an appointment.
- Trees: Bonsai trees for indoors and outdoors, plus tools and ornaments.
- Workshops and services: A six-hour basic bonsai course that includes two trees, plus other workshops. Also offers styling, maintenance and tree-minding while you’re on holiday.
- Collection and delivery: Collect from the studio; ask about delivery when you book.
- Best for: Complete beginners who want a structured course, and owners who need a tree cared for while they’re away.
- Contact: thebonsaiman.com.au
Bonsai Northside Nursery, Morayfield
A northside nursery known for welcoming visitors and running regular classes, with stock from starter plants to large, mature specimens.
- Location: 15 Devine Court, Morayfield, QLD 4506 (off Buchanan Road, near Bruce Highway exit 150)
- Visiting: Set opening hours; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Parking on site; EFTPOS accepted.
- Trees: Ready-made bonsai, pre-bonsai plants, pots and hobby supplies.
- Workshops and services: Monthly workshops and beginner courses. Gift vouchers available.
- Collection and delivery: Pick up in person; delivery isn’t advertised.
- Best for: Moreton Bay and northside growers who want ongoing workshops close to home.
- Contact: bonsainorthsidenursery.com.au
Arabella Bonsai, Brisbane Northside
A small, home-based family business on Brisbane’s northside.
- Location: Brisbane northside (address given when you book)
- Visiting: By appointment only. Book through the website form, by phone or by email.
- Trees: Pre-bonsai stock and ready-made bonsai.
- Workshops and services: Offers bonsai maintenance. Workshops aren’t advertised.
- Collection and delivery: Ask when booking.
- Best for: Buyers who prefer a quiet, unhurried visit with personal advice.
- Contact: arabellabonsai.com.au
Brisbane International Bonsai School (Tony Bebb)
A teaching-focused business led by Tony Bebb, a well-known Australian bonsai teacher who also runs workshops for clubs and societies.
- Location: Brisbane southside
- Visiting: Contact to arrange classes or a visit.
- Workshops and services: Structured classes, private and group workshops, presentations and demonstrations, plus re-design and maintenance of existing trees.
- Best for: Learners who want expert tuition, and owners who want an established tree professionally restyled.
- Contact: Via the Brisbane International Bonsai School Facebook page
Hardware stores and garden centres
Bunnings and many garden centres sell small starter bonsai and tubestock.
- Trees: Mixed starter plants, often including ficus, Chinese elm, juniper, maple, pine and serissa. The species varies, so check the label.
- Best for: Low-cost material to practise on.
- Watch for: Junipers and pines sold as indoor plants (they’re outdoor trees), pots without drainage holes, and soil that’s too dense for bonsai.
Beginner-Friendly Trees and Indicative Prices
The best beginner trees for Brisbane
| Tree | Why it suits Brisbane | Indoors or outdoors |
|---|---|---|
| Fig (Ficus microcarpa, Port Jackson fig) | Loves warmth and humidity, grows fast, recovers from mistakes | Outdoors year-round; ficus also suits a bright indoor spot |
| Chinese elm | Tough, quick to respond to pruning, tolerates heat | Outdoors |
| Lilly pilly | Native, glossy leaves, coloured new growth | Outdoors |
| Dwarf jade (Portulacaria afra) | Drought-tolerant succulent, hard to overwater if the soil is gritty | Sunny window or outdoors |
| Trident maple | Handles subtropical heat better than Japanese maple | Outdoors, with afternoon shade in summer |
Junipers are widely sold in Brisbane. They grow well outdoors in full sun, but they decline if kept inside.
Indicative prices
| What you’re buying | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Starter tubestock (50 mm), hardware store | about $10 |
| Small starter bonsai in a 150 mm ceramic pot, hardware store | about $38 |
| Pre-bonsai stock, specialist nursery | [confirm with nurseries] |
| Ready-made beginner bonsai, specialist nursery | [confirm with nurseries] |
| Mature, refined bonsai | [confirm with nurseries] |
| Beginner course or workshop | [confirm with nurseries] |
Hardware-store prices are from Bunnings online listings, October 2026. Prices change, so check before you buy. Specialist nursery prices vary by species, age and pot.
Value tip: Ask whether the price includes the pot and bonsai soil. A tree in a plastic nursery pot is usually cheaper, and lets you choose the display pot yourself.
Advice, Workshops and Repotting Help
You don’t need to pay for expert advice in Brisbane. Two active bonsai clubs and a public bonsai collection give beginners plenty of free or low-cost help.
Bonsai Society of Queensland
One of Brisbane’s main bonsai clubs. It meets monthly on Saturdays at Whites Hill State College Hall, 138 Burn Street, Camp Hill.
- Beginners: Runs a beginner’s course in modules on meeting days, covering topics such as pruning, pots, repotting and keeping trees healthy. Beginner workshops with tutors are also held on alternate months.
- Workshops: Hands-on skills workshops covering wiring, repotting, air layering and group plantings. Bring your own trees.
- Best for: Beginners who want a structured path at club rates, and help repotting their own trees.
Bimer Bonsai Club
A long-running Brisbane club that holds an annual show and runs public bonsai advice sessions through Brisbane City Council’s events program.
- Best for: Free, informal advice on a struggling tree, and seeing quality local bonsai at the club show.
Bonsai House, Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha
The Bonsai House sits about 60 m beyond the Japanese Garden at Mt Coot-tha in Toowong, and is open daily from 8am to 4pm. Volunteers from the Bonsai Society of Queensland and Bimer Bonsai Club help gardens staff look after the collection. It’s a good place to see what well-grown bonsai look like before you buy.
Paid repotting, styling and tree-minding
- The Bonsai Man (Keperra): styling, maintenance and holiday tree-minding.
- Arabella Bonsai (northside): maintenance, by appointment.
- Brisbane International Bonsai School: re-design and maintenance of existing trees.
Repotting is best done in early spring (about August to October) for most species, and from late spring to early autumn for tropical figs, so book ahead in those months.
Which Brisbane Bonsai Nursery Suits You?
| If you are… | Try |
|---|---|
| A complete beginner wanting a structured course | The Bonsai Man (6-hour basic course with two trees) or the Bonsai Society of Queensland beginner’s course |
| On the southside and want to browse a big range | Australian Bonsai Grower, Park Ridge |
| On the northside or Moreton Bay and want regular workshops | Bonsai Northside Nursery, Morayfield |
| After a calm, one-on-one visit | Arabella Bonsai (by appointment) |
| Wanting an existing tree restyled or rescued | Brisbane International Bonsai School, or The Bonsai Man |
| Going on holiday and need a tree minded | The Bonsai Man |
| On a tight budget and keen to experiment | Hardware-store starter stock, plus free advice from a club |
| Buying a gift | Bonsai Northside Nursery gift vouchers, or a beginner course |
Tips for Buying Bonsai in Brisbane
- Ask for the botanical name. It tells you whether the tree lives indoors or outdoors and how to care for it.
- Choose a tree for the subtropics. Figs, Chinese elm, lilly pilly and trident maple handle Brisbane’s heat and humidity better than many cool-climate species.
- Check the health of the tree. Look for firm, green foliage, new growth, no pests under the leaves, and roots that are firm rather than mushy.
- Check the pot drains. Every bonsai pot needs drainage holes.
- Plan the trip home. Keep the tree out of a hot car boot in summer, and water it when you get home.
- Moving trees out of the area: Much of greater Brisbane is in a fire ant biosecurity zone. Moving potted plants and soil out of the zone has legal requirements, so check fireants.org.au before taking a tree interstate or to a property outside the zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy a bonsai tree in Brisbane?
Specialist bonsai nurseries include Australian Bonsai Grower at Park Ridge, The Bonsai Man at Keperra and Bonsai Northside Nursery at Morayfield. Arabella Bonsai sells on the northside by appointment. Hardware stores and garden centres also sell starter bonsai.
What’s the best bonsai for a beginner in Brisbane?
A fig. Ficus microcarpa and the native Port Jackson fig both love Brisbane’s warm, humid climate and recover well from beginner mistakes.
Are there bonsai classes in Brisbane?
Yes. The Bonsai Man runs a six-hour basic course, Bonsai Northside Nursery runs monthly workshops and beginner courses, and Brisbane International Bonsai School offers structured classes. The Bonsai Society of Queensland also runs a beginner’s course for members.
Can I get my bonsai repotted in Brisbane?
Several nurseries offer maintenance and restyling, and both Brisbane bonsai clubs hold workshops where members can repot their own trees with help.
Where can I see bonsai in Brisbane?
The Bonsai House at Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha is open daily from 8am to 4pm. The Bonsai Society of Queensland and Bimer Bonsai Club also hold annual shows.
Related Guides
- Bonsai Tree Care for Beginners
- Bonsai in Australia
- Bonsai Tools and Supplies
- Best Bonsai Trees for Indoors
Disclosure: The Bonsai Master has no paid relationships with any business in this guide. Nurseries are included because they suit Brisbane bonsai buyers, not because they pay us. If we add affiliate links or paid partnerships, we’ll label them clearly on this page. Last updated: [October 2026].