If you want to know what’s on TV in Brisbane tonight, you don’t need to wait for the paper or scroll through teletext. The fastest way is a free online guide like the one at Freeview — it lists every free-to-air channel in one place, and it’s made by the free-to-air industry itself. Below you’ll find everything else you need in one spot: every Brisbane channel number, the best free guides and catch-up apps, and a few fixes for when channels disappear.
What free-to-air TV you get in Brisbane
Brisbane picks up five free-to-air networks: Seven, Nine, 10, ABC and SBS. Between them they run around 31 channels, from the main channels everyone knows down to multichannels for movies, food, news and sport. All of it is free — you just need a TV, an antenna and a tuner (built into every modern TV). No subscription, no logins, no monthly bill.
Each network also has a free streaming app, so anything you miss on the night you can usually catch up the next day on your phone, tablet or smart TV.
Brisbane free-to-air channel numbers
Channel numbers are the same across the Brisbane metro area. Save this list on your phone and you’ll never have to guess again.
| Channel | Number | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Seven | 7 | Main channel — news, reality, AFL |
| 7HD | 70 | High-definition version of Seven |
| 7TWO | 72 | Dramas, movies, repeats |
| 7mate | 73 | Sport, reality and comedy |
| 7mate HD | 74 | High-definition 7mate |
| 7Bravo | 75 | Reality and entertainment |
| 7flix | 76 | Movies and series |
| Nine | 9 | Main channel — news, reality, NRL |
| 9HD | 90 | High-definition version of Nine |
| 9Gem | 92 | Movies and drama |
| 9Go! | 93 | Youth and entertainment |
| 9Life | 94 | Lifestyle and reality |
| 9Gem HD | 95 | High-definition 9Gem |
| 9Rush | 96 | Action and adventure |
| 9Go! HD | 99 | High-definition 9Go! |
| 10 | 10 | Main channel — reality, comedy, news |
| 10 HD | 1 | High-definition version of 10 |
| 10 Comedy | 11 | Sitcoms and comedy (was 10 Peach) |
| 10 Drama | 12 | Dramas (was 10 Bold) |
| Nickelodeon | 13 | Kids shows |
| ABC TV | 2 | Main ABC channel |
| ABC TV HD | 20 | High-definition ABC |
| ABC Kids / Family | 22 | Kids by day, family shows at night |
| ABC Entertains | 23 | Comedy and entertainment |
| ABC News | 24 | News around the clock |
| SBS | 3 | Main SBS channel |
| SBS HD | 30 | High-definition SBS |
| SBS Viceland | 31 | Youth, docos and sport |
| SBS World Movies | 32 | Movies from around the world |
| SBS Food | 33 | Cooking and food shows |
| NITV | 34 / 36 | First Nations television |
| SBS WorldWatch | 35 | News in languages other than English |
A quick note: in 2025 Network 10 renamed its multichannels — 10 Peach became 10 Comedy and 10 Bold became 10 Drama. If your TV still shows the old names, run a channel rescan and they’ll update.
Where to find Brisbane TV listings
You’ve got a few good options, and all of them are free:
- Freeview — the free-to-air industry’s own guide at freeview.com.au. Set your region to Brisbane and browse what’s on now, tonight or across the week.
- Each network’s website or app — Seven, Nine, 10, ABC and SBS all publish their own guides. Handy if you only watch one network.
- AusTV app — a free Australian-made TV guide app for iPhone and Android. Pick Brisbane as your region and it shows the local line-up, lets you save favourite shows and set reminders.
- CompareTV’s Brisbane guide — a simple web guide showing tonight’s and this week’s listings across the Brisbane channels.
Pick one and stick with it. Switching between three different guides is how people end up missing the start of the movie.
Catch up free with the networks’ apps
Missed something? Every network lets you stream its shows free after they air:
- 7plus — Seven’s catch-up app (7plus.com.au)
- 9Now — Nine’s catch-up app (9now.com.au)
- 10 — Network 10’s app and site at 10.com.au (this replaced the old 10 Play)
- ABC iview — iview.abc.net.au, including live streams of ABC channels
- SBS On Demand — sbs.com.au, home to SBS, NITV and a huge movie library
They’re all free with a quick sign-up, and they work on smart TVs, phones, tablets and web browsers. If a show aired on free-to-air last night, it’s usually there by the next morning.
Brisbane’s TV times are always AEST
One thing that trips people up: Brisbane stays on AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) all year. Queensland doesn’t do daylight saving, so when Sydney and Melbourne move their clocks forward in summer, a show listed for 7:30pm in a national guide might air at 6:30pm or 7:30pm Brisbane time depending on the network. Always check the Brisbane time in your guide rather than assuming it matches the southern states.
Quick fixes when channels go missing
If a channel that used to work suddenly shows a black screen or “no signal”, try these before calling anyone:
- Rescan your channels. Networks shuffle their line-up from time to time. A full auto-tune in your TV’s settings usually brings everything back.
- Check the antenna cable. Loose or corroded connections behind the TV are the most common cause of missing channels.
- Make sure the antenna points the right way. Most Brisbane antennas point toward the transmitters on Mt Coot-tha. A storm or a possum can nudge one out of line.
- Try the catch-up app instead. If the antenna is the problem and the footy starts in ten minutes, streaming it on 7plus, 9Now or 10 will save the night.
FAQ
How many free-to-air channels does Brisbane get?
Around 31, spread across the five networks — Seven, Nine, 10, ABC and SBS — plus their multichannels.
What channel is the news on in Brisbane?
Seven News is on 7, Nine News on 9, 10 News on 10, ABC News on 24, and SBS World News on 3. For 24-hour news, ABC News on channel 24 never stops.
Can I watch Brisbane free-to-air TV without an antenna?
Yes. Every network streams its channels live and on demand through its free app — 7plus, 9Now, 10, ABC iview and SBS On Demand — so a decent internet connection is all you need.
Why do some guides show different times to my TV?
You’re probably looking at a Sydney or Melbourne guide. Brisbane doesn’t observe daylight saving, so always set your guide’s region to Brisbane (or Queensland) to get the right times.
