Surveillance in Brisbane

Nobody plans to need an investigator. Surveillance is the most direct way to convert a suspicion into evidence. Working across Brisbane, our investigators observe, follow and record without ever making themselves known, and hand you a factual account of where a person went, who they met and how long they stayed. We have been doing this since 2001 and we are not easily surprised by anything you tell us.

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and the third largest city in Australia. Call 1300 773 293 at any hour, or read on for how we handle surveillance here.

Reasons people in Brisbane get in touch

An employee on workers compensation appears to be working elsewhere
A former partner is breaching a parenting arrangement
A business partner may be running a competing operation
A tenant or occupant may be subletting or misusing a property
Stock, tools or takings are going missing and you do not know who is responsible
You need to know who a family member is spending time with

What Brisbane is like to work in

Working in Brisbane means understanding a river city of low density suburbs where most movement happens by car. Our operatives plan around that rather than turning up and hoping. Where a matter runs across several days we rotate vehicles and positions so that a familiar car never becomes part of the scenery.

We work regularly across Ipswich, Logan, Redcliffe, Chermside, Mount Gravatt, Indooroopilly and Cleveland, and we travel further into Queensland where a matter calls for it.

What happens once you engage us in Brisbane

We take a full brief, including the subject description, vehicles, addresses and the pattern you have noticed
Where a job runs several days we rotate vehicles and operatives so nothing becomes familiar
Footage and stills are captured where it is lawful and useful to do so
You receive a progress update while the job is running, not just at the end
We stand down early and tell you when a session is producing nothing of value
A written report is delivered with an indexed log and the supporting media

Fees and how we charge

Here is how the billing works, without the vagueness. Surveillance is charged by the hour with a minimum engagement, plus travel where the job takes us outside Brisbane. The real cost driver is not the hourly rate, it is how many hours are wasted watching nothing. We will tell you honestly if we think the pattern you have described means a shorter, better targeted window will get you the same answer for less. We will also tell you when we think you are about to spend money for very little return.

Surveillance and the law in Queensland

The legal boundaries matter, and a good investigator will raise them before you do. Surveillance in a public place is generally lawful in Queensland. What is tightly controlled is the use of devices. The Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 (Qld) governs listening devices, optical devices, tracking devices and data surveillance, and it sets out when a device may and may not be used. We work strictly inside those limits, because evidence gathered outside them is worthless to you and creates a problem you did not have before. Getting this wrong does not just cost you the evidence. It can expose you personally, which is the opposite of why you called.

This is general information rather than legal advice. If your matter is already before a court, speak to your solicitor about what evidence will assist and we will work to that brief.

Who we are

A few facts about us, so you can check them. Sydney Private Investigations has been operating since 2001 and trades as GORA Investigations Pty Ltd, ABN 34 600 932 438. We hold NSW Master Licence 412080174 and VIC Master Licence Z6583160S. Work in Queensland is conducted in accordance with the Security Providers Act 1993 (Qld), administered by the Office of Fair Trading, and where a locally licensed operative is required we engage one rather than cutting a corner.

If your matter really belongs with police or with a solicitor, we will tell you that instead of selling you surveillance.

Frequently asked questions

Is surveillance legal in Queensland?

Observing a person in a public place is generally lawful. The restrictions apply to devices. The Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 (Qld) sets out the rules for listening devices, cameras, trackers and data surveillance, and we operate inside them at all times.

Will the person know they are being watched?

No. Covert surveillance only works if it stays covert. Our operatives use unmarked vehicles, change position and rotate where a job runs over several days.

How many hours do I need?

It depends on how predictable the pattern is. A specific window on a specific day may take four hours. Establishing a routine from scratch usually takes several sessions. We will give you a realistic estimate at the briefing.

What happens if you lose the subject?

It happens occasionally, and we tell you when it does. We log the loss, the time and the reason, and we do not pad a report to hide it.

Do you cover regional areas outside Brisbane?

Yes. We travel throughout Queensland and charge travel separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

More of our work in Brisbane

We also cover Surveillance in Gold Coast, Surveillance in Sunshine Coast, Surveillance in Townsville.

Talk to an investigator about Brisbane

Call 1300 773 293. The line is answered twenty four hours a day. You will speak to somebody who does this work, not to a receptionist reading from a script.

If you would rather write to us, use the contact form and we will come back to you the same day.