Most would avoid Brisbane’s lowest-rated hotels and eateries. Not Jon

If a takeaway joint, hotel or gym is badly rated on Google, there’s a good chance Jon Wyeth has visited.

The Brisbane-based content creator has made a living out of visiting the city’s worst-rated spots – think a KFC with 1.8 stars, or a hotel with 2.6 stars. It’s a unique approach, considering most content on social media fixates on the best of the best.

Instagram and TikTok users love Wyeth’s candid reviews of Brisbane’s not-so-celebrated locations.

This masthead caught up with him at one of Brisbane’s more pristine spaces – Anzac Square in the CBD.

Wyeth finds that most of Brisbane’s worst-reviewed spots don’t quite live up to the hate, but there was one he felt warranted the backlash.

“It was an eventful night, I couldn’t even put some of the stuff in the video. It was too hectic. You really couldn’t give it more than one star,” he said of a hotel in Kangaroo Point.

“We stayed the night and committed to the bit – we didn’t get bed bugs, although a lot of people said we would.”

Content on all sides of the River City

Wyeth didn’t think reviewing poorly regarded places would become his job.

“I started posting in 2021 – just stupid videos with my mates. I then started doing the voiceover and vlog-style stuff, and I started getting consistent with it,” he said.

Along with the worst-reviewed, he’s also been ticking off the city’s “most dangerous” spots. Luckily for Wyeth – or unluckily for his metrics – he has yet to experience anything too out of the ordinary.

“There are always a few interesting characters, but they’re sort of just doing their own thing.”

Wyeth rejected criticism that he’s taking advantage of lower socio-economic areas with the series, saying he wasn’t going around “shoving my camera in homeless people’s faces”.

“There’s a lot worse content out there,” he said.

The gym session that nearly revived Steven Miles’ political fortunes

Wyeth has been building a catalogue of visits to 24-hour spots and the city’s best pubs. But he’s also forayed into the world of politics, making a video where he spotted then-premier Steven Miles in the gym.

“It was in the lead-up to the election, so he was trying to get his face everywhere,” he said.

“Someone from his media team just reached out and said, do you want to spot Steven Miles as he tries to bench 100kg?”

Wyeth said Miles didn’t really need any help to reach his personal best, but he was still stoked to be part of the stunt – describing it as “the Steven Miles bench press that nearly got him through”.

Miles lost the election, but the video had more than 680,000 views across various social media platforms and accounts.

So far, Wyeth is yet to hear from David Crisafulli’s team.

Mostly ‘good things to say’

Not all of Wyeth’s content paints Brisbane in the best light, but he says his goal is to use his platform to champion small businesses.

“Ninety-five per cent of the time I only have good things to say,” Wyeth said.

Following Cyclone Alfred, he decided to help badly damaged Wilston cafe and ceramic studio Our Space by sharing a video.

Its co-owner, Jacquie Tapsall, said his post led to an influx of new customers.

“[The video] really did help get our small business a lot of awareness in Brisbane,” they said.

“Social media, along with word of mouth, is truly the thing that keeps our business busy and being recognised and supported.”

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Brisbane Times is shining a spotlight on Brisbane people and businesses with a following on social media – from viral videos of your local butcher to a popular craft movie night.

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