The bonus point could prove vital later in the season with the top four teams in the Australian conference all within a game and a half of each other.
The Reds now face New Zealand opposition for the first time this season when they take on the Highlanders in Dunedin next Saturday.
They'll look to snap the Kiwi curse and become the first Australian team to beat New Zealand opposition in 33 attempts.
Rules must favour attacking team
On the stroke of half-time the Brumbies thought they'd completed the fightback to take the lead into the sheds.
Brumbies hooker Folau Faingaa threw the ball into the lineout then received it back immediately before dashing down the blindside and doing his best Jordan Rapana impersonation.
Fainga thought he had his second try of the game after grounding the ball with his left hand but was ruled to have simultaneously touched the in-goal with his right hand.
It was a mighty close and could have given the Brumbies a 19-18 half-time lead.
By the letter of the law referee Ben O'Keeffe correctly denied the try but why would the benefit of the doubt go with the defending team?
Rugby union is a sport desperately trying to bring back crowds by playing entertaining rugby, but the lawmakers are giving 50-50 calls to the defending team.
Considering the two worst attacking teams in Super Rugby were squaring off you'd think the referees could have given this one to the Brumbies.
Yellow card invites Brumbies back into contest
Reds outside centre Chris Feauai-Sautia was binned for a deliberate knock down in the 39th minute.
The Brumbies were denied Faingaa's try with Feauai-Sautia off the field but they piled on two tries after the break before he came back on.
It proved a turning point in the contest as the Brumbies piled on 12 points and took the lead for the first time with the Reds down to 14 men.
Queensland had all the ball in the opening exchanges, with 75 per cent possession and 90 per cent territory in the first 25 minutes.
The yellow card proved all the invitation the Brumbies needed to get themselves back in the game.
Brotherly love on display in historic game
In what was believed to be an Australian rugby first, Lucas brothers Matt and Ben squared off as opposing Super Rugby scrumhalves.
Matt was promoted to the Brumbies' No. 9 jersey for the first time since moving to Canberra and came up against his older brother Ben.
At the first scrum the pair exchanged a subtle handshake but the Super Rugby backyard battle lasted just 10 minutes.
Ben made a break down the blindside and when he was tackled accidently collected the knee of Brumbies winger James Dargaville.
The 30-year-old was knocked out cold before he hit the ground and the first player to check on him was his little brother.
Matt stayed by Ben's side until the medics arrived and didn't leave until his brother eventually sat up.
With their parents and brother in the crowd, it was a horror way to see the family fairytale end.
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Eamonn Tiernan is a sports reporter with The Canberra Times
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