The 7 best parks in Brisbane

From dawn to dusk, this picturesque West End park offers a pleasant spot to run, ride, row or relax. Feel the fresh breeze on your face as you lay back on the riverside sun lounges, striped in vibrant shades of green. Want to get your heart pumping? Jog along the riverbank, hit the outdoor fitness gym, stretch out your yoga mat, or launch your canoe from the pontoon. The park also boasts barbecues, shaded picnic tables and a kids’ playground. 

You could easily spend a whole day dilly-dallying around South Bank Parklands. This riverside paradise is a sprawling paradise for families with leafy walkways, 15 hectares of lush lawns and ingeniously designed playgrounds for active fun – both wet and dry. Grab a pastry from a nearby café and stroll along Clem Jones Promenade, taking in stellar city skyline views. Alternatively, sizzle some sausages on the free barbeques or lay out a picnic on the shaded lawns. For little explorers, the $1.7 million Riverside Green Playground is an absolute dream and is located right near Streets Beach, a huge temptation on a sweltering day.

Roma Street Parklands has no competition – it’s hands down the best place to head in Brisbane if you want to enjoy some outside time. The expansive park is a horticultural gem and welcoming community space, featuring spectacular flower gardens, multiple children's playgrounds, accessible facilities, lakes, cafés and even an amphitheatre. The verdant lawns and plentiful trees provide ample opportunities to relax (be that with a book, picnic basket or yoga mat in hand) while the park hosts events regularly – check its website for what's upcoming. If you've never been to Roma Street Parklands before, make sure you visit the Spectacle Garden and the Rainforest Walk. 

Spread across 56 hectares, this living green museum is home to tranquil gardens, beautiful plant displays and more than 5,000 species of flora. Explore the Scented Garden, Bonsai House, Japanese Garden, Cactus House and Rainforest (which has the largest collection of Australian native rainforest trees in the world). There are free guided minibus tours to give you an overview of the gardens, as well as free guided walks daily. Want to adventure on your own? There are also self-guided walks, including an Aboriginal plant trail, which takes you through the Yuggera land and explores the plants used by Indigenous communities.

Located on a bank of the Brisbane River, this former racecourse-turned-park now attracts more than 18,000 visitors each week all coming to pedal, play, relax and socialise. Stretching over 15 hectares, the gardens are filled with fresh sprigs of lavender, rose bushes and mature fig trees, a croquet club and an off-leash area for your four-legged friends. Want to get active? There’s a rental bike station, soccer fields, children’s playground and a wide walking path running along the river’s edge. If you’d prefer to kick back and relax, there are plenty of shaded areas, a coffee kiosk and barbecue facilities.

Spanning 73 hectares, this Chermside park is one of the largest on Brisbane’s north side. Playgrounds are the big drawcard here, with five dotted across the park. The Kidspace Playground is one of the most impressive – the huge timber fort has bridges, ladders, stairs and rope nets throughout and is totally shaded. 7th Brigade Park also has four shaded picnic areas, bathrooms and a fenced off-leash dog park. On the sporting front, you’ll find cricket pitches, sports fields and winding bike paths. You can also challenge a friend (or stranger) to a game of giant chess.

This park, located on the Brisbane River in Seventeen Mile Rocks, is popular with families, garden enthusiasts and locals. With more than 8,000 square metres of open grassed space and a half-sized basketball court, it’s also regularly used by local fitness trainers and boot camps. Make sure you visit the community garden. Beyond the towering papaya tree at the entrance, you’ll find a bunch of vibrant planter boxes that are cared for by the local community. Back outside you’ll find lots of areas for kids to play in, with an extensive playground complete with climbing nets, a flying fox and a water play area. Corrugated shade roofs and picnic tables are located just across from the barbecue facilities, making it a great spot for a family gathering.