I have been coming here to these gardens for a number of years. When I lived closer to the city we would ride our bikes in to the Botanical gardens and stop for Devonshire tea at the garden cafe.

This time, with my friends visiting, we took the bus to Southbank where we hopped on to a city cat to go across the Brisbane river to these lovely gardens, arriving via QUT.

The City Botanic Gardens, which is Brisbane Citys oldest park, was originally planted by convicts in 1825 with food crops to feed the prison colony. These gardens include ancient trees, rainforest glades and exotic species. They run the full length of Alice Street, bordered by Parliament House on the one side and the Brisbane River’s northern banks on the other. Where the park borders the Brisbane river there is a wide tree lined path, which offers a pleasant walk by day or evening, and from here there are views of the many yachts at anchor and in the distance the iconic Story Bridge.

In the park there is so much space that even when the park is busy you don’t feel overcrowded. There are many walkways which are wide enough to allow for both bicycle and foot traffic to share.

The gardens are an absolutely wonderful display of the most beautiful delights anyone could wish for. A large expansive area is set out beautifully with lots of grassy areas to relax in. The flower displays are truly delightful. The gardens are beautifully maintained and you really can get amongst the shrubs and giant trees. There are several large camphor laurel trees which are fantastic for climbing. The pond serves as a brilliant focal point that is teaming with wildlife including many species of birds, lizards (water dragons) and turtles.

There are several options of cafes to stop for coffee or lunch. We chose to have lunch in The Pantry located at QUT at Gardens point and within the grounds of the Iconic Old Government House. This small cafe offers a great selection of simple morning tea and lunch items, wonderful coffee and an interesting atmosphere.

There are free guided walks available from Monday to Saturdays from approximately 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. (excluding public holidays). These walks which last approximately one hour are led by experienced, friendly Volunteer Guides. Just meet at the Rotunda near the Alice Street Main Entrance.

This is a brilliant place to visit with the family. You can wander through the gardens or walk along the river bank all the way to the bridge over to Southbank.