Brisbane Botanical Gardens, Brisbane

A very relaxing Gardens that is well designed and taken care of. Most all the vegitation is named on plates attached. There are a few ponds that are full of ducks. It does not matter the day, as long as the sun is shinning there will be lost of people laying around eating and reading. Nice place to bring a new friend for a bottle of wine and lunch. They rent bikes at the entrence to the park. Free to come and go as you please. There is a small cafe in the back of the Gardens.

The beautiful City Botanical Gardens are laid out over 20 hectares and is set on the banks of the Brisbane River just below Parliament House.

It's a peaceful respite from the noise and the traffic of the city's business district. The Botanic Gardens date back to the earliest years of European settlement, long before 1855, when they were formally laid out after once being a vegetable garden.

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Brisbane's City Botanical Gardens are located in a bend in the city's river, next to the Queensland University of Technology and just a short walk south of the CBD.

If you cross over Goodwill Bridge from Southbank Parklands, this will bring you to the south-west entrance to the gardens. From here, there is a main path that leads through the centre of the gardens to Albert Street at the northern end of the gardens. Smaller paths branch off in all directions from this main walkway.

During my trip to Australia in April 2006, I had already visited the Botanical Gardens in both Sydney and Melbourne and I must say that Brisbane's equivalent is not nearly as impressive as those of its counterparts. However, it is a nice place to escape the busy city streets and high rise buildings of the CBD and to relax in tranquil surroundings.

The paths are popular with walkers, joggers and skaters, while the large grassy lawns attract sunbathers, picnickers and families playing ball games. The gardens contain many tall palm trees, a lily pond, shaded pagodas and benches, tropical plants and flowers and a couple of trees with bright orange flowers that glowed spectacularly in the afternoon sunshine.

The gardens are open 24 hours a day and there is no admission charge.

There is a cafe with outdoor tables located at the southern end of the gardens.

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It's always nice to take time out and wander through a city's botanical gardens.

Brisbane's gardens are along side the Brisbane River, just a short stroll from the inner city.

We were in Brisbane in August, so not a lot of flowering plants out at this time of the year. The old trees are magnificent though.

This is a lovely spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

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These expansive gardens are located along the river, alongside the Gardens Point Campus of the Queensland Univeristy of Technology.

The gardens are almost a museum of plants, with specimens of heritage plants through to modern day and exotic species, duck ponds (and ducks) and plenty of shady, private places to sit and enjoy someone's company, read a book or contemplate your next move. You can also sit on benches along the river, and admire many of the moored boats at the Riverside end of the gardens.

There are mangroves along the river, with optional elevated bridge paths through this unique ecosystem to have a closer inspection and smell!

If you are interested, there are guided walks through the gardens leaving from the main Rotunda, opposite the Albert Street gates, which leave at 11.00am and 1.00pm each day except Sunday, and excluding holidays.

Its a great walk from here, through the gardens and across the Goodwill Bridge over to Southbank, if you want to explore further.

What a lovely place to go for a stroll the only off putting thing would be that i saw about 50 huge ugly Spiders whilst walking through not sure if they were dangerous or not, but i loved the place they can`t help but brighten up your day and the river that runs pass the top end of the Gardens is truelly magical as well with boats floating down. What a lovely place.

We nearly didn't make the boat. Had to walk through the Botanical Gardens to get there. What a shame we couldn't have had a leisurely stroll through here to savour the peaceful ambience. Anyway, here's a pic I took quickly as we power walked through lol
I've since checked out this web site to see what I missed :o)

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You can come off the Boardwalk into the Botanical gardens and spend time looking around the ponds and Gardens.
You can hire a bike at the front gate.
If you would like to sit and have a meal or just a coffee or coke there is the Gardens Kiosk/Cafe'.
You could also take a picnic and sit on the grass and enjoy watching the passing parade of visitors.

There are a number of statues throughout the gardens.

This is a popular place for weddings.