Harmony Gardens in Dutton Park Playground

Small colourful fort and shade sail at Harmony Gardens.

Harmony Gardens is a tranquil inner south neighbourhood park with a few special touches set amongst big shady trees.

Harmony Gardens playground

The playground area at Harmony Gardens is called the Butterfly Magic Playspace. It was created by the council in conjunction with local kids, parents and neighbours. Students from nearby St Ita’s Primary School and Dutton Park State School worked with local artists to make the butterflies that decorate the fence. Surrounding vegetation was rehabilitated to encourage native butterflies, and indeed we saw some flitting around on the day of our visit.

One of the best parts of the playground is a big sandpit complete with excavators, on which budding construction workers can sit and manipulate handles to pick up and move buckets of sand. The sandpit also includes a big fort armed with buckets on chains, which Brisbane Kids can use to haul up sand, then dump it back down into the sandpit via special mini slides.

There is also a large sandpit, a play unit with slide, a shop counter, three large sculptures, a swinging hammock, two swings including one with a high back suitable for babies and exercise bars.

A unique feature of Harmony Gardens is its sound sculpture, which was designed with the assistance of blind and visually impaired people. The metal percussion chimes and a similar wooden set of planks invite Brisbane Kids of all abilities to strike them and hear the different sounds made by the varying lengths of metal and wood. The instruments are surrounded by posts reminiscent of totem poles, with designs etched into their surfaces that are perfect for little hands to explore varying textures.

Harmony Gardens is just a short walk from the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, also known as the ‘Green Bridge’ due to its vehicle lanes being limited to buses and bikes. It’s a short walk down to see a curve of the Brisbane River and perhaps stroll across the shaded pedestrian walkway of the bridge to see the lakes at UQ.

Imagination Factor at Harmony Gardens

Brisbane Kids will love the plastic sculptures near the sandpit which look like they are from Alice in Wonderland; a caterpillar, bug and a mushroom inspiring imaginative play and encouraging kids to climb on and through them.

There is a little counter under the play unit to play shop, while the fort in the sandpit could be a castle surrounded by a moat, or a building site that will need to haul sand to construct. Just down the slope from the park is bushland for intrepid kids to play jungle.

Accessibility at Harmony Gardens

There are toilets at Harmony Gardens including one accessible stall. The main section of Butterfly Magic playground is shaded by large trees and shade sails. The playground is partially fenced. It is constructed on a soft fall surface, but the ground is somewhat uneven being positioned on a hill, there is also a very large sandpit.

There are concrete pathways running through the park, connecting the carpark to the toilets and play area. Next to the playground is a large sound sculpture which was specifically designed by and for blind and visually impaired people.

Harmony Gardens features

Partially fenced
Accessible toilet
Shade provided by trees and shade sails
Rubber and cement surfaces, with grassy areas
Swings, including baby swing
Play structure with slide and pole
Sandpit with fort and diggers
Exercise bars
Sound sculpture
Picnic tables
BBQ
Water bubblers
Basketball Half-court (nearby)
Dog off-leash area (further up the hill)
Carpark with 11 spaces, including one disabled.

Other great parks in the inner south are Orleigh Street Playground and Hill End Terrace Playground, both in Orleigh Park at West End, and the multiple playgrounds and parks at South Bank

What We Thought of Harmony Gardens

Harmony Gardens is a very beautiful playground with a relaxing vibe for young and old. As first timers to Harmony Gardens our kids loved it, and it took ages to drag them away from this lovely space. A promise to revisit soon was the only way I could get my two back to the car.

How to Get to Harmony Gardens

Harmony Gardens is located at the top of TJ Doyle Memorial Drive, Dutton Park.

A gravel area just down the road can also be used for parking and will fit about six cars, but there is no path to the playground. Further spots are located down the bottom of the hill, with a concrete path leading back up to the playground. All car parks are 2P from 7am to 7pm on school days.

T J Doyle Memorial Dr, Brisbane QLD, Australia