Are you travelling to Brisbane City in Australia with your kids and need some ideas on entertaining them? Welcome to Brisbane’s biggest parenting community. We are experts in things to do in Brisbane City with kids, so let us show you our town!
Table of Contents
The Brisbane Kids’ criteria
This best-of list isn’t like our other lists. For example, if we were to list the best playgrounds in Brisbane, we wouldn’t be listing all 400+ of them. We would curate a small list based on several different factors including our local expertise.
Instead, for this particular resource, we are giving you the best things to do close to the centre of Brisbane City. Because of the geographic limit, it’s a reasonably exhaustive list of what we recommend visitors do if they want to stay close to the heart of Brisbane. Welcome to our city!
Parks And Playgrounds
There is lots of green space in Brisbane CBD and plenty of things to do in the great outdoors. Here’s our pick for must-see parks and playgrounds for kids in Brisbane city!
Roma Street Parkland
Elevated playground walkway at Roma Street Parkland
Roma Street Parkland is also accessible from Albert St and Wickham Tce. This park has 16 hectares of manicured gardens and lawns for the public to enjoy. A fantastic kids’ playground is located at the park’s northern (uphill) end, and there’s a separate area with a liberty swing and a trackless train your kids can ride for a fee.
Roma Street Parkland has a café onsite, or you can bring your own picnic or barbecue. Your kids will appreciate the grass for running around or lazing about, and we always enjoy the garden displays with artwork and quirky pruning to look out for!
If you are visiting during Queensland school holidays, check out our calendar of events to take advantage of the free kids’ holiday workshops often conducted in this park.
City Botanic Gardens
City Botanic Gardens
City Botanic Gardens on Alice St. officially opened in 1855, with plantings dating back to 1828, and these gardens are steeped in history. There is a playground inside the botanic gardens; the best access is from the Edward-Alice Streets gate. (This is one of two Brisbane Botanic Gardens; one is in the city, and the other is around a 10 minute drive from the centre of the city at Mt Coot-tha (located next to the Sir Thomas Planetarium).
When visiting City Botanic Gardens you can follow the path along the river past the fig tree avenue to find the boat-shaped playground. This park is also close to QUT the Cube and QUT Gardens theatre. You can reach South Bank via the footbridge next to QUT Gardens Point campus.
South Bank Parklands
Riverside Green Playground
South Bank Parklands is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, opposite the CBD. It’s a popular destination for residents and tourists with various fun things to do. Access is easy by CityCat, bus, train, car, bicycle or walking. South Bank Parklands features a permanent (man-made) sandy beach (streets beach), “aquativity” – a children’s water play area, two land-based playgrounds, and many pathways and grassy nooks to explore.
Restaurants and cafes line Little Stanley and Grey Streets, as well as many inside South Bank itself. Lifestyle markets are held starting Friday night and over both days of the weekend in the Stanley Street Plaza, often featuring live music. The Wheel Of Brisbane in the Cultural Forecourt is one of the best ways to get your bearings of Brisbane city, offering a 360 degree view of the city from 60 metres up.
Captain Burke Park at Kangaroo Point
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the southern side of the river, east of Southbank. These cliffs are popular for abseiling and climbing. Cycle and walking paths run along the top and bottom of the cliffs with stair access.
Continue up Captain Burke Park – under the southern end of The Storey Bridge at Holman St Kangaroo Point. You’ll find a fantastic playground with rocking boats, tilting rides, and even fishermen hauling in 3 feet long eels! Eek!
There are barbecue and picnic areas with spectacular views of the city, the bridge, and the New Farm cliffs—arguably the best spot for kids in Brisbane City. The park is accessible by cross-river Citycat (and the free CityHopper), cycling and walking paths, bus, or car.
New Farm Park
New Farm Park playground
New Farm Park is perfect for those looking to explore parklands a little further than the CBD without venturing too far. A short CityCat ride from North Quay or Riverside to New Farm delivers you to a park of approximately 37 hectares with rose gardens, mature trees and a fantastic playground for the kids of all ages. Vehicle access is via Brunswick St New Farm. Cafes and restaurants are a short walk away, in the trendy suburb of New Farm.
Why not get your older kids to grab their cameras and take in a Brisbane Photo Walk? Between all the great green spaces, our meandering river, exciting entertainment precincts and beautiful architecture, Brisbane is an excellent place for a photo walk. Point shoot, and then jump on a ferry to the next picturesque location.
Where to find the above Brisbane CBD parks
This map will hopefully help you understand where each park is located relative to the centre of the city.
Museums and Libraries
Dinosaur Fossil at Queensland Museum
For visitors, Queensland Museum, Science Centre, Queensland Art Gallery, State Library and Gallery of Modern Art are all located within the same precinct (at South Bank), and around a couple of minutes walk from each other. All these venues are accessible as are the walkways between them.
Queensland Museum—Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Brisbane. This is Brisbane’s main museum, focusing on Australian fauna and flora but also displaying natural history, cultural heritage, science, and human achievement in permanent and seasonal exhibits. One of the best things about this museum is that it is free to enter (though sometimes the individual visiting exhibitions cost money)—review of Queensland Museum.
Science Centre – Level 1 of Qld Museum, Grey and Melbourne Streets South Brisbane. A permanent interactive science exhibition with some seasonal exhibits. Admission charges apply. Science Centre Review
Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) – located next door to the Qld Museum, access via Stanley Place or Melbourne Street South Brisbane.
Gallery Of Modern Art (GOMA) – One of the great things about GOMA is its Children’s Centre, which offers free kids’ activities year around (usually aimed at young children), often to match with visiting exhibitions in the main areas. Stanley Place South Brisbane. Goma Review
Queensland Maritime Museum – southern end of Southbank Parklands, Stanley Street South Brisbane. Showcasing historical artefacts including a decommissioned World War 2 frigate “Diamantina”. Admission charges apply. Review of the Maritime Museum.
State Library Of Queensland, The Corner. Stanley Place, South Brisbane. “The Corner” is an interactive onsite and online program for children under 8 years, with digital exhibition, online games, arts, crafts and reading activities. Review of State Library of Queensland
Brisbane Square Library 266 George St Brisbane. This library, run by the Brisbane City Council, offers many child-friendly activities, including story times and craft activities in the large children’s section. Museum of Brisbane (MoB) – Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, King George Square. Review of Brisbane Square Library
Museum of Brisbane Not to be confused with Queensland Museum at South Bank, The Museum of Brisbane is located in the centre of the CBD on the other side of the river. It is also free to enter (though some visiting exhibitions cost money). You can find the Museum of Brisbane in City Hall.
Markets
South Bank Lifestyle Markets
Farmers Markets in Reddacliff Place Cnr George and Queen Sts Wednesdays 10am-6pm selling local produce.
Riverside Markets at Riverside Centre, Eagle St. Sundays 7am-3pm selling arts, crafts and selected foods from around the world.
Southbank Lifestyle Markets with arts, crafts, collectables, designer fashion, food and lots more. Friday nights 5pm-10pm Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday9am to 5pm. Stanley Street Plaza, Southbank.
Places To Eat
Like most other cities in the world, Brisbane has many different restaurants, cafes, and eateries for all tastes and budgets. We’re lucky to have some of the world’s best seafood and fresh produce, so it’s well worth sampling! Here are a few of our tried-and-true child-friendly favourites.
Grill’d – Eagle Street Pier and Level 1 Wintergarden, 171-209 Queen Street for the best “real” burgers around. Also many suburban locations.
Pancake Manor is located at 18 Charlotte St and is open 24 hours a day.
Royal Copenhagen Icecream open 10am – 9pm everyday except Fridays when they’re open till 11pm. In the Myer Centre, at the Queen Street Mall entrance.
Wagamama – Level 1 Wintergarden 171-209 Queen St. Japanese dine in or take away.
Supermarkets – Coles and Woolworths both have supermarkets in the CBD, plus there are numerous 24 hour convenience shops dotted throughout the area for those self-catering or to restock supplies.
Coles – Queens Plaza, corner of Queen and Edward Streets. Coles Express located on level E Myer Centre, Queen St Mall.
Woolworths – Macarthur Central, 259 Queen St.
Other Places Of Interest And Things To Do
Queen St Mall is located in the heart of the city centre – Once the main thoroughfare street of Brisbane, now a shopping mall with several arcades to explore. Queen Adelaide Building, Brisbane Arcade, Broadway on the Mall, Wintergarden, and Queens Plaza are all located with entrances onto Queen Street Mall.
Reflections on the River, Heritage Trail walk is a great way to see Brisbane’s history by foot or CityCycle. The trail starts at Customs House, 399 Queen St and finishes across the river at the Maritime Museum however you could follow the trail for as long or as short as you wish. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/parks-and-venues/city-hall/index.htm
City Hall – why not book a free tour of the newly refurbished Brisbane City Hall including a clock tower tour?
CityCat – Brisbane’s own catamaran ferry service running from University of Queensland to Northshore Hamilton will help you make the most of the River City http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/public-transport/citycat-ferry-services/
Free ferry – CityHopper ferry operates between North Quay and Sydney Street ferry terminals, stopping all terminals in between. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/public-transport/citycat-ferry-services/cityhopper/
Free city bus loops – http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/public-transport/buses/free-loop-services/ traverses the CBD for free every 10-15 minutes during the day.
City Sights bus tour http://www.citysights.com.au/
If you’re here for a while, why not check out other unique kids’ attractions in Brisbane on this website site? Check out our events calendar if you want to take in a show. Like us on Facebook for updates to help you plan your trip before you come!
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