Good professional high quality courts, including clay and grass…read more Best courts in Brisbane probably since it is an actually professional stadium. They have shaded courts for hire if you need them or if you can afford it you can probably hire the main centre court out as well :) There's a shop that sells treats, drinks etc and of course tennis gear and accessories eg. if you need to renew the grip on your tennis racket. Outside in the nearby park, there are some nice playground and BBQ areas you could go to afterwards for a post game feast :)

So I am not the most massive tennis fan. I enjoy watching the odd game but kind of get bored by the…read moreend of it. I guess tennis is just not my thing. While I may not be the biggest fan of tennis I am a big fan of the Queensland Tennis Centre for what is a slightly unconventional thing. The road that runs through the Queensland Tennis Centre (King Arthur Terrace) is the perfect short cut to avoid the peak hour traffic. While you can't go more than 40 km/h here it still saves time during the busy traffic. There are numerous round abouts to maneuver and the pedestrian crossing at the Tennis Centre to be careful of. Just a tip, there are two speed bumps either side of this crossing that are hard to see since the markings have rubbed off. It is very easy to scrape the bottom of your car if you are not prepared. This shortcut takes you from the busy King Arthur Terrace in Tennyson to Fairfield Road in Yerongpilly, skipping a lot of traffic lights and peak hour build up.

I've been coming here on and off for years…read more I used to work nearby, so would walk up on lunch breaks to do laps. Most recently I had a day off, and it was one of only two council pools on the northside that was open. They drain, clean, and do whatever maintenance they need over winter, so that's understandable. Centenary had just reopened. As much as it was a warm (24 degrees) winter day, I was still worried the pool might be a bit chilly, but I needn't have worried. The temperature was perfect. But this pool isn't for splashing around in with your friends, each lane was roped up and segregated based on swim speed (i'm always in the slow lane!). It was fairly quiet, but still expect to share a lane with one or two others even when it's not busy. As I left what appeared to be a school swim team was arriving and taking a lot of lanes, so it might be a good idea to check when the pool is booked out for groups. There was plenty of bench space, toilets and showers in the change rooms, but unfortunately the lockers (and there's not many) were out of order, so avoid bringing any valuables. Staff at the counter were friendly, and they have a good range of goggles and other swimming paraphernalia, so you can probably grab whatever you need right there if you don't have any gear, or just forgot it. There's also plenty of parking, with a gym above the pool!

The Centenary Aquatic Centre is a great option if you're after a pool that's sparkling clean and…read moreregularly treated, which is, I think, all you could ever ask for in a large body of water frequented by thousands of people each week. The lanes are split according to the speed at which you're swimming, and the people I've shared lanes with all keep to themselves and don't kick up a fuss when someone is swimming too quickly or too slowly. The change rooms are air conditioned because they aren't well ventilated for privacy reasons, but this makes them incredibly cold when you hop out of the pool. Luckily, their showers are always piping hot. The pool is heated in winter, but there are still those odd summer days that are inexplicably freezing, and this turns the water ice cold. It takes about ten laps to warm up.

There's nothing really exciting about this pool, other than there's water in it and it's clean. And…read moreit's in the Valley. Aside from that it feels relatively industrial and grey. The facade is quite iconic but behind it the original pool appears to have been demolished and replaced with some sort of 1970s concrete box. I like swimming and will swim anywhere, including here, and if it's exercise then it's a good place to do laps. There just doesn't seem to be a great deal of atmosphere. What is a nice day is shopping and eating in the Valley followed up by a late afternoon swim here at the pool. That is a nice adventure. Anyway, not bad, but nothing to get too excited by. Note: Pool actually opens at 5.30am Monday to Saturday, despite hours listed above.

Although archaic in terms of booking a spot and payment, it's a great local court…read more Maintained well and with good facilities, this is a synthetic grass court with sand. There are 3 courts in total and it also has night lights, an umpire chair, and an undercover section with seats, toilet facilities, and small office. The courts are locked and you'll need to call to make a booking and get the code to unlock the gates. All well and good, except the 'office hours' are very short and they aren't too prompt returning your calls, which is a pain if you want to play at short notice. The message prompt also goes for about 30-seconds which is ridiculously long. Payment is rudimentary, with money in an envelope being deposited in a slot in the office door. I hardly ever have cash on me, so online booking would be preferable and much easier. Great courts, though, and I use them every now and then when the weather is good. One side of the courts have some shade from the neighbouring trees which is nice during especially hot days. You can switch sides to avoid burning to a crisp with your partner if you're not playing all that competitively.

Review for Strike Bowling Wintergarden…read more I held my son's 7th birthday party at Strike Wintergarden and unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing, particularly with regard to the handling of food allergies. Despite noting specific allergies (dairy-free, egg-free, and coeliac) in our booking and confirming them again on the day with the host, there was no suitable food provided for three of the children with dietary needs. Knowing the severe consequences of an allergic reaction, we were alarmed to see that the chips & nuggets brought out had been cooked with other items containing egg and dairy, which would have made the children very unwell had they eaten them. The nuggets also contained the allergens. We then asked about the vegan pizza alternative that we had been promised by email with the booking team, only to be served a pizza that was only gluten-free, not dairy-free as required. This left these children unable to eat anything while others enjoyed their meal, leading to a very uncomfortable situation. If the children had eaten this they would have been very unwell. Additionally, the basic logistics of the event fell short. Items like a lighter for the birthday candle, plates for the cake, and a knife to cut it were only provided after considerable delay. The plates never arrived. I was under the impression we'd have a dedicated host for the party to assist with these details, these things just added to the stress of the day. Given that three children could not safely eat the food provided and the lack of dedicated hosting, I have written on several occasions with no response. I'd hoped for a worry-free celebration, and while the kids enjoyed the bowling itself, the experience with the food was unacceptable and handled very poorly.

Deals, deals, deals. And boy, is their marketing spot on and absolutely hilarious…read more You want laser tag and bowling? Oh, why that's the bowl and blast for $25. Or come on 2-fo-1 Tuesday. Or go nuts on unlimited laser tag for $15 on Thursdays. But holy cow, Sunday Funday... that's where the real deals roll. $25 bones for unlimited everything - bowling, laser, pool, karaoke. Blizaooow! Outside of that, it's a bowling alley night club. Prepare to be impressed by their music selection, savvy marketing, and how exponentially better you get at bowling the more $10 patriotic mint juleps you down. The best thing about the place is that they make it nearly* impossible not to have fun. *Fun is hard to unlock if you're on a first date and you're situated one lane away from a rowdy group of Bogans with confusing accents and mesmorising dance moves. Trust me.

Although it has a daggy exterior and a not so concreted parking lot, the 9 hole golf course has…read moreonly gotten better over the years. What not many newbies know about this golf club is that every year it hosts the Professionals on the Sunshine circuit with Seniors Pro-am (over 50s) included in the calendar as well. The clubhouse is airconditioned (yay) and the club also offers popular beers on tap at pretty darn tootin' cheap prices. The club bistro (restaurant) is open from Wednesdays to Sundays and you can get a pretty hearty lunch, dinner and snack there. Into pokies? They have that too, and if you're a member of a Brisbane RSL, it's free membership here as well. 9 Holes are about $12 a person and 18 holds is $18. Cheaper if you're a university student as well getting into Golf. A pretty good place to tee off if you ask me.

Home of the GPS Gallopers the Ashgrove Sports Ground is a hive of activity on training nights and…read moreevery weekend of the winter season. No surprise given this local sports field boasts a clubhouse, spectator stand, scoreboard, three rugby fields, a genuine cricket pitch and nets. If you live in the area it's well worth a trip down on any game day to enjoy the atmosphere and socialise with the locals. What I happen to love about these ground is the picturesque scenery on offer. The grass is always a deep shade of green and the creek that wraps around its borders provides some nice foliage. The surrounding mountains are a sight to behold as they provide a nice bit of shade in the afternoons and bring a chill to the place the moment the sun is down. So if you feel like a walk around Ashgrove at any time of day it might be an idea to take the pedestrian path around these impressive grounds.

Residents of Holland Park are so lucky to have Glindemann Park at their door step. People talk…read moreabout increasing house value by adding a swimming pool or being close to public transport. If you ask me, the houses off Lawn Street should be worth a fortune by having this field of gold at their door. Glindemann Park has 2 main play areas- up the hill is for the younger kid. It is mostly a shaded fort structure. Older kids need to manoeuvre down a tricky gully to get to the lower area which has a climbing web, swings and slides. There's also a third area a little distance away with a basketball half court and a small skateboarding square. There are a few picnic tables and BBQs but not heaps. I haven't come down on the weekends but I imagine it would be a really popular family picnic destination. The only problem I foresee is that this park is not fenced. This is a particular issue as the toddler area backs onto a fairly busy road. Mums and dads - have fun but keep an eye on roving, young children.