Tucked away in a bend of Brisbane River is Colmslie Beach Reserve, aka the Octopus Garden Park…read more It's so much fun and has something for everyone. It's on the river, with a little sandy shore, so you can fish; there are quite a few picnic tables and barbecues (but get in early on weekends); there are wide open spaces for kicking a ball around and lots of shady trees to spread a picnic rug beneath. The funnest part, however is the kid's playground. The Octopus Garden has lots wood and rope climbing areas, big sandpit, water play features, giant colourful fish and octopus play areas and a flying fox. For kids and kids at heart, this place has a lovely vibe, with a backdrop of the river and the Gateway Bridge in the distance, Brisbane City Council's done a really good job here. Check it out.

This is my favourite beach in the world. THE WORLD. Nothing can match the idyllic beauty of this…read morespot. The sheltered little cove is all sparkling water and gentle, rolling cylinder waves. It's not loved by surfers, which is fine by me as I don't love getting hit in the head by surf boards. You're not meant to have your dog there, but no one ever gave us any stick when we took our puppy down on holiday recently. She's not a swimmer, however she had an awesome time guarding our towels and stressing out while I put myself in danger by going for a swim. The beach is patrolled during the day and is a family favourite. It's my version of paradise.

Suttons Beach in Redcliffe is one of the best places to spend a day with the family. It has plenty…read moreof shaded areas, gazebos with barbecues and a sandy beach for all to have a dip into on a hot day. It's also one the main area where most festivals are held in Redcliffe. So popular and picturesque is the Suttons Beach, on any weekends you can find a number of happy couples getting married. Because it gets very busy on the weekends be prepared to park a few blocks away. For those that do enjoy a good walk, there is a bike path that goes from one end of Suttons Beach all the way into the Redcliffe shopping district. Also, for those that enjoy a great cuisine, Suttons Beach is also home to a restaurant by the name of Sails. Sutton's Beach is definitely one of the highlights of Redcliffe you must visit.

When I discovered Suttons Beach, I thought- "why have I only just found out about this place". This…read morebeach absolutely beautiful and a great place to spend a day with the family or a loved one. I came here with my family during the low tide- around the middle of the afternoon. We dipped our feet in the water and walked towards the ocean for what felt like kilometres- the low tide here is phenomenal as you can just keep walking further and further from land and the water will only reach your ankle. During that walk we noticed millions of tiny soldier crabs hovering around and because the water was so clear, the occasional exotic looking fish made an appearance through the water. The beach was very calm and quiet which was refreshing compared to the beaches on the Gold Coast. After this walk, my family and I had a picnic by the beach, there was plenty of green grass available and even some BBQ for us to cook on. We stayed to watch the sunset, which was a breathtaking view. I am glad I have discovered this beach, it is one of the most pleasant beaches that I have encountered in a while.

This is my absolute favourite park in Brisbane. Shady trees provide hours of entertainment for…read morechildren and their monkey-childlike fathers as they run around playing games and seeing who can climb the highest. Situated next to a park with play equipment such as see-saw boards, swings, a train, climbing pirate ship complete with climbing rope net, fireman pole and slide, and so much more. Fully fenced with plenty of bench seats and covered seating areas for those who are past the climbing stage and inclination to swing around the play equipment like a three year old aka mums. You can stop in here for a quick play or a longer adventure, with the beach a stone's throw away. Not the best for building sand castles but all you need for a splash in the waves on a warm day. Being situated so close to the beach means on warm days, you barely notice it thanks to the constant cool ocean breeze. If you're coming in winter, bring your jacket and your beanie, that breeze has a bite. However, these aspects are not why this is MY favourite park. Sand and climbing trees are not enough to woo this caffeine lover over, despite happy girlies tuckered out after hours of play with me enjoying the blissful silence and peace that comes with happily entertained children. It is the fact that a walk over the road opens me up to a world of great coffee shops, sandwich 'bars', fish and chip shops and other similar take away options. It makes it a full day adventure for them, and me.

Nice park area to spend sometime with friends and family and is right next to the beach. Plenty of…read morecovered areas and trees to keep you cool and lots of parking it's simple a great spot for a bbq.

Great place for everyone. Need more lighting at night, I often like to go for my walks & runs…read moreunfortunately I'm restricted due to this very problem. Need more basketball courts so everyone can enjoy. Be careful of the swooping birds. Limited seating maybe bring your own and enjoy your space.

'Ello chaps! Streets…read moreBeach is a 17 hectare park located on the Bank of the Brisbane river. It is an absolutely MUST VISIT. There is green space, restaurants, and a FREE man made pool area. There is the large concrete bottom pool that draws quite the crowd in hot weather, as does the neighboring beach (sand bottom) pool There is also a small kids pool and kids water playground. It's FREE! There are public restrooms steps away that give you a free space to change, plus lockers available for rent. It is easy to spend an entire day here, enjoying the public amenities and pool while having quick access to restrooms, lunch spots, and ice cream trucks. Overall I give Streets Beach Five Stars out of Five. It's a MUST VISIT.

When people come to visit Brisbane and ask me "what is there to do here?" sometimes I get stumped…read more I mean, I'm a local and I've got my places to go, but where are the really pop out kind of spots that are worth noting to a tourist? In recent months I've been building a list of "tacky, weird stuff to do" in Brisbane list. Streets Beach is right at the top of this list. A man made beach, complete with sand, life guards and umbrellas- right in the middle of the city! I used to think this beach was horribly tacky and I used to avoid it like the plague. It was always full of little kids who you could trust to pee in the water, or young buff couples getting sexy in the deeper waters. Am I selling this yet? In recent years however, I don't avoid it so much. I've grown fond of strolling down to the beach of a night time for a dip. You can float on your back and gaze out at the skyline, and watch the lights reflect off the water of the river below. It's actually really pretty. Just maybe take care to not put your head under water. You never know what's beneath the surface. Take this as you will. It's open until 10pm of a night time.

The name is self explanatory. The main beach covering the suburbs of Labrador, Southport and…read moreSurfers Paradise. Flagged patrolled and un patrolled sections. A large sandy shoreline and a footpath lining the length of it. Close to ample eateries, shopping and accommodation. A beautiful tourist destination. I am somewhat biased though. This beach will forever hold a special place in my heart as my partner proposed here only days ago. A picturesque setting for such a momentous occasion.

Main beach is a great beach to surf and catch some rays. It's clean, there's a lifeguard on duty,…read morefree parking, and a cafe a short walk away if you get hungry. You'll also get an iconic Surfer's Paradise picture as posted with the high rises and long stretch of beach in the distance.

Damn, this is one fancy suburban park. They don't make parks like this on the south side. Since…read morebecoming a full time mummy, my sister has become an expert on Brisbane parks. She could tell you which park is suitable for different age group, which park has the cleanest BBQ areas or has the most shade or has easy parking or has the best slides. It's a real eye opener tagging along and watching how kids interact with the playground. Whoever designed the Hamilton playground has thought of everything. There are three different designated play areas. One area is clearly for toddlers because the steps are low enough for them to climb up and there are simple slides and seesaws low to the ground. There's an adventure style playground for the older kids (and short adults like me!) with a climbing net and flying foxes. What I was most impressed with was the miniature road set. My nephew was worried that it was a 'real road' and pronounced in a sing song voice that I should get off the road. Once I explained it was a 'pretend road', he happily raced around the track on a pretend motorbike breaking all the road rules but at least giving way to pedestrians. There's an off-leash dog area attached to the park. This looks like gambolling doggy fun with an obstacle course for the bigger dogs. And when you're tired of running around, pop across the road to Portside for a coffee and cake.