Nudgee beach is (as I understand it) Brisbane's only "leash off" beach so you can let your dog off…read morethe leash and play ball, let them swim and basically whatever you want to do. There is also a large dog park where your pooch can run off-leash with other dogs. It is great for dog-owners and other people who enjoy the mud flats of Moreton bay (eg: fishing people). It is not great for children, in particular, small children playing in the off leash play area. This is dangerous and I cannot understand why parents cannot see this. My dog is a boisterous puppy who is not used to children and could injure one just playing (which is what puppies do..). If I see children in the off-leash area I will keep my dog on the leash or go play in the dog park. Not all dog owners are as sensible / sensitive. It is a great facility and a great joy for many people to see their dogs play together and take a dip in the water.

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.

Tingalpa Creek track is a little known but beautiful walking track that passes through Ransome, on…read moreyour way out to the Bayside. There are two walking tracks,around 850m long, so a decent trek but manageable for most people. The area is usually really quiet, with only a few fisherman to keep you company. The track itself is a great walk. Surprisingly, there is a boardwalk for a section of the way. Some of the track winds around Tingalpa Creek, which is surprisingly wide and long for a creek. The trees block out the road noise and the peace and quiet means you can hear a whole range of birds and local wildlife on your walk. The area is fairly popular with fisherman, especially on the weekend. The section of the track that is closet to Rickertt Road has a jetty, type platform structure for fishing off plus there are a few wooden carved picnic tables under a shaded area. Perfect for a quiet afternoon on the weekend.

Need to get out of the city for some fresh air? Mt Mee is a nice little escape from the hustle and…read morebustle of Brisbane and a good spot to do some walking. My partner and I went up there with the intention of doing a "decent" walk and that we did. Arriving at The Gantry, a picnic area and start/finish point for several walks, we took the Somerset trail, a 13km loop passing a lookout point for views of the Somerset and Wivenhoe Dams. The views were beautiful, but walking amongst all the tall old trees swaying in the wind was just as good. The website says to allow 4 hours and this was pretty accurate. We were walking quite briskly and didn't stop to eat, so we managed it in three and a half hours. This walk was a "Level 4" with some steep, gravelly inclines and declines. Less fit or less adventurous walkers could try one of the lower level walks. Next time I'd like to check out the water falls. Getting out of Brisbane and up to Mt Mee, be sure to take the route that passes through Dayboro. There are some beautiful stretches of road where you can see all the way out to the ocean. If looking for somewhere to eat on the way home, Dayboro Bakery does a mean pie and the town itself is really cute. A great day trip from Brisbane.

Ah the boat ramp. I have far too many teenage memories of under age drinking here (look, there…read morewasn't a lot to do in the Western Suburbs in the 90's OK) but I now view it with much more socially appropriate eyes. This is a beautiful little access point to the river, and it's quite amazing to slip a kayak into the water and paddle along, safely out of the hustle and bustle (and noise pollution) of the busy roads around. With the flood rebuilding pretty much complete this is back to being a family friendly river access point (and I'm sure disaffected youth are also sinking the occasional goon bag after dusk too).

Like many of Brisbane's parks, Woolcock has gone over the last decade from being nothing more than…read moredirt, grass and a few lonely old swings to a respectable modern park. Woolcock is part of Brisbane's sweeping overhaul of park beautification and standardisation: sprawling, rolling and well-maintained grass; a playground including awesome swings that regrettably weren't around when I was a kid; and a path for power-walkers... in Woolcock's case, the path is stone and called Reflexology Walk. I'm no reflexology follower, but after loudly reading the sign with amusement I figured if I was going to talk the talk then I'd better walk the walk, so off went the shoes and I was taking the path to better health. Well, that's what the sign said; aside from the pleasant sensation of smooth pebbles on my feet, I did not develop the inferred health superpowers. However, it snakes by a creek and call me a cynic but it's damn pretty. Overall, like a park should be, the vibe is relaxed. Though not officially a dog park, many people bring their pets here for friendly interaction and some off-leash playing. The park also draws in a weekend crowd of families wanting to BBQ somewhere picturesque and not overcrowded: no one likes having to duel a stranger with tongs for the rights to a picnic bench. In terms of events, around a year ago I accidentally stumbled upon a fair at Woolcock. Though I'm not sure what it was in aid of, there were many real estate company tents set up, looking lonely beside stalls selling trinkets and fairy floss. People with dogs chatted with others about their respective pets and blocked the pathway (me included). There was also a sausage sizzle which I lined up for and heartily enjoyed even though I knew the meat was probably 40% cardboard. My dog also loves it here, as it's frequented by some of the people outside of our family who can actually stand her.

Ah Woolcock Park. I lived around the corner from here in 2002 and was among the first residents…read moreto enjoy the then newly upgraded facilities. I used to congregate here with my friends for a vegie-q, some yo ho ing and maybe a spot of fire stick twirling. Look I was young alright? It's nice to see the facilities have been well maintained in the intervening decade. This is a lovely park for families, friends or, yes, groups of urban hippies to enjoy and the BBQ's are still available (God I love that Brisbane parks have BBQ's, take that Melbourne! We finally win a point!) If you're in the area this is a little urban oasis that you should definitely come visit.

What is there for two recent university graduates do on a Tuesday afternoon other than chill out in…read morePerrin Park and play in the playground? Perrin Park is quite beautiful with is expansive grassy areas, footpaths, fenced area to unleash your dog, plenty of parking spaces, clean toilets, fresh play equipment (some of which is still under construction since the recent flooding), and plenty of trees and shade to rest under. Tucked away in Toowong, this park offers a place to escape. The park is deceptively big with different sections split in the middle by a little creek. There are also some quite fun bike-things to play on. And the best bonus of all is that when I visited it today, there was a mama and a papa duck and 5 little ducklings (one for each star I give this park).

This is the sort of park I wish existed when I was a kid. As it is, I love it as an adult. Why?…read moreBecause finally they've put mini-roller-coasters in parks! Well, not exactly a roller-coaster - but as close enough as we'll get for free in a public park. What is described in elegant fashion by the Totaltravel website as "a pedal powered carson on a circular track" is like a giant toy train on a wheeled closed circuit. Unlike most trains, but similar to vehicular locomotion in The Flintstones, your feet are used to power the train. As fast as you peddle you can't break the kiddie-safe speed, but it's still awesome to ride, like you're a toy human in some giant's train set. I'm not the only immature one, either. The first time I glimpsed the roller-coaster addition to the park and yelled for the driver to stop the car, my companions (in their 20s and 30s) also got out and jumped on. That meant a few of us were late to uni classes. Totally worth it. There's old-school swings (read: new, but not awesome like a giant train) in the playground and there's also a rebound wall and off-leash park for dogs. *This biased review has been brought to you by the creator of the We Should Replace Public Transport With Roller-Coasters Facebook Group.

Outside of my own sentimental affection for this park (I used to sleep under it's trees on long…read morewalks home from the Valley), Bradshaw Park is actually a lovely little park to go and have a picnic while in the 'burbs. It's got a barbeque there if you want to put some snags on, and it's got plenty of shade provided by the grove of trees there. The park is also big enough for you to have a game of cricket or footy if that's your thing. The Kedron Brook bike path runs through Bradshaw Park, giving cyclists a nice place to rest alongside the waterway.