City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane: Walks, trees & attractions

Highlights of the City Botanic Gardens in Brisbane include the Bunya Walk, Bamboo Grove, Rainforest Garden and 1858 tamarind tree. Go for pleasure rather than education, however.

Chances are, if you visit Brisbane, you’ll end up in the City Botanic Gardens anyway. The gardens are found at the southern tip of Brisbane CBD. They’re opposite the Queensland University of Technology campus and Queensland Parliament Building. It feels like you just stumble out of the city, and into the gardens.

Bunya Walk in the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane

The City Botanic Gardens were Brisbane’s original botanic gardens. They’re a delightful place to mooch around and generally just hang out in. The Bunya Walk provides a lovely walking trail around the gardens’ edge, looking out towards the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. If on your way to the South Bank via the pedestrian bridge, you may as well take the slight detour.

9 brilliant Brisbane experiences to book in advance

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary tickets (or entry plus river cruise combo) – hold a koala and see lots of adorable native wildlife.
Brisbane River cruise – see the key sights and learn about the city on the way.
Story Bridge Adventure Climb – walk along the top of Brisbane’s famous bridge, with 360 degree views.
Combine the Southbank Parklands, City Botanic Gardens and Kangaroo Point Cliffs on a fun Segway tour.
Helicopter flight – see the city from a bird’s eye view.
Kayaking tour – choose the night tour to see the city light up, the day tour to enjoy the sunshine.
XXXX brewery tour – see how Australia’s most famous beer is made.
Guided wine flight tasting – get an Aussie wine introductory course.
See Brisbane’s spooky side on a city centre ghost tour.

Bunya Walk in the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane — The Bunya Walk in the City Botanic Gardens follows the Brisbane River. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

The gardens are designed to be enjoyable for aimless moochers. Gaze upon huge fig trees, observe the ibises around the lagoons, and follow the curve of the Brisbane River.

However, if you want a bit more structure, it’s possible to take on a self-guided walking tour. Brisbane City Council provides an online map of the key attractions in the City Botanic Gardens. Such points include the flood mark from historic floods, the birthplace of Queensland’s sugar industry and a bear pit shelter. The latter is from back when there was a small zoo inside the gardens.

6 supreme Brisbane day trips that will improve your holiday

Moreton Island day trip – with kayaking, sandboarding and snorkelling or with dolphin-feeding and desert dunes adventure.
Springbrook National Park glowworms and rainforest tour – including Tamborine Skywalk.
Eumundi Markets day trip – Australia’s best markets, plus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Noosa.
North Stradbroke Island day tour – with cruise, wildlife spotting and guided walk.
Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
Maialia rainforest walking and wildlife tour – visit lesser-known D’Aguilar National Park.

Trees in the City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane

Particularly impressive trees include a tamarind tree, macadamia tree and mahogany tree planted by Walter Hill in 1858. Meanwhile, the forest red gum trees along the riverbank are the last remnants of the site’s original vegetation.

For eye candy, top attractions in the gardens include the ornamental ponds created between 1958 and 1960. There’s also the Rainforest Garden with its coral rockeries and the Bamboo Grove, which features 23 species of bamboo.

The City Botanic Gardens in Brisbane are nowhere near as important as those in Sydney. They don’t have the educational impact of the Cairns Botanic Gardens or Western Australian Botanic Garden in Kings Park, Perth. They don’t offer Aboriginal cultural tours like the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, either.

But that’s not the point. The City Botanic Gardens in Brisbane have a different role. They are there to be slipped into and ambled around. The proximity to the city centre is key.