Your guide to Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens

Did you know that Brisbane, the River City, boasts not one but two botanic gardens? The 17-hectare City Botanic Gardens are located in the heart of Brisbane on Alice Street and are bounded by the Brisbane River, while the 56-hectare Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha is located 6 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD.

With the world's largest collection of Australian native rainforest trees and its iconic Tropical Dome, the Mount Coot-tha botanic gardens are better known than its more central counterpart, however, Brisbane’s original botanic gardens are not to be missed. A major drawcard on weekends but perfect for walking, sightseeing and picnicking throughout the week, City Botanic Gardens is a must-visit when in the River City and hosts a variety of markets, events and even major concerts at the Riverstage, Brisbane’s largest outdoor concert venue.

History

The City Botanic Gardens has a rich and interesting history, starting with the planting of food crops in 1825 by prisoners to feed the prison colony at Moreton Bay. While the site was selected as a public garden in 1828, it wasn’t until 1855 that a portion of the park was declared a Botanic Reserve. Since then, the City Botanic Gardens has undergone many changes, extensions and amalgamations, including a redevelopment in the 1980s which saw new recreational structures built and restoration work take place on the former Queen's Park fence. Due to its location on the banks of the Brisbane River, the gardens flooded nine times from 1870 to 2011, spurring planners to develop the Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha far from the ‘Brown Snake’.

Popular activities and events

A variety of events are held all year-round at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, including ticketed shows at the Riverstage, multicultural festivals, art installations, free community events and shows, and so much more. 

The Riverside Sunday Market is a small but bustling market held each Sunday near the main entrance to the Gardens on Alice Street. The market was held on the waterfront at Riverside until 2015 when it moved to the Gardens and features a variety of stalls, with everything from arts and crafts to fruit and veg and gourmet providores on offer. Naturally, there’s no shortage of coffee options and with the markets accompanied by live music in the rotunda, provide an enjoyable and vibrant morning out in the city. The Riverside QUT InFusion Markets are just around the corner at QUT and are considered a ‘boutique extension’ of the Riverside Markets.

Free guided tours by Brisbane City Council trained volunteer guides operate most days (no booking required for groups of up to ten people) from the City Botanic Gardens Information Kiosk next to the main QUT pathway.

A variety of free fitness classes at the Gardens are offered by the Brisbane City Council and include Zumba and Tai Chi Qigong. Check their website to find out what’s on at the City Botanic Gardens when you plan to visit.

Areas 

The City Botanic Gardens offers a range of sights and attractions across its 49 acres to provide an amazing greenscape in the Brisbane CBD district. Visitors will find there’s plenty to see in addition to relaxing and getting some fresh air, with the most prominent points of interest including:

Main Rotunda — With its location at the main entrance, the Main Rotunda has long been one of the most iconic sights of the gardens. As of October 2021, the rotunda is part of a renewal project by  the council that will see the old information kiosk above the amenities block removed and replaced with a paved lookout area.

Riverwalk and River Hub — Extending from the City Reach Boardwalk at the corner of Alice and Edward Street to the garden’s Bunya Walk, the City Botanic Gardens Riverwalk offers a viewing platform, river hub connection and the opportunity to catch river breezes and views of Howard Smith Wharves and the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.

Bamboo Grove — A collection of 23 bamboo species that was planned in commemoration of the previous collection lost when the Fern Island attraction was drained and filled in 1937, Bamboo Grove is a stunning walk among towering bamboos that will quickly make you forget you’re in the heart of the Queensland capital.

Riverstage — Host to countless local, national and international concerts and events since its opening in 1989, the 9,500 capacity Riverstage was inspired by the World Expo '88 Riverstage. Along with an impressive array of music concerts, the Riverstage hosts family and community events, including the annual Carols by Candlelight.

Walter Hill Fountain — Built in 1867, the Walter Hill Fountain was Brisbane’s first drinking fountain and remained in use until 1930 when bubble fountains were first installed in the gardens. The iconic and ornate water fountain was named in remembrance of the botanic garden’s first curator, Walter Hill, in 1972.

Weeping Fig Avenue — Planted in the 1870s to create a barrier between Queen’s Park and the garden’s northern boundary, Weeping Fig Avenue is a significant feature of the gardens that provides much-needed shade on hot Brisbane days and connects pedestrians from the main entry path at Alice Street to the riverside. 

Jemmy Morrill and the Dancing Brolgas — On permanent loan from the Queensland Art Gallery, ‘Jemmy Morrill and the Dancing Brolgas’ is a bronze statue by Lindsay Daen of a seaman who survived a shipwreck in 1846 and lived with a local Indigenous community for 17 years before returning to a European settlement.

Playground — The Baldwin Lawn Playground is a playground for children of all abilities located between Weeping Fig Avenue and Bunya Walk. The playground features a range of equipment, including a climbing castle and fort, musical tubes, interactive panels, slippery dips, climbing nets and a sand play area.

Cuban Royal Palms — One of the largest open spaces in the gardens, the area in which the circle of Cuban Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) are now located was originally a cricket ground when the area was part of the former Queen's Park. It’s now a popular open green space for everything from Capoeira to tightrope walking.

Ornamental Ponds — Built around 1958-60, the upper ornamental ponds are the more prominent of the two ornamental ponds in the City Botanic Gardens and are home to local ducks and birdlife, while the lower pond is all that remains of the garden's original natural creek system that was once fed from the Brisbane River.

The Gardens Club —  Known to many as the ‘Brisbane Botanic Gardens Cafe, the garden’s sole café is located in the heritage-listed Curators Cottage and offers a seasonal menu, coffee and picnic baskets for a leisurely lunch on the lawn. It’s open 6.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday and 6.30am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. 

If you’d like to learn more about the gardens during your visit, join a free 1-hour guided tour which takes place at 11am and 1pm Monday to Saturday with groups meeting at the Main Rotunda at the Albert Street entrance.

Best time to visit 

Blissfully pleasant across the seasons, even in summer when it heats up, the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens provide a rewarding visit all year-round, though many find that spring (September to November) is the best time of the year to visit when the flora is at its most colourful. 

Don’t get Brisbane’s botanic gardens mixed up when you’re planning your visit, especially if you’re planning to visit both. While the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha opening hours are 8am to 6pm September to March and 8am to 5pm from April to August, the City Botanic Gardens are open to the public all day and night. That provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy an evening stroll along the river or one of the tree-lined avenues, or if you’re feeling fit and energetic, an evening or morning run or bike ride! 

How to get there

The Brisbane CIty Botanic Gardens are about a 10-15 minute walk from Central Station and King George Bus Station if you’re arriving by train or bus. There’s also the City Loop, a free bus service that stops at Alice Street and George Street, and the CityCat and City Hopper terminals at the Riverside Centre on Eagle Street and the CityCat terminal at QUT Gardens Point. While free parking isn’t available (except on Sundays), paid parking options include parking meters and paid car parks. If you’re walking or cycling, you can access the gardens at the Parliament House entrance on George Street, Alice Street at the intersection of Edward Street and the Albert Street intersection, along with the Goodwill Bridge from Southbank and the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.