The South Bank Parklands is one of the most beautiful sites in Brisbane. It is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, directly opposite the City. The South Bank Parklands are accessible from the City via the Victoria Bridge at the northern end, and from the Gardens Point via the Goodwill Bridge at the southern end. This ensures easy accessibility to the Parklands premises. South Bank Parklands were officially opened to the public on 20 June 1992 and it is an attraction not to be missed in Australia tour package.

The South Bank of Brisbane and its Parklands are one of Brisbane’s most significant cultural precincts. The Parklands regularly host large scale festivals and events. It is estimated that approximately 11 million people visit South Bank Parklands each year. Tourists will find a mixture of rainforests, water bodies, meadows and plazas punctuating the Parklands. The South Bank Parklands also feature the riverfront promenade, the wheel of Brisbane, the Streets Beach, the Grand Arbour, the Nepal Peace Pagoda, the Courier Mail Piazza, restaurants, souvenir shops and fountains. The famous Queensland Conservatorium is also situated at The parklands.

History of South Bank Parklands

The Brisbane South Bank was originally a trading ground for the original landowners in the region. During the mid nineteenth century, the South Bank became the focal point of early European settlement. In 1850 South Bank was established as the business centre of Brisbane for close to four decades until 1893 when the Brisbane floods forced the Central Business District to be shifted to higher grounds on the Northern Side. After the migration of the CBD to the North Bank, the South Bank area became home to vaudeville theatres and some industries. During the 1970’s, the Queensland Cultural Centre was built at the South Bank Parklands. The Cultural Centre included the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the State Library of Queensland. After the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane, the Government tried to develop the site for commercial purposes but intense public interest campaigns ensured that the South Bank was to be developed as a Parkland for the pleasure of the citizen of Brisbane.

Accessibility & Points of Interest

The South Bank Parklands are not too far from the Cultural Centre bus way station and the South Bank bus way station. Visitors can also approach the Parklands from the South Brisbane Railway station. Visitors can also access the Parklands from the South Bank via Little Stanley Street, Vulture Street and through the River walk. Bicycle Racks are provided at multiple points for the convenience of the visitors.

The South Bank Parklands has many attractions for the visitors to make your Australia tour worthwhile, such as

• the South Bank Grand Arbour, which consists of 443 curling steel columns; the courier mail piazza, which is an open air amphitheatre with a seating capacity of about 2200;
• the wheel of Brisbane which is a 60m Ferris Wheel offering panoramic views of the Parklands, the city and the Brisbane River;
• The Nepal Peace Pagoda and Restaurants and Cafes make the tour comfortable.
• One of the major attractions at the Parklands is the 2000 sq meter man made beach which was opened to public in 1992. The Beach has won multiple awards for being one of the most well maintained beaches.

The South Bank Parklands have an abundance of options for visitors of every kind. With so much to see and so many places to visit, a trip to Brisbane is just incomplete without a day being spent at the South Bank Parklands.