Best Parks in Brisbane: South Bank, Mt Coot-tha and the River Walks

Brisbane has outstanding public open space, from the South Bank Parklands on the CBD riverfront to the extensive forest summit of Mount Coot-tha and the river corridors that wind through the city's suburban fabric. South Bank Parklands on the former World Expo site is a 17-hectare riverfront park with a Streets Beach (the only inner-city beach in Australia with free public swimming), the Queensland Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, and regular markets and events, making it Brisbane's most used and visited public outdoor space. The Mount Coot-tha Reserve and Botanic Gardens is 1,500 hectares of eucalypt forest and botanic garden 6 km west of the CBD, with a summit lookout providing Brisbane's most comprehensive cityscape and Moreton Bay panorama. New Farm Park on the Brisbane River bend in New Farm is a heritage park with jacaranda and poinciana plantings that create spectacular spring displays, the New Farm Powerhouse arts venue and river walks. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary on Fig Tree Pocket Road, 11 km southwest, is a private wildlife sanctuary and one of Australia's most popular visitor attractions with koala holding experiences. The Brisbane Riverwalk and bikeways system creates a connected network from the CBD to suburbs including West End, New Farm and Newstead.