Park & nature
City Botanic Gardens
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The City Botanic Gardens are Brisbane's oldest park and a green heart of the city, a heritage-listed botanical garden sweeping along a bend of the Brisbane River right beside the CBD. Established in the 1850s, the gardens hold mature subtropical and exotic plantings, including avenues of towering bunya pines and weeping figs, ornamental ponds, lawns, and riverside paths. It's a free, peaceful escape just steps from the office towers, popular with workers at lunchtime, families, joggers, and anyone wanting shade and birdsong in the middle of the city.
With its riverside setting, historic trees, and proximity to Parliament House and the QUT campus, it's an easy, relaxing addition to any Brisbane visit. (Note: the larger Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha are a separate, newer site.) Stroll the avenues, watch for water dragons and ibis, and enjoy the river views.
Don't miss
- Avenues of bunya pines and weeping figs
- A riverside setting beside the CBD
- Ornamental ponds and heritage plantings
- Resident water dragons and birdlife
- Free entry and proximity to Parliament House
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit City Botanic Gardens
You don't need a tour to visit — entry is free. A tour is worth it if you want transport, a guide, or to combine City Botanic Gardens with nearby sights in one day. That's what these do well.
Cheapest way inRoyal Botanic Gardens Melbourne: The Explorer Bus4.9★ · 262 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$13 per personSee dates →
Most bookedMorning Sightseeing Cruise: 10:30am-12pm (90min)4.6★ · 990 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$37 per personSee dates →
Top ratedUltimate Brisbane Walking Tour (Small-Group, Drink Included)5★ · 275 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$58 per personSee dates →Good for
How travelers rate it
Know before you go
- Free, and right beside the CBD by the river.
- These are the historic City gardens, the Mount Coot-tha botanic gardens are a separate site.
- Watch for water dragons basking along the paths.
- A lovely shaded break between city sights.
A bit of history
Established in 1855 on a site first used as a colonial farm, the City Botanic Gardens are Queensland's oldest botanic gardens, laid out by early colonial botanists. Heritage-listed, they preserve mature 19th-century plantings and remain a much-loved riverside green space in central Brisbane.
Common questions
What are the City Botanic Gardens?
Brisbane's oldest park, a heritage-listed riverside botanical garden beside the CBD, established in 1855, with historic trees, ponds, and lawns.
Is it free?
Yes, entry is free.
Are these the same as the Mount Coot-tha gardens?
No, these are the historic City Botanic Gardens by the river; the larger Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha are a separate, newer site.
What's nearby?
Parliament House, the QUT campus, and the Brisbane River and CBD are all right beside the gardens.
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