Roma Street Parkland – Brisbane Kids

Roma Street Parkland, located in the heart of the city, is a peaceful haven which offers a variety of activities for Brisbane Kids. With its playgrounds, beautiful gardens, water features, numerous picnic areas and a lake that serves as a home for the local wildlife, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The park is easily accessible for those with prams, wheelchairs, and scooters, thanks to its well-maintained walking paths.

Roma Street Parkland 

With its central location, Roma Street Parkland is a remarkable place to visit with your Brisbane Kids. Spread generously over 16 hectares, its lush green lawns, flower gardens, forests, lake and playgrounds are only some of its features.

You can easily spend a full day of family fun and exploration here. Perfect for kids of all ages, you can explore the parkland easily on foot at your leisure or via one of the many free guided walks.

The Xpress Fun Train is a popular attraction for kids and adults, providing a unique and enjoyable way to explore the grounds.

The Children’s Garden and Playgrounds

Located in the upper part of the parkland, the Children’s Garden is a fun, attractive area for kids, which includes two playgrounds.

One playground near the amphitheatre is a sweet, imaginative space best suited for children from two to twelve. In this lush part of the gardens, little ones can enjoy the jungle theme of the play area. The playground is built into the side of a hill covered in rubber soft fall.

Wobbly rope bridges connect the hill to the treehouse-style fort. Here you will also find two slides, rock climbing pegs, balance beams, a spinning roundabout and some hand-operated water pumps.

Children can creep along secret pathways through leafy ferns and sit upon small mushroom stools. Due to its multilevel design, it can be difficult to see children as they make their way to the top of the tall tunnel slide. The base of this playground is rubber soft fall.

Between the two playgrounds is a path winding past a vegetable and herb garden with a worm farm. Take a peek inside and discover the worms hard at work converting scraps into compost.

The second playground in the Children’s Garden is best suited to primary school-aged children. Impressive rope bridges and climbing nets link elevated platforms that lead to a speedy metal slide. Rock climbing pegs traverse a soft fall incline where kids can access another wide slide. There is also a basket swing nearby. A shade sail covers part of the structure, but the slides could heat up in Summer.

The playgrounds are unfenced but surrounded by many beautiful grassy areas for picnicking. The area around the play equipment has a BBQ, an unshaded table, a water bubbler, and clean, modern toilets.

The Xpress Fun Train

The Xpress Fun Train is a trackless train that provides a unique way to view the beautiful gardens in Roma Street Parklands. It operates from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and extra days during school holidays. 

To purchase tickets and board the train, head to the information kiosk at the rear gates of the Spectacle Garden (opposite the Children’s Playground). Tickets cost just $6 per person. 

Operation of the train is weather dependent, so if your family is keen to ride the train, check the Xpress Fun Train Facebook page for any scheduled changes before your visit.

Roma Street Parkland’s Gardens

The Spectacle Garden is a beautiful display of finely manicured plants. From exotic subtropical species to rows of brightly flowering favourites set amongst hedges, water features and sculptures, it is a stunning display worth visiting.

Fern Gully is a short walk through a unique rainforest environment. Your children will love the towering ferns and waterfalls. See how many water monitor lizards they can spot on the trees and rocks.

The Celebration Lawn, Banyan Lawn, Lakeside Meadow and Forest Meadow are expanses of soft green grass perfect for soccer games, picnics, or laying back and watching the clouds. The lake is home to many bird and reptile species; it is fenced and has BBQs and seating beside it.

Imagination Factor at Roma Street Parkland

The parkland offers a great variety of spaces that can stimulate the imagination of Brisbane Kids. Children can roam the jungle-like area under the giant fig trees or admire the rainbow of colourful flowers in the gardens. The play equipment is perfect for games such as swinging like monkeys through the trees or crossing the play bridge over the pretend crocodile-filled river.

Accessibility at Roma Street Parkland

Roma Street Parkland has wheelchair-accessible toilets in multiple locations. Walking paths throughout the parklands are suited to people using wheelchairs and pushing prams. Tables and electric barbeques are located in many spots for public use.

Roma Street Parkland features

• Two unfenced playgrounds 
  • climbing structures, slides
• Accessible toilets near the Children’s Garden, Lakeside BBQs and Café near the Roma Street Train Station
• Xpress Fun trackless train (ticket required)
• Vegetable and herb garden
• Walking paths
• Plenty of shady, grassed picnic areas
• Shaded BBQ areas with tables and chairs 
• Water bubblers
• Café
• Information hub
• Guided walks
• Parkland is open 24 hours a day
• Spectacle Garden and Rainforest Walk are open from dawn until dusk
• Metered parking is available on the street or in the car park

Dogs are permitted in Roma Street Parklands (except the Spectacle Garden), provided they are on-leash at all times, are not a listed ‘dangerous breed’ and the owners pick up after them. 

While You Are in the Area

Another great nearby Brisbane Playground is Neal McCrossan Park.

If you are looking for something different, why not book in for a free tour of Brisbane’s City Hall and Clock Tower and check out the Museum of Brisbane (both within walking distance of Roma Street Parkland).

If you love travelling by trains, check out our suggestions for playgrounds near train stations.

How to Get to Roma Street Parkland

Roma Street Parkland Playground is located on Wickham Terrace in Spring Hill. 

Public transport (buses and trains) services the area surrounding Roma Street Parkland and Brisbane City, which is just a short (less than 15min) walk away.