Thomas Park Bougainvillea Gardens

Thomas Park Bougainvillea Gardens is a heritage garden divided into two main sections: a northern area containing remnants of the original residence and a southern lawn that slopes toward Brisbane River. The grounds preserve their early pathways and plant layouts across the site.

Henry Thomas created these gardens around 1900 and developed a distinctive bougainvillea variety that was named after him. He maintained the site for many decades before it eventually passed to public ownership for preservation.

The layout reflects early 20th-century garden design with structured patterns, hedge divisions, and distinct planting zones that reveal how people organized outdoor spaces during that era. Walking through these sections, visitors get a sense of the careful planning that went into both practical growing areas and aesthetic arrangements.

The park is located at Harts Road and remains accessible to the public with well-maintained original pathways. Good walking shoes are recommended, and visitors should bring water during warmer months when shade may be limited in open lawn areas.

The bougainvillea variety developed here attracted visitors from across Australia who came specifically to see the mature specimens. Those original plants still grow on the grounds today, their size and age testament to how long these flowering plants can thrive when properly tended.