South Bank Parklands, Riverside park in Brisbane, Australia.
South Bank Parklands is a 17-hectare park on the south bank of the Brisbane River, built on the former World Expo 88 site and opened on 20 June 1992. It combines rainforest planting, water features, lawns and plazas, and includes Streets Beach, the Grand Arbour, the Nepalese Peace Pagoda and the Wheel of Brisbane. A riverfront promenade runs along the water, and the Queensland Conservatorium stands within the grounds.
The site was redeveloped after Expo 88 as a public park, which the city opened in 1992. Local groups pushed to keep the area open for residents and visitors.
The parklands take their name from the South Bank of the Brisbane River, where the Turrbal and Yuggera people met before European settlement. The Nepalese Peace Pagoda, a timber pavilion with carved panels and gilded figures, remains from Expo 88 and stands beside a pool with three water jets. The Arbour, 443 curling steel columns planted with bougainvilleas, runs for one kilometre from Vulture Street to the Cultural Forecourt.
Parking, restrooms, and showers are scattered at several points, and free Wi-Fi reaches most corners of the grounds. Weekends see more foot traffic on paths and lawns than weekdays.
Streets Beach uses a mix of salt and fresh water in its lagoon to support plants and fish together. A filtration system cycles the entire volume every six hours to keep the swimming area clean.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,788 contributors worldwide.