City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane

The City Botanic Gardens are one of Brisbane’s oldest and most picturesque green spaces. The site was originally established in 1825 as a farm for the nearby Moreton Bay Penal Settlement, where convicts cultivated crops such as cabbage, pineapple, cauliflower, peas, beans, and potatoes. Fruit trees—including bananas, apples, and oranges—were also planted to help supply food for the growing settlement.

After the penal colony closed in 1842, the area gradually evolved into a public botanical garden. Following about fifteen years of development, the City Botanic Gardens officially opened in 1855. The grounds were divided into a Botanic Reserve and an experimental section where settlers tested whether plants such as mango, ginger, tobacco, sugar, coffee, tea, and grapes could adapt to Queensland’s climate. These experiments proved valuable, helping establish crops that later supported the region’s agricultural economy.

One of the gardens' highlights is the Walter Hill Fountain. Built in 1867, it was part of Brisbane's first reticulated water system. Notice the intricate stonework and the original ironwork. It was named after the gardens' first curator, Walter Hill, who was responsible for many of the gardens' most famous plantings. Finding the fountain is possible via the Central Path, which starts near the central sun-shaped garden and runs from north to south. Walk south along the path until you reach an intersection. There, turn left and look on your left for the fountain.

Once you're done seeing the fountain, continue walking on the same path. You will reach a long path that runs along the waterline lined with Bunya pines. These trees are a living link to the pre-colonial landscape of Queensland. The Bunya pine was sacred to the local Indigenous people, and these specific specimens were among the very first trees planted when the gardens were established in 1855. Look for their incredibly thick, textured trunks and the unique “dome” shape of their high canopies. During certain times of the year, they drop massive cones (some weighing up to 10 kg), so watch for the warning signs that have become a quirky part of Brisbane park life.

Because of their historical and botanical significance, the City Botanic Gardens were added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1997.