South Bank Parklands evolved from Brisbane's hosting of Expo 88. I went to expo and was really surprised at the clean up of a very ugly side of the city's river bank. Expo 88 really started Brisbane's coming of age.

After the Expo sail came down the government and businesses starting redeveloping the site into the South Bank Parklands that we know. It is always changing and receiving facelifts however.

Recently it received a facelift and initially the people of the city were very critical of the new look. But as the plants and the new look mature the city's people are coming around.

South Bank is a great place to meet friends and have a bar-b-que and a relaxing day. But a piece of advice is that if you intend to partake of the bar-b-ques at Southbank ... get in early as quite often they are being used throughout the day.

The other side of South Bank's appeal is the arts and crafts (and everything else) markets. They are on from Friday nights to Sunday afternoons. They are great and you can find a bargain if you look hard enough.

For lunch I would recommend taking a seat in the beer-garden of the Ploughman's Inn. It is an old pub that has been done up and it is located in the market area. On Sundays they have bands and the food is really good and reasonably priced. But make sure that you have your appetites ready because you will need them.

There are swimming areas for the kids. There are two pools/beaches. Kodak beach is a sandy beach which provides kids with fun in the sun. This beach is patrolled by life savers and is shallow enough for kids of all ages.

The other pool is along side Kodak beach and is separated by a walkway. The kids cannot get through to the deeper pool. This pool is about waist deep on an adult and is a great way to cool off in the hot summer that we have. The water is crystal clear and very inviting. So don't forget your 'togs' (swimming costume).

In the middle of the parklands there is the Piazza. This is a large seating area that is used to hot concerts and events. It is a comfortable area. If you get the chance see a show there.

Even in the middle of our very hot summers when our lawns are turning brown, Southbank is an oasis of cool and green surrounds. I really recommend South Bank Parklands and I hope that you enjoy yourself there.

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime