Ahoy me hearties! At Captain Burke Park Kangaroo Point young pirates, sailors and explorers will discover a sunken ship playground that looks right at home along the shores of the Brisbane River. With its inner city location, idyllic picnic spots and stunning skyscraper views, this endearing playground provides classic family fun and is a great base for exploring all Kangaroo Point has to offer.
Captain Burke Park playground
Beneath the hustle and bustle of the iconic Story Bridge, you’ll find Captain Burke Park with a great maritime themed playground and accessible equipment for Brisbane Kids to enjoy. The nautical theme is unmistakeable with a bright, primary coloured ship adorned with anchors, compasses, steering wheels, lifebuoys and treasure chest. Each part of the ship offers a different play experience from the climbing net stern to the multiple ladders and slides of the middle section.
Accompanying the main ship is a smaller, springy boat which is toddler friendly and provides a nice prompt for pretend play. There’s also a separate climbing frame, seated flower spinner, sea creature bouncers, swing set with harnessed adaptive swing and Liberty Swing. This playground setting creates the perfect environment for imaginary play with expansive river views which can be seen from the ship and plenty of opportunities for boat spotting.
The playground is covered by a series of shades sails however some of the equipment is exposed to the elements making hats and sunscreen a necessity. Careful supervision and water safety precautions are also a must given there is direct access from the playground to the river below.
Imagination Factor at Captain Burke Park
All budding sea captains, sailors and pirates will love this park – the fort is built with Titanic-like stacks on its roof and forms the centre of a large ship. There is a row boat off to the side for quick escapes or rescues, and activity panels make up the walls of the climbing fort. Captain Burke Park has plenty of space for running around and hiding treasure.
Accessibility at Captain Burke Park
The Liberty Swing can be accessed via a key which can be borrowed from the nearby Story Bridge Hotel at 200 Main Street. There are disabled toilets located close to the playground although there is no direct pathway linking the two facilities. Flat terrain makes for relatively easy travelling for wheelchairs and prams along with a footpath that runs around the boundary of the parklands.
Captain Burke Park features
- Unfenced playground
- Accessible toilets
- Bark chip base
- Partially covered by shade sails
- Nautical theme with sunken ship
- Swings including harnessed adaptive swing
- Liberty Swing (key available from Story Bridge Hotel)
- Springy boat
- Seated, flower spinner
- Climbing frame
- Sea creature bouncers
- Picnic shelters – some bookable via Brisbane City Council
- BBQs
- Gym equipment
- River views
- Free and paid ferry service (access via Holman Street terminal)
- On street parking (paid and free – be sure to check signage)
Another nearby park is Mowbray Park in East Brisbane. A great inner city Brisbane Playground is Roma Street Parklands.
Best place for coffee is the nearby boutique Moonshine Coffee Roasters and you can’t pass up the Story Bridge Hotel for a family friendly pub meal. For a fine dining experience then Joey’s on River Terrace is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving up great food and unrivalled views.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs Adventures
Kangaroo Point is a multipurpose, recreational paradise which is as popular with tourists and families as it is with Brisbane’s most daring adrenaline junkies. The cliff tops provide the most spectacular city views while also forming a rocky playground for the brave abseilers and rock climbers who scale its heights. If water sports are more your pace, then a guided kayak tour with Riverlife Brisbane is the best way to truly immerse yourself in the river lifestyle.
For a more conventional experience, biking, scootering and walking are also wonderful ways to see the sights with approximately a 3.5km journey between Captain Burke Park and the timelessly fun South Bank Parklands. Along the pathway lined river, you’ll find plenty of points of interest from overwater lookout huts to fascinating artwork including the trademark sculptural remnants of Expo ‘88. There’s also a neat, little nature inspired playground at the end of Hamilton Street and a generously sized dog park off Annie Street if you’re keen to bring your furry friend along too.
What We Thought of Captain Burke Park and Kangaroo Point Cliffs
A visit to Kangaroo Point will make you fall in love with Brisbane all over again with beautiful city views and a sense of adventure that’ll make you feel like a tourist in your own city. We also give Captain Burke Park the thumbs up for its contextually relevant boat theme and all ages appeal. Its inner city location makes for a great, central meeting place but also means it becomes incredibly busy during peak times and parking can be difficult to find.
How to Get to Captain Burke Park
Captain Burke Park is located off Holman Street in Kangaroo Point.
Street parking is limited and fills up especially fast on weekends. The CityHopper ferry provides a free cross river service departing every 30 minutes from several inner city locations including South Bank, Riverside and Howard Smith Wharves. For more information on the ferry service, which is accessible from the park, click here.
Kangaroo Point QLD 4169, Australia
Kassia
It’s so good and relaxing there I loved it and would recommd it to everyone. I would also recommend the walk over the story bridge.