Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre — Attraction in Brisbane City

An excellent endeavour, dedicating this area to local wildlife preservation. There are plenty of hike trails to take, and wildlife is easily spotted if you take your time and try to keep the noise down.

The exploration centre is free, and creatively put together, and has enough there that kids of all ages have a good time (and learn something at the same time). The dark room is always a hit, and the frog hologram always gives kids a thrill jumping to make the puddles. Kid friendly all the way through, so the littles can go wild and not break anything. Staff are happy to answer kids questions, which is lovely to watch.

The park outside is brilliant, using tree stumps, rocks and sand to make a fun area for kids to explore and climb and balance and work together and have a really great time. The pump is a favourite with the kids to play with (recycled water, so they can play as much as they want! Just don't let the littles drink it...).

There are lovely benches in the shade for parents to sit, drinking fountains, plenty of bins in the recreation areas, and shaded benches for eating. There are clean, well kept toilets available as well.

Entering from the other end of the park will bring you to more picnic facilities, and the lake with bridge, which is a beautiful and peaceful place to stop for a while. Again, this leads on to many of the hiking trails, but be aware enough to listen for approaching bikes, as this area is a favourite for bike riders. Stay to the side to avoid accidents!!

Despite some neurotic claims that the place is a 'gay hookup', in all my hikes through the trails over the years, I've never come across any of this supposed gay rough sex (unfortunately), and I tread lightly enough to observe kangaroos from a few metres away, spot rare birds feeding on the path, sneak up on wallabies, and take a few snakes by surprise. Instead, I'm more likely to come across parents letting their kids off the track to stamp down native plants, throw rocks are birds, and kick trees 'to make the koalas come out' or something equally thoughtless and destructive.

It's a lovely spot for families to get out and enjoy a bit of actual Australian landscape without having to leave the city. The park employees have done what they can to make the place family friendly and enjoyable for all. I recommend visitors take a few minutes to remind children of the value of the place, and keep children on paths, and rubbish in bins, so we can all continue to enjoy the sanctuary along with the amazing creatures...

Excellent park that's got everything anyone needs. They've got the Karawatha Discovery Centre which has beautiful information of the forest and many interactive sessions to immerse visitors to all the forest has to offer. They've got massive hiking and walking trails to help you connect with nature. Trails are suited for beginners and advanced walkers/runners alike. Many people bring their dog for walks. They've got nice structures for kids to climb on (even adults too). They've got a wiflde area that can be used for picnics, and the surrounding forest ensures its never too hot. They've got good grade washrooms available. Annnd they have a BBQ area! Quite well designed and thought of. It is a large environment and can easily accommodate a large crowd without looking overcrowded. In short.. This is an excellent place to lose yourself for a few hours. I love...

I love this place but not necessarily for the walking track. I've only tried the paved one and it's quite short, but that's ok cause I'm pushing a toddler in the pram. What I love about Karawatha is the outdoor nature play for the children. They can climb on rocks, logs, play in the sand and pump water. Indoors the discovery centre (free) is another gem for children. There are plush toys of native animals hidden around the room (there are various places they can be hidden), books and other interesting ways to learn information about the forest and its creatures . There's also a dark sensory room with lights, noise (thunder. Lighting, rain, birds tweeting etc.) and visuals to match. Bring a picnic and enjoy a long morning or afternoon there. There are plenty of bathrooms that are looked after and cleaned often. You can also take dogs into the...