It may be hard to believe, but gorgeous Roma Street Parkland was once an inner-city railway goods yard and, at its peak, the largest goods depot in Queensland. Today, this world-class, 16-hectare urban green space turns 25 years old, and that is worth celebrating!
With over 50 million visitors in its short lifetime, the Parkland quickly cemented its place as a vital cultural, horticultural and civic asset in the heart of Brisbane. The garden has become a benchmark for urban green space development in Australia and all over the world, as one of only seven parks in the country to hold the prestigious international Green Flag Award, which it has maintained continuously since 2014.
It was also the recipient of the Urban Design Award by the Royal Architecture Institute of Australia, and the Landscape Architecture Award by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Queensland.
Of course, well before its 2001 opening this was a gathering place for the Turrbal and Jagera/Yuggera peoples. Then, in Queensland’s colonial era, it was the bustling commercial life of the Roma Street Markets, spending more than a century as the state’s most important rail freight hub.
As Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner put it, the transformation of the former rail freight precinct into Roma Street Parkland was an important milestone in Brisbane’s evolution: “Transforming this former rail yard into Roma Street Parkland has helped shape the Brisbane we know today.
“More than 1,200 trees, 100,000 shrubs and hundreds of palms have been planted to create this world-class destination in the heart of our city.
“Few places bring together history, gardens, art and community as seamlessly as Roma Street Parkland.
“Today, it welcomes two million visitors each year and showcases why Brisbane is the world’s most family-friendly city and Australia’s lifestyle capital.”
The Parkland is also green in more ways than one: its innovative water management system stores 11 million litres in its centrepiece lake and a further 400,000 litres in an underground tank beneath Celebration Lawn, so it can meet up to 98 per cent of its irrigation requirements from on-site harvested water. Plus, Spectacle Garden alone supports more than 10,000 seasonal plantings each year.
The land’s transformation was welcomed with open arms by the community, and it’s still beloved today, as shown not just by the 2 million that spend time among its trees every year, but also by the 50+ volunteers who garden, assist with visitor information and lead guided tours!
Any day is the perfect day to wander the pathways and marvel at the beauty of Roma Street Parkland, appreciate its history, and maybe even enjoy one of the free events and activities that happen regularly under its shade.
