Philip Park is a coastal park on Sea World Drive at Main Beach on the Gold Coast, with barbecues, picnic tables, showers, an outdoor gym and several ways down to the beach. It is a good stop for a picnic by the ocean and a walk along the coast.
The park sits between Hollindale Park and the southern end of the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve, so it works well as a base for a longer day on this stretch of coast.
Picnics and barbecues at Philip Park
The park has barbecue and picnic facilities, with picnic tables, drinking fountains and a water tap. Several outdoor showers are scattered through the park, which helps after a swim or a sandy walk. The fountains have dog bowls attached.
The hilly part of the park is shaded by trees, so it suits picnicking or just sitting for a while. Open grass under large trees is also why the park is a popular wedding location.
Beach access
Philip Park has multiple beach access points, so you can walk from your picnic spot straight to the sand. A patrolled beach is nearby, but check the flags and the lifeguard presence on the day. For the surf beach itself, see our guide to Main Beach, and for the sandy tip of the peninsula, The Spit.
Walking the Oceanway and Jubilee Walkway
Philip Park is the first marker of the Jubilee Walkway. The coastal pathway, the Gold Coast Oceanway, runs through the park past trees, bushland and dunes, with revegetation areas to visit and some birdwatching along the way. The coastal walkway is a wide concrete path.
Walking tracks and water taps are among the park’s features, so you can fill a bottle before you set off.
Other trails around the park are dirt or sand, and the council notes that some paths and trails are not wheelchair accessible. If you want a longer walk, the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve runs from Philip Park to the Seaway on The Spit.
Outdoor gym and fitness
There is an outdoor gym with fitness equipment in the park, and the council lists fitness as one of its things to do. Combine it with the walking track for a workout by the ocean.
Dogs at Philip Park
Dogs must be on a leash unless signs say otherwise, and they are not allowed in any children’s playground area. The drinking fountains have dog bowls. Off-leash exercise areas are found elsewhere in the city, including along The Spit beach next to the Federation Walk reserve.
Next door at Hollindale Park
Philip Park has no playground listed, but Hollindale Park adjoins it. Its northern playground has a large spider net, a twisted slide, a swing set, a ring bridge and a shade sail, and a second playground south of the Southport Surf Lifesaving Club has a big boat-themed climbing structure, monkey bars, a ship’s wheel and spring rockers. Hollindale also has barbecues, toilets with a parent room and an accessible toilet.
Planning your visit
- How long: an hour for a picnic and a walk on the sand; half a day if you add Hollindale Park and the Federation Walk.
- Shade: the hilly part of the park is shaded by trees.
- What to bring: food for the barbecue, a hat and sunscreen, water, and a towel for the outdoor showers.
- Good to know: the park is a popular wedding location, so you may share the lawn with a photo shoot.
Getting there and parking
Philip Park is at Sea World Drive, Main Beach. It is about 77 km from Brisbane CBD, roughly 1 hour 5 minutes by car without traffic. The Philip Park car park is at the northern end, and there is a second car park south of the Sheraton Mirage with toilets. Details are on the City of Gold Coast park page.
After the park, continue to Southport Broadwater Parklands or the shops and marina at Marina Mirage.
Nearby
- Federation Walk Coastal Reserve – nearly 3 km of shoreline, dunes and bush trails.
- Main Beach – swimming, parking and Tedder Avenue.
- The Spit – beach, dog beach and walks.
- Southport Broadwater Parklands – another Gold Coast park to round out the day.
- Marina Mirage – waterfront dining and shops.
- More parks and more Gold Coast places
You might also like
- Ken Fletcher Park (Tennyson)
- Goodna (Ipswich)
- Banks Street Reserve (Alderley)
Quick answers
Where is Philip Park?
Philip Park is on Sea World Drive at Main Beach on the Gold Coast, between Hollindale Park and the southern end of the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve.
Does Philip Park have toilets and barbecues?
Yes. There are barbecue and picnic facilities, public toilets including an accessible toilet, showers and drinking fountains. The public toilets are not connected by path to the main Philip Park car park, but the second car park south of the Sheraton Mirage has toilets on an accessible path.
Can you take a dog to Philip Park?
Yes, on a leash unless signs say otherwise. Dogs are not allowed in any children’s playground area.
Is there a playground at Philip Park?
No playground is listed at Philip Park, but Hollindale Park next door has two.
Is the walkway wheelchair accessible?
The coastal walkway is a wide concrete path. Other trails are dirt or sand, and some paths and trails are not wheelchair accessible.
0 Comments