Bulimba: Oxford Street, Ferries, Parks and History

Bulimba is a riverside suburb on a peninsula in Brisbane’s inner east, with Oxford Street’s dining and shops, a heritage-listed park, and its own ferry terminals on the Brisbane River. It is about 15 minutes by car from the CBD, and the CityCat is the most relaxed way to get there.

A day out in Bulimba usually runs the same way: arrive by ferry, walk Oxford Street for breakfast or lunch, stretch your legs in Bulimba Memorial Park, then follow the heritage plaques back to the water.

Oxford Street dining and shops

Oxford Street is Bulimba’s main street, where the ferry terminal, the heritage trail and Bulimba Memorial Park are. It is where the suburb’s dining venues and shops are, so it is the place to start when you want a meal rather than a picnic.

The street’s traders’ association lists dining venues, fashion and lifestyle shops, health and beauty services and cinemas, with seasonal markets, community festivals and riverside walking tours through the year. Check the Oxford Street Bulimba website for what is on. If you are choosing between suburbs for a meal, our guide to markets in Brisbane covers other weekend food and shopping options, and there are more restaurants and cafes across South East Queensland.

Parks in Bulimba

Bulimba Memorial Park

Bulimba Memorial Park, at 129 Oxford Street, is the suburb’s main park. The land was acquired in 1904 and the park was dedicated in November 1919. It is on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Bulimba Riverside Park

Bulimba Riverside Park, on Addison Avenue, has a dog off-leash area that council recently upgraded.

For more ideas across the city, browse playgrounds and parks.

Bulimba Heritage Trail

Brisbane City Council’s Bulimba Heritage Trail is a self-guided walk with 10 stops, all on or around Oxford Street, marked by heritage plaques. You can download the trail guide from council’s page.

Stops include the Bulimba ferry terminal, Yellowley’s Newsagency (built 1918), Bulimba Memorial Park, the Bulimba Hotel (1888), the Avro Picture Drome (1920), Bulimba Uniting Church (1866) and Bulimba State School (opened 1866). Crouch’s Cottage, built in the late 1870s, is a private home and not open to visitors.

The earliest official ferry service on this stretch of the river began in 1844, and Bulimba’s service was well established by the 1880s.

Bulimba Barracks and the WWII story

The Bulimba Barracks, at 167 Apollo Road, began as the Apollo Barge Assembly Depot. The United States military built it in 1943 on land the Commonwealth acquired that March, and steel barges were assembled there and shipped to the Pacific. About a thousand workers, most of them Chinese, were housed on site.

After the war the Australian Army used the site for training. It is a Brisbane local heritage place. The site is planned for redevelopment as a residential precinct, so it is one to read about, not a visitor attraction.

Ferries and the river

Bulimba has three ferry terminals: Bulimba, Hawthorne and Apollo Road. They are CityCat and ferry stops, and the CityCat runs into the city along the river, which gives you skyline views for the price of a public transport fare.

Hawthorne is also the end of the cross-river ferry to Teneriffe, which links the peninsula to the New Farm side. See New Farm Park and Brisbane CityHopper: The Cross River Ferries That Replaced It for what to do on the other bank.

Is Bulimba dog friendly?

Yes. Bulimba Riverside Park, on Addison Avenue, has a council dog off-leash area. Outside designated areas, dogs must be on a lead in Brisbane parks.

Planning your visit

• How long: half a day for a meal, a park stop and the heritage trail; a full day if you add the ferry ride.
• Cost: walking the street, the parks and the heritage trail is free. Meals, ferry fares and paid parking are extra.
• What to bring: a hat, water for the kids, and your go card or other Translink ticket if you are taking the ferry.
• Accessibility: the heritage trail page gives no step-free access details. Ring council on 07 3403 8888 if you need to be sure.

Getting there and parking

By car, Bulimba is about 9 km from the Brisbane CBD, about 15 minutes without traffic. Allow longer on weekends.

Oxford Street has on-street parking, and the traders’ association describes it as ample. Time limits and fees vary by street, so read the signs. There are also private car parks, such as the Wilson Parking car park at Oxford 152, which you prepay with the Wilson Parking app.

By ferry, take the CityCat to Bulimba, Hawthorne or Apollo Road. By bus, Translink route 230 runs between Balmoral and the city via Riding Road and stops at Oxford Street at the Bulimba ferry (stop 33), and route 232 also serves that stop on its way to Cannon Hill. Plan your trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30.

Details can change, so check Translink and the council’s ferry terminal works page before you go.

Nearby

• New Farm Park – jacarandas, a playground and markets across the river.
• Brisbane Powerhouse – a riverside arts venue at New Farm.
• Captain Burke Park – a nautical playground and river views at Kangaroo Point.
• Kangaroo Point Cliffs – a short trip upriver for city views.
• Story Bridge – the landmark you can see from the CityCat.

Browse more history and landmarks and boat cruises and ferries.

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