MacIntosh Island Park: Playgrounds, Peacocks, BBQs and Parking

MacIntosh Island Park is a shady riverside park at Main Beach on the Gold Coast, with two playgrounds, barbecues, picnic shelters and a bird sanctuary with peacocks. It has entrances from the Gold Coast Highway side and from Main Beach Parade, beside a canal of the Nerang River.

It is a good family stop when you want grass, trees and a playground instead of a surf beach. Large shade trees cover much of the park, and you can reach it by car, on foot over the footbridge from Main Beach, or by light rail.

Playgrounds at MacIntosh Island Park

The larger playground has a shade sail over it, with slides, climbing structures and swings, plus a small bridge over a brook that leads to a cave where “Big Foot” can be spotted. The sand under the slides, climbing equipment and swings softens falls. A smaller playground at the southern end of the park has slides and equipment that suit toddlers.

Dogs are totally prohibited in all children’s playground areas, so leave them on the lawn side of the fence.

Peacocks and the bird sanctuary

The park has a bird sanctuary with peacocks, called the Les Rogers Memorial Sanctuary, and the peacocks roam the parklands, so you will often see them without looking. It is a quick, free stop for younger kids, and the cascading stream and trees are home to several other species of birds.

Shade, streams and picnics

This is a park built around large shade trees and cascading streams, which is why it works in the middle of a Gold Coast summer day. The stream is home to several species of birds, so it is worth walking the paths slowly rather than heading straight to the playground.

The council lists the park for picnics, barbecues and weddings, and parties and gatherings can be booked through the City of Gold Coast, so on a sunny weekend expect the shelters and barbecues to be busy. If you have a group, arrive early.

Paths and the bike track

Paths wind through the park, with park benches along the way, and the council lists a bicycle track as a feature. The footbridge from Main Beach connects the park to the beachfront side, so you can walk from the sand to the playground without getting back in the car.

Barbecues and picnics

The park has barbecues, picnic shelters and picnic tables, plus park benches along the paths. There is a drinking fountain and a water tap, and the toilets include an accessible toilet. A bicycle track runs through the park.

Canal beaches on the Nerang River

Small sandy beaches on a Nerang River canal at the edge of the park let you paddle or launch a kayak. The water here is a sheltered canal, not a patrolled surf beach, so for swimming between the flags head to Main Beach or Narrowneck Beach. For more on the waterway, see the Nerang River.

Planning your visit

• How long: Allow an hour for a playground and picnic stop, longer with a barbecue.
• Best time: Morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler. The larger playground has a shade sail and trees cover much of the park.
• What to bring: Food and drinks, sun protection, a ball or kayak, and a leash for the dog.
• Dogs: On a leash everywhere unless a sign says otherwise, and not in any playground area.
• Cost: No entry fee is listed by the council.

Getting there and parking

MacIntosh Island Park is at Main Beach Parade, Main Beach, about 65 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD without traffic. Parking is available on both the Gold Coast Highway side and the Main Beach Parade side of the park. You can also walk in over the footbridge from Main Beach.

By public transport, take the G:link light rail (the L1 line between Helensvale and Burleigh Heads) to Main Beach station and walk about 600 m. Check the Translink journey planner for times. Park details are on the City of Gold Coast park page.

Nearby

• Main Beach – patrolled surf and Tedder Avenue cafes close by.
• Narrowneck Beach – patrolled beach just north of Surfers Paradise.
• The Spit – beach, walks and a dog beach a few minutes north.
• Surfers Paradise Beach – swimming and the main strip to the south.
• Southport Broadwater Parklands – another playground and rockpool stop on the Broadwater.
• More ideas: playgrounds, islands and everything on the Gold Coast.

You might also like

• Logan Village
• Rochedale (Brisbane)
• Alexandra Hills (Redlands)

Quick answers