Sir John Chandler Park is a riverside park at the end of Meiers Road in Indooroopilly, with a playground, wood-fired BBQs, picnic shelters and a dog off-leash area. It sits on a bend of the Brisbane River next to the Indooroopilly Golf Club, with a car park, a boat ramp and plenty of open grass.
It is a good family picnic or birthday park: bring the food, light a BBQ and let the children loose on the playground while the dog has a run. The park is named after Sir John Chandler, Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 1940 to 1952.
Playground, toilet and picnic shelters
The Meiers Road end of the park has a playground, a toilet and a picnic shelter, all listed by Brisbane City Council. Council does not publish the playground’s equipment or whether it is fenced, and the river is close, so keep young children in sight.
There are drinking fountains and taps through the park, including a few near the BBQs and car park end, and some have a dog bowl.
BBQs and river views
There are four wood-fired, single-plate BBQs at the Meiers Road end, so bring your own firewood or fire-starting gear. Picnic shelters and open grass sit beside them, and the river is the best view in the park.
Across the water you see the homes along the opposite bank and their private pontoons.
Is Sir John Chandler Park dog friendly?
Yes. Council has a dog off-leash area here, called Meiers Road (South). It is unfenced and has no lighting, so keep an eye on your dog near the river and the car park. Outside the off-leash area, dogs must be on a lead.
Boat ramp and Thomas Park Bougainvillea Gardens
Council’s river facilities page lists a single boat ramp and a single pontoon at the park, both open. That page gives the park’s address as 151 Harts Road and says it is also known as Bougainvillea Gardens and Thomas Park.
In practice the Harts Road end is where the heritage-listed Thomas Park Bougainvillea Gardens are. Council’s park data shows that end, with its own drinking fountain, as part of Sir John Chandler Park. The gardens began as a private garden created by Henry Thomas, who bred several bougainvillea varieties, including the reddish-pink Thomasii. They have mature bougainvilleas and avenues of palms, with benches, picnic tables and a water bubbler, and the south-east side looks over the golf course and the river. See the Indooroopilly guide for the gardens and the nearby bridge.
Make it a day out in Indooroopilly
The park pairs well with a few other stops in the suburb. The Indooroopilly guide covers the heritage Walter Taylor Bridge over the river to Chelmer, and Indooroopilly Shopping Centre on Moggill Road for lunch or a wet-weather backup.
If the children want a different playground afterwards, Sherwood Arboretum has two playgrounds and both electric and wood-fired BBQs. For more play spaces, browse playgrounds across Brisbane.
A simple plan for a family picnic
Park at the Meiers Road end, then head for the BBQs, which have drinking taps close by, and a picnic shelter. Light a BBQ once everyone is settled, and keep the playground within sight of your table.
If you have a dog, use the off-leash area before or after the picnic rather than during it, and keep dogs on a lead everywhere else. Small children should stay close to an adult near the river edge.
Afterwards, drive to the Harts Road end for a look at the bougainvillea gardens, or on to Sherwood Arboretum for a second playground.
Planning your visit
- How long: One to two hours for a picnic, a play and a dog walk.
- Cost: Free.
- What to bring: Firewood or fire-starters for the BBQ, a hat, water, sunscreen and a dog bag.
- Toilets: Council lists a toilet at the Meiers Road end.
- Dogs: On a lead outside the unfenced off-leash area.
Getting there and parking
The park is at the end of Meiers Road in Indooroopilly, about 10 km from the Brisbane CBD, about 20 minutes by car. There is a car park at the Meiers Road end.
No council bus stop is listed along the Meiers Road end of the park, so driving is the easy option. For public transport, use the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30.
Nearby, read the Indooroopilly guide, visit Sherwood Arboretum for another park with BBQs, or browse parks and dog parks across Brisbane.
You might also like
- Ken Fletcher Park (Tennyson)
- Chelmer (Brisbane)
- Darra (Brisbane)
Quick answers
Where is Sir John Chandler Park?
At the end of Meiers Road in Indooroopilly, beside the Brisbane River and next to the Indooroopilly Golf Club.
Does Sir John Chandler Park have a playground?
Yes, council lists a playground at the Meiers Road end of the park.
Are there BBQs and toilets?
There are four wood-fired BBQs and a toilet listed at the Meiers Road end.
Can dogs go off leash at Sir John Chandler Park?
Yes, there is a council off-leash area on Meiers Road. It is unfenced.
Is there parking?
Yes, there is a car park at the Meiers Road end.
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