Australian Vietnamese War Memorial

The Australian Vietnamese War Memorial is located at the College Road entrance to Roma Street Parkland, at the top of the park. The memorial commemorates and honours Australian defence service personnel who served in Vietnam, and is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. It was unveiled on the 16th September, 2005.

The memorial features two life size bronze statues dedicated to the armed forces of Australia and The Republic of Vietnam. On the left is an Australian Infantryman and on the right a South Vietnamese soldier. The memorial consists of a 1.2 metre high base which has the map of Vietnam on the front panel with the Australian and Republic of Vietnam flags on either side. The side panels have the tri-service logos of both the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) with words of dedication underneath them.

I feel similarly about this memorial as I do about the Vietnam Memorial in ANZAC Square. I'm saddened that we had to send our troops to Vietnam, largely due to the large loss of life and the ultimate futility of War. I'm glad that we have come to recognise the work and sacrifice of Australian Vietnam Veterans, and also glad that this particular memorial also reflects the Vietnamese community and recognises the South Vietnamese impact.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Topiary Surprise

Topiary Surprise is a cluster of sandstone sculptures located within the Spectacle Garden at Roma Street Parkland. Unveiled in 2001, the works are by Brisbane sculptor Rhyl Hinwood. They are sculpted from Helidon freestone.

Sited within the Spectacle Garden next to the topiary and maze, the sandstone is sculpted in domed forms. Rhyl outlines on her website that the intention was to reflect the shapes of the surrounding clipped plants, such as azalea, camellia, gardenia and dwarf bougainvillea. The surface of each of these has been etched to show the leaves of each of these plants. In addition, carved images of Queensland native fauna are also included, such as the cicada, snake, lizard and jewel beetle.

My youngest certainly loved exploring these sculptures. I'm not quite sure he was meant to run on the garden, but the invitation of the snake and lizard made it hard for him to resist, and he is less than two! He liked the smooth feel of the sandstone, and delighted in pointing out each of the animals he found. What a great way to show your kids not only the gardens, but the great works of art that are found co-located with them.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Roma Street Parkland Playgrounds

When you have kids, I feel its important to be able to utilise the city parks and gardens with them. Although you can show kids sculpture, artworks and horticulture, invariably the one thing they want to do is play in the park. Roma Street Parkland quite adequately meets this requirement. Bounded by Wickham Terrace, College Road and Parkland Crescent, the sixteen hectares contain a number of recreational areas and playgrounds, particularly in the Upper Parkland precinct.

Each playground contains a variety of activities. There are swing sets, covered walkways, crawl spaces, ladders, bridges and slides. Everything is vivid and multicoloured. There are also areas where musical instruments in the form of piping have been interspersed along the walkways to provide interactive play elements. They even have a Liberty Swing, which is a great invention for kids with disabilities to get the experience of swinging in a wheelchair. The playground areas also contain BBQ and picnic areas so its easy to take a picnic lunch and eat it on the lawns whilst your children play.


On weekends, for those of us Brisbanites who live in the suburbs, a trip into the city generally means spending several hours in town. With the kids, one of the trade-offs I use is to let them know that if they're going to spend time shopping or running around, that they can have some kid time in the park playgrounds. I'm grateful that we have wonderful facilities like this in such close proximity to the city, and a detour into the Parkland is an easy and effective way to let the kids run off their boundless energy.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Fern Gully Roma Street Parkland

Roma Street Parkland contains a cornucopia of greenery, and even with the current drought conditions continues to provide a green haven in the city. Part of the park I enjoy visiting is Fern Gully, amidst the Forest Walk precinct of the parkland. Located on the northern tip of the parkland, it can be accessed from the parking area at College Close.

Fern Gully is an integral part of the subtropical Forest. The gully includes a circuitous walk which runs along the side of a man made creek. Various species of tree fern line the banks, and the gully attracts a menagerie of bird life who use the forest for nesting and the stream for water and preening. The stream through Fern Gully originates in a spring adjacent to the bridge and the start of the boardwalk. The stream is also met from water cascading down from Angiopteris Ravine, where are what are known as King Ferms (Angiopteris evecta) provide more sheltered cover.

Like the South Bank Parklands Rainforest Walk, this walk offers a great place for kids to explore. The walkway above Fern Gully gives a fantastic aspect to the gully because as you meander along the paths you move from the rainforest floor through the canopy to over and above the entire area. They have also incorporated sandstone rock faces to hide the not so obvious roadway which is close by. The only thing you have to be careful of is letting your kids go into the stream!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Trains 4 U at Roma Street Parkland

The Roma Street Parkland is a sub-tropical garden covering 16 hectares. When you have kids, particularly young children, trying to entice them to walk around the Parkland after they've played in the parks there can be quite difficult. That is where the Trains 4 U service can come in handy. The trackless train runs a circuitous route around the parkland, with stops at the Carriage Shed, and at the playground behind the Spectacle Garden.

The 1.3km round trip takes around 15 minutes to complete. A synchronised commentary runs throughout, outlining the various sites and garden precincts of the Parkland as you traverse the route. It runs weekdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm, with extended hours on weekends, 10:00am to 4:00pm, weather permitting. For a family, 2 adults and 2 kids and a baby in our case, the fare runs to just under $20. Trains 4 U also caters for birthday parties (2-6yrs), corporate events and weddings.


There seem to be two trains available, the Jelly Bean Express or Lollipop Express. Both are easily seen and colourful, which makes them a big target for the whole "Can we go on the train, Dad?" calls from the kids. To rest your feet and stop the kids yelling its worth it!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Spectacle Garden

The Spectacle Garden is one of the precincts of the Roma Street Parkland. Located in the centre of the parkland, it offers a collection of colorful and unique flowering and foliage plants, selected from throughout the sub-tropical world. These are displayed in a number of specialised theme gardens.


This is the horticultural heart of the Parkland. These shots are predominantly from the area around the Concentric Garden. The stainless steel sculpture Concentric Intersection by Wendy Mills forms the focus of a lot of annual flowering plants, although the drought continues to have an effect on what can be displayed. The Spectacle Garden features several themed gardens including the Topiary Maze Garden, Lilly Pilly Garden, Traditional Brisbane Garden, a wall of Epiphytes and an extensive collection of herbs.


One of the great things about the Internet is that you can do a virtual tour of the garden online. Modelling the The Spectacle Garden Walk, the virtual tour takes visitors on a visual trail of the areas. I'd encourage anyone who's not from the area to get online and have a look, but if you're a Brisbanite or tourist you should go there in person yourself.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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ROCK

"Hey Brisbane, Do You Know How to ROCK!?!?"

Just like in Spinal Tap, can you imagine how many bands have played some of the more famous venues in town or the Valley, and yelled those immortal words? Well, if you're like me and you're out and about with your Homer Simpson "Born to Rock" T-shirt on, and you come across a sculpture which epitomises that, you have to stand next to it and get your kid to take your photo. I wanted to do the whole air guitar pose, but my son wasn't quite up to working the camera out well enough to get that kind of shot. Besides that, the baby also wanted to walk up and around and see what was going on!

If you come in from the College Road entrance to Roma Street Parkland, at the top of the park you'll come across this sculpture. Entitled Automatic For The People (ROCK), it is made of stainless steel and is almost 3 metres high. Perhaps REM's Album of the same name had some influence on the sculptor Scott Redford. As mass production is an integral part of contemporary culture, ROCK was fabricated using the same methods as industrially fabricated goods.

I found it interesting in reading some of the artists reviews, he has said that he doesn't like artwork which acts as a form of tourism, however here we have a piece which I think many tourists to the parkland would be drawn to. However, as is an artists want, he seems to have moved on since 2000 when this work was commissioned. There is the other association to the landscape of the parkland, but to me this work and its discrete reference to one of my favourite bands is always going to scream Rock and Roll.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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Roma Street Parkland

The Roma Street Parkland is a sub-tropical garden covering 16 hectares behind the Roma Street Station and Brisbane Transit Centre. It is bounded by Wickham Terrace, College Road and Parkland Crescent. The railways are now largely hidden behind the upmarket apartment blocks which have been developed along the southern edge of the park. The parkland features a variety of themed gardens and recreational areas, with plenty to do for families on a day out. There is even a licensed cafe, Melange, which offers a variety of fast and fresh food. You can get guided walks through the parklands if you book. It is open 24 hours daily, and there is no admission charge.


The parkland has five distinct precincts: The Spectacle Garden; Forest Walk; Lake Precinct; Celebration Lawn; and Upper Parkland. There is also a large variety of public art in the park, with well over 20 pieces in various locations. The parkland is the result of the redevelopment of the Roma Street railyards, with construction beginning in January 2000 and completion, with the opening ceremony, in April 2001. More than 100,000 shrubs, 1,200 mature trees, 1,800 unique specimens and 350 palms were initially planted to provide a showcase of world plant species.


This, like the Botanic Gardens, is another showcase parkland which has become quite iconic in Brisbane. The Spectacle Garden, every time I have been there, is amazing and as its name suggests, Spectacular! My kids can run and roam to their heart's content, with playgrounds and large open spaces throughout the park. There is even a motorised train ride around the park to keep them enthralled, and to rest your weary legs as you take in the sites.

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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