Father’s Day Activities in Brisbane’s Western Suburbs

Celebrating Father’s Day

A Day with Dad: 8 fun & local activities for dads & the kids

In celebration of Father’s Day this September, we’ve gathered a few fun and local activities to inspire quality bonding days for dads (and the kids)! With a mix of ideas to suit all ages and abilities, ranging from pre-planned to spur of the moment occasions, we hope you find something enjoyable and suited to you.

1. The Enoggera Reservoir & Rainforest Café
Canoeing or paddle-boarding in the Enoggera Reservoir followed by lunch right next door at the Walkabout Creek Rainforest Café is a great combination of action, relaxation, and good food!
60 Mount Nebo Rd, Enoggera Reservoir QLD 4520
www.walkaboutcreek.com.au/cafe/

2. Cooking Classes
Working together while doing a guided parent and child cooking class is a fun activity that’s also perfectly suitable for rainy days, plus you get delicious food at the end! Come and Cook, located in The Gap, has multiple class options available with a variety of skill and age levels.

Come and Cook:
0488 249 595; www.comeandcook.com.au/

3. Ball Games & BBQ
For some sport, games of tennis, squash, padel, or pickleball are a fun way to get energy out! There are many courts around our Western suburbs suited to these, including the Taylor Range Club which has tennis and squash courts for hire (with swimming pools & BBQ’s right beside!). Other locations include The Gap Health & Raquet Club, Pure Tennis at Ferny Hills, or the Roy Emerson Tennis Centre at Frew Park, Milton.

Taylor Range:
28 Greenlanes Rd, Ashgrove
www.taylorrangeclub.com.au/

The Gap Health & Raquet Club:
200 Settlement Rd, The Gap
www.ghrc.com.au/

Pure Tennis:
144 Samford Rd, Ferny Hills
www.puretennis.com.au/

4. Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha
Take a walk around the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens and enjoy the nature-focused areas such as the Japanese Garden, Sensory Garden, and Bamboo Forest. You can bring your own picnic to have by the lake, or stop by the café for a treat like freshly scooped ice-cream!

www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/parks-and-recreation/botanic-gardens/brisbane-botanic-gardens-mt-coot-tha
152 Mount Coot-tha Rd, Mount Coot-tha

5. A Day in the City
Spend the day exploring Brisbane City on foot, by bike, or hire an e-scooter, and see new areas like the new Kangaroo Point Bridge or The Star waterfront area. Another great way to spend a couple hours outdoors is by taking the full CityCat ferry ride – a very cheap way to sightsee the city and cruise the river!

6. Bushwalks & Forest Tracks
We have many walking tracks with varying degrees of difficulty around our Western suburbs – perfect for taking a family walk or hike on lovely days. There’s the Fairy Tree Walk at Mt Nebo (The Pitta Circuit – 1.1km/40 mins return), the Simpson or Slaughter Falls trails at Mount Coot-tha, the Banks Street Reserve loop, the Gold Creek Reservoir loop (5.6km/1.5 hrs), and local boardwalks like The Gap Boardwalk in Yoorala Street.

A walk wrapped in history to interest the kids furthermore is the Golden Boulder Track in D’Aguilar National Park, with old gold mining sites and remnants along the way.

www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/parks-and-recreation
www.parks.desi.qld.gov.au

7. Samford Experiences
Head out to Samford for the day and visit The Store of Requirement, which is full of everything Harry Potter themed with many fun workshops such as potion making. The Samford Museum also has lots of interesting exhibits showcasing the history of surrounding districts. With different themed areas like farming, homeware, or machinery, it’s perfect for families to explore together.

The Store of Requirement:
www.thestoreofrequirement.com.au/

Samford Museum:
www.samfordmuseum.com.au/

8. Movies and Dinner!
For an entertaining but relaxing night (or day) out, head to the cinemas for an action or family movie with dinner brought directly to your seats! There are multiple local cinemas with this dine-in option (Gold Class tickets) including Reading Cinemas at Newmarket, the Blue Room Cinebar at Rosalie, or the Five Star Cinemas at Red Hill.

Reading Cinemas Newmarket:
www.readingcinemas.com.au/movies/now-showing
400 Newmarket Rd, Newmarket

Blue Room Cinebar:
www.cinebar.com.au/
151 Baroona Rd, Paddington

Red Hill Cinema:
www.fivestarcinemas.com.au/red-hill
14 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill

Author: Isabel Becker

Cover/header image: Taylor Range Club