Sherwood Arboretum
Find a spot to picnic and play in the shade of Australian trees at Sherwood Arboretum. Discover trails and facilities.
Covering 15 hectares, Sherwood Arboretum is a botanical garden devoted to trees.
The heritage-listed park features Brisbane’s most extensive collection of Australian trees, including more than 250 species.
Picnic in the shade of a Moreton Bay fig, walk down an avenue of towering Kauri pines and photograph colourful flame trees.
Sherwood Arboretum is also a sprawling riverside park with large grassy spaces, lakes, playgrounds and a boardwalk along the Brisbane River. It’s the perfect place to learn about nature, relax and play.
Getting there
Travel options
Access the onsite car park via Jolimont Street. Wheelchair accessible parking is available.
Access the arboretum from surrounding streets, as shown in the map.
Plan your trip with Translink’s Journey Planner.
Plan your ride using our bike paths map.
Visitor guides and facilities
Discover what you can see, do and explore at Sherwood Arboretum.
Learn about the arboretum and its collection of native trees on a relaxed guided walk.
Walks are held monthly and take about an hour. They leave from the shelter next to the main car park.
You can also customise a guided walk for groups of 10 or more. You must book 4 weeks in advance.
To book:
- phone 07 3403 2535
- download and complete the Booked Walk request form and email the Botanic Gardens.
Get to know the wonders of Sherwood Arboretum on a trail.
Friends of Sherwood Arboretum has 4 trails to choose from.
Discover more than 170 resident bird species and the variety of trees they call home, or learn about the park’s rich history.
Set up for the day at a scenic picnic spot. Take your pick from shady lawns, and riverside and lakeside spaces.
Sherwood Arboretum also has:
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dog water troughs
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wood-fired and electric barbecues
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accessible paths leading from the car park to the playgrounds, barbecues, shelter areas and riverside boardwalk.
Kids of all ages will find fun at the arboretum’s 2 playgrounds:
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a large playground for older children, featuring slides, swings and climbing nets
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an inclusive nature-inspired playground featuring play pods, a canopy-gazing net, balance beams and a wave boardwalk.
Both playgrounds are within walking distance of the car park and picnic facilities.
Launch a kayak or make a pit stop on your river journey. Access is via the riverine boardwalk.
Book a park site
Host a party near the playground, catch up with friends in a shady spot by the river or walk down an avenue of towering pines to say, “I do”.
Sherwood Arboretum has 3 bookable sites.
They're available for hire from $199.60 per hour (including GST), with a minimum booking time of 2 hours.
This site is close to the carpark and barbecues.
| Capacity | 8 people |
| Power | Available |
| Marquees | Permitted |
| Virtual tour | Yes |
A large area next to the river, featuring mature fig trees.
| Capacity | 100 people |
| Power | Unavailable |
| Marquees | Permitted |
| Virtual tour | Not available |
A grassy promenade lined with tall Kauri pines.
| Capacity | 100 people |
| Power | Unavailable |
| Marquees | Not permitted |
| Virtual tour | Not available |
Booking conditions
To book any of these sites, complete the Park Booking Application online form.
You'll need to specify what type of event you're planning and how many people you expect to attend.
Weddings and corporate functions can be tentatively booked up to 12 months in advance. Council will confirm your booking 6 months prior to the function date.
Bookings apply to the site you choose and includes the use of any facilities at that site, such as a rotunda or power (if available).
You cannot book barbecues, shelters (other than rotundas marked) or playgrounds for your specific use.
Power points may have different phases (i.e. operate on different voltages). You should check your electronic equipment's compatibility before your event.
Read more about booking conditions and fees.
Botanic collection and features
Sherwood Arboretum features a collection of more than 1,000 native trees first established in 1925.
Discover the park’s collections and habitats.
Follow the trail down a central avenue lined with 72 Queensland kauri pines (Agathis robusta). Planted in 1925 by prominent citizens of the time, the mature trees were the first additions to Sherwood Arboretum.
Photograph, rest in the shade or play around the enormous roots and twisted trunks of a stand of figs. You'll find notable species, including the white fig (Ficus virens), cluster fig (Ficus racemosa) and Hill's Weeping Fig (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii).
Located in the northern section of the park, the dry forest is dominated by bottle trees (Brachychitons). They are renowned for their drought tolerance, having the ability to store water and survive for long periods of time.
Look up at the towering bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii) located within the Pinetum, a collection of conifers or cone-bearing trees. Bunya pines are renowned for their edible gigantic cones weighing up to 10 kilogram.
The Sherwood Rainforest features a selection of rainforest trees from Queensland and northern New South Wales. This collection homes rare and threatened species including the critically endangered Ormeau bottle tree (Brachychiton sp. Ormeau), with only 161 individual trees in the wild.
Stroll along the 150-metre boardwalk to birdwatch, take in the river views and get up close to mangroves. The mangroves provide habitat for a range of species, including sacred kingfishers and mangrove gerygones.
Eucalypt Ridge is located on the arboretum's hillside. You’ll find eucalypts, also known as gumtrees, which are adapted to drought and fire. They're found across Australia except in high alpine regions and arid desert areas of central Australia.
The hillside also features the 1974 flood marker. Marvel at the peak height of the flood, which covered almost the entire arboretum.
What’s on at Sherwood Arboretum
Events at Sherwood Arboretum include children's play groups, guided walks and fitness activities.
Creating Sherwood Arboretum
Sherwood Arboretum was officially opened on World Forestry Day in 1925.
To mark the grand opening, prominent citizens planted an avenue of Queensland kauri pines. Planters included:
- the first Lord Mayor of Brisbane, William Jolly
- botanist and author of Australian Rainforest Trees, William Douglas Francis
- the Queensland Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan.
In 1974, the arboretum was flooded after 3 weeks of continual rain. The water level in the park rose to 13.61 metres, which is marked by a wooden sculpture.
The park achieved Queensland heritage status in 2007. This recognised its majestic landscapes, unique focus on native trees and importance to researchers, locals and international visitors.
Today Sherwood Arboretum features a range of botanical collections, including Riverine Reserve, dry rainforest and eucalypts.
Council works in partnership with Friends of Sherwood Arboretum (FOSA) to help protect these valued trees.
Helpful links
Frequently asked questions
You can take your dog to Sherwood Arboretum. You must keep your dog on a leash and dispose of waste responsibly.
If you want to let your dog run free, head to the dog park at Thomas Street Park.
An arboretum exclusively grows and protects trees, whereas botanic gardens house species of both trees and plants.
Learn about Brisbane’s Sherwood Arboretum and its native collection.
You can ride your bike on the shared pathways in Sherwood Arboretum. Please note that there are no bike racks at the site.
Find other places to ride in Brisbane.