Simpson Falls Picnic Area

Tucked well into the bush at the foot of Mt Coot-tha and yet only a short drive from the city, Simpson Falls Picnic Area provides a selection of three modern BBQ and picnic spots to enjoy.

Turning off Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, Picnic Area 1 is directly on your left, with a small carpark and several covered picnic tables and electric BBQs dotted along Ithaca Creek. Its from this point that you can head over the bridge and walk 300m toward the Silky Oak Picnic Area and embark on the Powerful Owl Trail, if bushwalking is on the agenda.

Drive along just a little bit further, and Picnic Area 2, with a grassed area, a couple of covered picnic tables and electric BBQs looking across into the treetops, is to your right. Being quite small a space, this is perfect for a small group. Here, you will also find the convenience of wheel-chair accessible toilets.

At the end of the 800m bitumenised roadway, you'll find the area that most people identify with as Simpson Fall Picnic area, although its actual name is Peter’s Pound Picnic Area. The area was named in honour of Peter Ejelia, who was the Parks Supervisor from 1962 to 1981, and who led a team responsible for the forging of a number of the local walking tracks, the development of the gold mine area and general park maintenance and plantings.

This picnic area is expansive, with a number of covered and uncovered picnic tables, plus plenty of open grassy space – just perfect to while away the day kicking a ball or relaxing on a picnic rug in the shade reading a book. Kids – big and small – love to have races rolling down the hills, and the sounds of laughter and birdsong fill the air.

When rainfall is low, the rocky West Ithaca Creek that snakes around the picnic grounds is a popular spot for the kids to explore and escape to their world of make believe.

Beautifully scattered around, you’ll discover a number of artworks to enjoy, each reflecting something significant to the surrounding bush. Keep an eye for the kookaburras at the main access point, and the scrub turkey feature near the entrance to the Simpson Falls track which winds it’s way up 650m to the top of the falls. These are just a couple that you'll come across.

From this walk entrance, you can also continue on past the falls, and walk to Grey Gum Picnic Area and Brush Box Picnic Area. The unsealed track is a popular option for bushwalking enthusiasts.

If you're looking for more ideas on where to picnic in Brisbane, check out our guide to Brisbane's best picnic spots here.

By Danella Perrins