Top 3 Parks to Picnic in Perth that are easy to get to by Public Transport

Queens Gardens
Photo Credit: Nita Teoh

The sun is shining in Perth, and you’ve got a nice picnic basket packed ready to go to spend time with your better half, friends or family. But where to go?

Here are our suggestions for places to picnic out and about in Perth, some of which are easy to get to by public transport if you are not travelling by car.

Queens Gardens

One of my favourite parks in Perth – Queens Gardens is a popular spot for picnickers on the weekend and just about every day. It’s located just on the outskirts of the city, on the east side of the Perth CBD, and is a lush park with ponds that have beautiful lily pads in bloom that provide a spectacularly picturesque backdrop for your picnic.

Other points of note are a special bench (near the wooden bridge) that is a replica of the bench from the famous romcom movie Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Previously, it was thought that the bench was the original from the movie, but this myth has been debunked recently!

Another feature of note to check out within Queens Gardens is the Peter Pan statue which was donated by the Rotary Club of Perth as a gift to the children. It is widely visited and is popular amongst both kids and adults.

For rose enthusiasts, there is a dedicated rose garden on one side of the park (closer to the Adelaide Terrace and Hale Street end).

The new ornate front gates to the entrance of the park on the corner of Plain Street and Hay Street that were installed by the City of Perth are also worth checking out.

Queens Garden is an easy 20 minute walk from the Claisebrook train station in East Perth or you could catch a Yellow or Red CAT bus from the Perth CBD and stop off nearby.

Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve

The Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve located on Duncraig Road in Applecross, south of the river in Perth is a beautiful spot to have a picnic with a bird’s eye view of the Swan River and a panoramic view across the river to the Perth CBD skyline in the distance. 

It is perched high up on the hill, and its history dates back to when it was the Heathcote Hospital for mental health patients before its closure in the 1990’s.

Highlights include a super children’s playground with a pirate ship theme and plenty of challenges to keep the kids occupied with tunnels, slides, swings and wooden boardwalk paths.

There is also an onsite cafe and restaurants, and an art gallery within the Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve.

Catch the train from the Perth CBD to the Canning Bridge Station. The Goolugatup Heathcote Reserve is a 30 minute walk or a 10 minute cycle from the Canning Bridge train station.

Bardon Park in Maylands

Bardon Park on Fourth Avenue is another beautiful park located in Maylands, north east of the Perth CBD, along the banks of the Swan River.

It has views across the river to Optus Stadium and the Perth CBD and it also has a lake adjacent to the river.

Up the top, you’ll find the nature based playground which is a popular spot for kids. There’s a big tortoise and snail statues, a huge swing made from strong black netting, and a flying fox amongst many challenges at the playground to keep the kids occupied.

There is plenty of park lands to find a spot for your picnic and shade amongst the trees.

Catch the train to the Maylands Train Station. Bardon Park is a 20 minute walk or an 8 minute cycle from the Maylands train station.

We are spoilt in choice in Perth for places to enjoy the outdoors. Summer is here and it’s time to pack a picnic and enjoy the outdoors in Perth.  Bring a hat, pack your compact Tesalate blanket and a nice picnic basket full of scrumptious food and you’ll be all set to enjoy Perth’s glorious weather.

If travelling by public transport, you can also visit the Transperth website to plan your journey to get to any of these fabulous parklands in Perth.

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