Community Guidelines-

Use of Council Parks

Brisbane's public open spaces make our city one of Australia's best places to live and work. Our parks and open spaces provide valued visual, ecological, recreational, heritage and cultural amenity to benefit the people of Brisbane.

Brisbane City Council (Council) cares for and manages over 2000 parks for the use and enjoyment of residents and visitors to share in a safe and friendly environment.

The Public Land and Council Assets Local Law 2014 (PLACA) addresses park use and provides clear guidelines and simple processes to enable residents to enjoy these great assets.

While most everyday activities in parks will not need the consent of Council, some activities will require a park use consentor are prohibited. Activities requiring a consentwill only incur a fee for activities requiring the exclusive use of a designated park site or for some commercial purposes. All other consentswill be free.

The following information relates to park use consents.The activity examples shown are not all-inclusive and park users should contact Council if clarification is needed for activities not listed.

Activities permitted in parks

The following activities do not require a Park Use Consent / The following activities can be done in certain locations unless they involve large groups
  • Picnicking or barbecuing (including BYO BBQs)
  • Private gatherings and celebrations
  • Playing (playgrounds, nature play areas)
  • Swimming, wading, paddling where signed as allowed
  • Ball skills and games (casual) e.g. football, basketball, cricket, bocce
  • Unrestricted fireworks, such as bon bons, party poppers, as defined in the Explosives Regulation 2003
  • Orienteering, Rogaining, Geocaching
  • Busking (without amplifiers)
  • Fishing, net casting or bait catching (in tidal areas and for recreational purposes only), except where signed as prohibited
For example: Holding a children’s birthday party or family gathering in a park will not require a Park Use Consent. /
  • Abseiling, rock climbing, bouldering
  • Flying fox or ropes courses
  • Mountain biking
  • Horse trail riding
  • Slacklining
Where a large group is involved in the above activities a park use consent will be required.
A large group is defined as more than:
20 people in a natural area reserve or bushland; or
50 people in all other parks.
For example: Parts of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs are designated for rock climbing. Climbers in a group of 50 or less will not require a park use consent.
NOTE: Where any activity meets one or more of the ‘standard consentcriteria’ a consentis required – refer to section below.

Park use consents

Council has a responsibility to protect our parks, allow fair use and accessibility to all, and to provide certainty to people wanting to use park space for a specific purpose.

While residents are generally free to use Council Parks some activities require a Park Use Consentor are prohibited because of their potential to impact others or park facilities.A set of standard consent criteria set out the circumstances where a consentis required regardless of the activity.These are listed in the left hand column of the table below.

With the exception of consentsthat grant exclusive use, or involve a commercial activity, all consentsare free. All Council consentswill be available online or through the Council Contact Centre on (07) 3403 8888. Consents for Commercial activities can be arranged through Council’s Business Hotline on 133 BNE.

Examples of activities that require a consentor are prohibited are listed below.The examples shown are not all-inclusive and park users should contact Council if clarification is needed for activities not listed.

The following activities require the consent of Council (a consent) / The following activities are prohibited in parks
Where any activity meets one or more of the following ‘standardconsentcriteria’:
  • Commercial activity
  • Exclusive use (designated area)
  • Erecting or placing any temporary structure covering more than 15m², or bringing in equipment such as generators, portable toilets etc
  • Access to and use of Council power or other utility
  • Sale of food and drinks
  • Sale of alcohol
  • Involving animals, other than domestic pets
  • Affecting or involving native vegetation or wildlife
  • Driving or parking a vehicle in a park, other than on internal roads or car parks
  • Involving over 2000 participants
  • Distributing or affixing or posting notices, literature, placards or similar promotional materials
For example: The following will require a Park Use Consent- Weddings, Markets, Fetes, Festivals, Carnivals, Concerts /
  • Collecting driftwood or firewood
  • Picking flowers or taking cutting of plants, unless otherwise signed
  • Motor bike or trail bike riding
  • Bungee jumping
  • Paintball
  • Lighting of fires, except in designated fire pits or fire places, or as allowed by Council
For example: Paintball is a high impact activity that is not suitable in a Council park as it has the potential to harm others and damage park infrastructure.

Note: A range of other community sport and recreation activities (such as soccer or scouts) are allowed and managed in Council parks under lease or licence agreements.