The recent upgrading of this park makes it one of the best equipped of all the parks along the…read moreWynnum, Manly and Lota foreshore. It's right at the end of the Esplanade, so has a great view over the bay to Straddie and also around to Wellington Point. It has a huge new playground, with shadesails, slides, forts and timber walkways. It also has very nice new picnic tables and barbecues, accessible toilets, shared walkway/bikeway and a seperate area with fitness equipment for anyone keen to do some circuit training. Oh, and obviously these days you can't camp at all; this name is an historical reference to its turn of the century popularity as a holiday camping spot by the bay.

Good old Wynnum jetty. It's so popular you'll always see a great range of people doing their thing…read morethere - dressed up day visitors, dressed down walkers, joggers and cyclists; kids, dogs, seniors, fishermen, brides with their whole bridal parties, even an idiot doing sun salutes out at the very end early morning (that would be me, though not so much lately). What it is that draws people to the sea? This gorgeous structure with its solid stone foundation, built as a job creation scheme during the Depression years, beckons you to get along it, to go as far as you can out into the bay. It's great at high tide, just ask the fisherman. Above those 80 year old foundations is the very modern upgrade. In 2005, the Quandamooka, or Moreton Bay, Project was completed. Elements in the project are the result of a public design competition in 2002 won by designer Paul Songhurst entitled Bulka Booangun: Calling the Dolphins. The main features include a timber and ceramic sculpture made from three recycled hardwood pylons at the entrance to the jetty, six mosaics and lots of little silver fish set into the jetty depicting stories from traditional Quandamooka lore, and a direction-finder dial at the far end of the jetty. Go take a walk along Wynnum jetty - you know you want to.

I came to Wynnum jetty yesterday with my Dad. We got takeaway fish and chips and wandered down to…read morehave our lunch on the jetty. It was a warm day with a nice cool breeze and all in all, a great way to spend an hour. There was a young boy and his parents near us fishing off the end and down a bit further, there was a group of kids enjoying themselves playing some unknown game involving a tennis ball. It made for a fantastic atmosphere, relaxed and fun. It was great to sit and eat and watch the water.

Love this park. Lots of kids call it the 'lighthouse park' because it has this fantastic play…read morefeature about four metres high with an internal spiral staircase. There are other play areas too, big green spaces for kicking a ball around, and lots of barbecues, all within a stone's throw of the waterfront. This park is always popular and busy, but really comes alive each year for special events, including a massive Australia Day brekky and the Spring Festival, when rides and fireworks are the go.

Manly Foreshore is a fantastic place to take the kids. There is heaps of open space, a fun rope…read moreplayground and plenty of undercover areas and parking. It is perfect to have a barbecue or picnic with family or friends. Last weekend my boyfriend and I grabbed a coffee and some fish and chips and relaxed on the grass in the shade. It is so peaceful looking out to the bay. We went on an overcast day but it didn't matter in the slightest. The space is really well kept and the grass always seems green, even on a cloudy day. Next time we go, we are going to take the pushbikes and make use of the bike track.

This park has something for everyone. On any busy morning you'll find kids climbing the spider web…read moreropes (hence the nickname spider park), boot camp slaves jumping up and down on the grass, lycra clad cyclists stopping to use the loos, walkers, joggers and dog lovers making good use of the pathways and plenty of early morning visitors having coffee or cooking breakfast at the plentiful barbecues and picnic tables. At high tide, little kids paddle and keen sailboarders launch from the tiny beach area at the park's northern end.

I remember in high school, being absolutely sick to death of the 'Mangroves' topic in Geography…read more They need to find a need to teach it year after year. They are important and they have different sorts of roots, so what? I have had to reconsider my opinion of mangroves through after going to the Mangrove Boardwalk. They are actually quite peaceful and they don't smell too bad mostly. It is a kind of rich earthy smell. The boardwalk winds in and out through a cavern of trees. There is heaps of wildlife to spot and overall, it is a relaxing and scenic walk. Great for afternoon running or jogging or just for a casual stroll.

The Wynnum North Mangrove Circuit, or mangrove boardwalk as everyone calls it, is the most magical…read morewalk at high tide (a bit smelly at low tide sometimes, but not too bad). It's a 1.4km circuit, more than half of which is on raised wooden boardwalks over the waters of Moreton Bay, winding through the mangroves. Imagine it: dappled sunlight on the water, birds and fish in abundance for the sharp eyed observer to spot, a cool bay breeze - gorgeous. Occasionally we've struck midges or mozzies, but generally not, it's just such a pleasant walk and if you have a pooch, it's adjacent to a really great dog park, so you can combine two fun activities in one outing - bring a picnic and make it three.

Took the dog for a walk out to the island. Lots of people out (families and friends) and their…read moredogs. We thought it was an off leash walk out to the island, unfortunately not. But if you take a long leash your furry friends can still enjoy some freedom to sniff. A coffee shop by the park which we were unable to try due to time constraints. A lovely walk. Look for a low tide and enjoy.

On a good day, the point of Wellington Point has the best of everything. Bordered by water on all…read moresides, the point has a park for the kids, a swimming area, a restaurant, take away, a jetty and a boating ramp. All in all, you could have a fantastic family day out. I like to wander down after work on a Saturday and kick back with some fish and chips under one of the huge, Moreton Bay fig trees. You get a nice breeze and a great water view of King Island. You see heaps of wind surfers, jet skis, canoes and boats. There are always couples sitting on benches by the water, kids in the water and groups enjoying a day out in their boat. A fun, holiday atmosphere. On a bad day, you will get a really strong wind and because there is water on all sides, there really isn't anywhere to hide. Best to go on a sunny day unless you are wind surfing.

This is one of the bayside's most popular skate parks, well rated by skaters and just a short walk…read morefrom Lota train station for commuting riders. There are fun boxes, streetscape and grind poles for hours of fun. This park is right beside the Bayside PCYC and maybe because of this it is a hub for young people. There are often events at the park, with bands, stalls and a chance to see some really good riders. A bonus is this park is constucted in the big Ed Devenport Park, with lots of shady trees for when you need to take a break.

Wynnum Water Park is an ideal place for a fun family day out. Grab the kids and head down…read moreespecially if it is a hot day. There is plenty of shade for the grown ups and a bunch of take away food and coffee places near by so you can make an afternoon if not a whole day of it. Take a book or some friends and sit back and let the kids run wild. The Water Park is next to the Wynnum Wading Pool along the esplanade and opened in May 2004. It is a funny sort of place that makes you wish you were a kid again and had an excuse to run under the water jets. The blue domes spurt out rays of water and the kids have a ball running in and around the water and crawling up and over the domes.

It was great when the water park was built and gave new life to the section of Esplanade…read moreimmediately east of the central shopping area of Wynnum at the end of Florence Street. The K.Poole Park formerly had a bunch of nice trees and grass and was the way to cut through to walk out on the jetty - that was about it. Now it has a great playground and picnic area and gorgeous little blue whales that spurt water and have the kids squealing with delight. It's these upgrades that are bringing a fresh new life back to the Esplanade, not that people seem to need much encouragement to flock here on the weekends.