Waterline Park Gym

Keeping yourself in shape has never been easier with a number of free-to-use, public outdoor gym spaces dotted around Brisbane, and Waterline Park Gym sets the bar high when it comes to what’s on offer.

Located underneath the Riverside Expressway directly in front of well-known CBD skyscaper 1 William Street, the Waterline Park Gym is not only fab for the abs, but it’s vibrant and edgy street art makes it a pleasure to exercise in, the vibe far removed from the concrete jungle car park decor it heralded from.

As you could imagine, the location has seen its fair share of floods, and the water levels of the 1841 floods (peaking at this location at 8.43m), the 1893 floods (8.35m), the 1974 floods (5.45m), down to the most recent 2011 floods (4.45m), have all been highlighted as a mark of remembrance of water literally under the bridge.

Needing some inspiration on how to feel the blood flow in your veins and get the most out of your exercise work-out, you’ll find easy-to-follow suggestions for combinations and sequences on a range of the apparatus, which includes balance beams, battling ropes, chin-up bars, climbing frames and more, with the added bonus of the architecturally designed urban space perfect if you’re wanting to level up your parkour skills.

Feel free to bring your own favourite exercise gear such as a skipping rope or boxing gloves to step it up a notch with a focus on cross-fit training and simply the joy of exercising outside.

Spread across 3 levels, the precinct is fully wheelchair accessible, and the differing heights of bars, beams and suspended rings means there’s plenty of options for every fitness level to make the most of.

Achieving personal fitness through calisthenics (incorporating gymnastic-style exercises to enhance your body’s flexibility and strength) is reliant on using your own body weight for resistance and muscle development, and the added beauty of outdoor exercise areas such as the Waterline Park Gym is making the most of the soft-fall ground to practice a program of non-apparatus exercises, such as squats, lunges and burpees with less worry of injury if you lose your balance.

Just to the city side of the exercise hub is where the sealed Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Time Capsule was buried on May 10, 2019. It is scheduled to be opened in May 2049.

At the southern most tip of the area, closest to the QUT campus, you'll also find three public table tennis tables that are free to use. Whilst you do need to bring along your own ping pong balls and paddles to use, the fun is endless!

Need to know – The gym is open 24 hours with hi-tech surveillance equipment operating 24/7, and children and teenagers must be supervised at all times.

Nice to know – There is a water bubbler there if you need to rehydrate before, during or after your exercise circuit.

A stroll along the interactive Mangrove Walk is the perfect space to cool down and take in the river views, perhaps with a coffee from nearby Brendan's Cafe on Goodwill Bridge, if you’re early enough in the day. Or take in the views from the water's edge at Will and Flow.

If cycling along Brisbane CBD's river-hugging bike paths is more your scene, Waterline Park Gym is a great spot to break the journey and get an all over body work-out.

By Danella Perrins