For a suburb of just 7.9 square kilometres, Goodna packs in an impressive amount of green space — a riverside boat ramp, a steamboat-themed playground, a community pool, the festival home of Evan Marginson Park, and shaded streets where 100-year-old jacarandas, hoop pines and poincianas line the footpaths.
Whether you’re after a swim, a paddle on the river, a peaceful picnic or a kids’ afternoon at the playground, Goodna’s parks and recreation facilities are some of the most loved in Ipswich. Here’s the local guide to all of them.
Goodna’s signature parks
RJ Richardson Park
The reimagined steamboat-themed playground at 135–137 Brisbane Terrace. Accessible facilities, riverside setting, perfect for parties.
Evan Marginson Park
Home of the Jacaranda Festival. Year-round, a stunning park with mature jacaranda trees right by the train station.
Goodna Aquatic Centre
Two heated pools, a 25m lap pool and a splash pool at 137 Brisbane Terrace — open 7 days, run by JUST Sports & Fitness.
Goodna Boat Ramp
One of the few public boat ramps on the Brisbane River — popular for fishing, waterskiing and riverside picnics.
Diggers Rest Memorial Park
On the corner of Queen and Church Streets — a small but significant green space around the 1921 war memorial.
Riverside walking tracks
Informal walking tracks follow the Brisbane River, offering quiet morning walks beneath the canopy.
RJ Richardson Park — the steamboat playground
Reimagined in recent years, RJ Richardson Park (also known simply as Richardson Park) is one of South East Queensland’s most distinctive playgrounds. Centred around a large modern steamboat structure — a nod to the river’s historical role transporting goods between Brisbane and Ipswich — it’s a hit with toddlers through to early-primary kids.
The steamboat features curved climbing ladders on the outside, a series of internal climbing nets, gentle short slides for toddlers, and tiny tunnels just the right size for little explorers. The rubber soft-fall base in bright colours adds visual appeal — a refreshing change from the standard suburban playground.
Plan your visit
Address: 135–137 Brisbane Terrace, Goodna QLD 4300 (next to the Goodna and District Rugby League Football Club). Goodna Train Station is approximately a 500m walk away. Includes accessible toilets, baby change facilities, accessible car parking and concrete pathing to the playground.
On the same street you’ll find the JUST Goodna Aquatic Centre — making it easy to combine a play and a swim in the one outing.
Goodna Aquatic Centre
The Goodna Aquatic Centre at 137 Brisbane Terrace is the suburb’s go-to spot for swimming lessons, lap swimming, aqua aerobics and family fun in the water. Run by JUST Sports & Fitness, it features:
- A 25-metre lap pool with diving blocks
- A heated 16-metre pool — comfortable swimming year-round
- A fully enclosed pool for aqua aerobics classes
- A shallow toddlers’ splash pool
- Ramp access on both larger pools
- Shade sails over parts of the pool deck
- An on-site kiosk for snacks and drinks
- Learn to Swim programs for all ages
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- Goodna and District Rugby League Football Club — adjacent to RJ Richardson Park, with a strong junior program.
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- Just Fitness — full-service gym in the Goodna commercial precinct.
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- Jetts Goodna — 24/7 gym in the local commercial precinct.
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- JUST Sports & Fitness — at the Goodna Aquatic Centre, offering land and aqua-based classes plus 24/7 gym access.
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- Gailes Golf Course — just west of Goodna along the railway line, established 1924, originally formed as the Goodna Golf Club.
Goodna Aquatic Centre details
Address: 137 Brisbane Terrace, Goodna QLD 4300. Phone: (07) 3381 8240. Hours: Mon–Thu 5:30am–7:30pm, Fri 5:30am–6pm, Sat 6am–5pm, Sun 8am–5pm. Visit @goodnapoolbyjust on social media for class schedules.
Evan Marginson Park
If RJ Richardson Park is the playground heart of Goodna, Evan Marginson Park is its festival heart. Located at 6 Layard Street (also referenced as Woogaroo Street) just a short walk from the train station, this is the home of the annual Goodna Jacaranda Festival — and on the right October day, you’ll find yourself standing on a literal carpet of fallen purple petals.
Outside festival weekend, it’s a peaceful neighbourhood park ideal for picnics, kids’ kickabouts and quiet afternoons under the historic jacarandas. The mature trees provide shade in summer and that famous purple canopy in spring.
On the Brisbane River
Goodna’s location on the southern bank of the Brisbane River is one of its biggest recreational drawcards. The Goodna Boat Ramp is one of the only public boat ramps on this stretch of the river, making the suburb a popular departure point for fishing trips, waterskiing, kayaking and recreational boating.
Even without a boat, the riverbank offers some of the most peaceful walking in the area — early-morning fog over the water, kookaburras in the gum trees, and the occasional rower paddling past on training. It’s the kind of place that reminds you Goodna grew up around this river, not the other way around.
Many of the old established jacaranda, hoop pine, poinciana and mango trees are in excess of 100 years old.
Tucker Park & further afield
If you’ve exhausted the local options (unlikely with kids), neighbouring suburbs offer more big-day-out playground destinations. Tucker Family Park in Bellbird Park has a 10m-tall cube tower, a tunnel slide, walking track, sporting field and more. A bit further out, Redbank Plains Recreation Reserve features a 9m-tall adventure tower, toddler play equipment and a skate park.