Cascade Gardens, Broadbeach

This park has been a Gold Coast favourite for many years, and with good reason. It’s located beside the Gold Coast Hwy, in almost the centre of the city. However, once you leave the car, you escape into the beautiful parklands. It is situated alongside the Nerang River, which just adds to the harmony and tranquil atmosphere.

For the kids, there is a massive shaded playground. You won’t have to worry about sunburn whilst they run around exploring all the area has to offer. They will be delighted with the swings, seesaws, double slides – and there is even a specially designed liberty swing for disabled children to feel part of the fun.

If you have brought along supplies, there are several undercover barbecue areas to enjoy some lunch. Or, if you enjoy picnics, you can choose the tables, or one of many spectacular trees to provide shade for a relaxing lunch. The amenities are located nearby.
After refuelling, you may want to discover one of the rainforest walks, and learn a little about Aboriginal culture. There is a protected area for local birdlife.

For the history buffs, there are two different attractions. One being that its home to The Queensland Korean War Memorial…
The other attraction is the feature that is unique to Cascade gardens. The Kokoda Memorial has been created to help visitors appreciate the courage and determination of the men who fought on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during World War II. The Rotary Club of Surfers Paradise established Cascade Gardens in the 1950’s and Rotary provided extensive rehabilitation, rest and recuperation services to Australian Servicemen during the Vietnam War. A memorial to the Australian Servicemen is located adjacent to the large Rotary Wheel and Kokoda Memorial Walk at the Gardens, and sections of the walk are reminders of the foul conditions the soldiers had to endure in the jungles.

Another popular feature is the beautiful rotunda – which has been used in many Gold Coast weddings. Just imagine all that lush scenery as your backdrop!

The park has excellent toilet/shower facilities – extremely modern.

If you happen to still be enjoying the environment as dusk approaches, you will be fascinated by the nightly bat migration from the Cascades down to Northern NSW to feed on the fruit trees. The Gardens are open 6am to 6pm – tucked away in the centre of paradise, a must to visit.

Written by Dances with Words

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