Streets Beach is a man-made lagoon and sandy beach in the South Bank Parklands, open every day and free to enter. The water is clear and carefully maintained, the sand is real, and there are lifeguards on duty during peak hours. It is extraordinary by any measure to swim in a proper beach 500 metres from a city centre — Brisbane has been doing this since 1992 and takes it entirely for granted.
On weekends the beach fills quickly, particularly in summer. The surrounding parklands offer shaded picnic areas, a walking and cycling path along the river, and a strip of restaurants and cafes along the promenade. The South Bank Arbour — a bougainvillea-covered steel pergola running the length of the parklands — is the most photogenic part of the precinct. The whole area is a pleasant half-hour walk from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the opposite bank.