The parkland, on the transformed site of Brisbane's World Expo 88, was officially opened to the public on 20 June 1992.

The parklands consist of a mixture of rainforest, water, grassed areas and plazas as well as features such as the riverfront promenade, the Streets Beach, the Grand Arbour, the Courier Mail Piazza, the Nepalese Peace Pagoda, the Wheel of Brisbane, restaurants, shops and fountains.

South Bank and its parklands are one of Brisbane's most important cultural precincts and they regularly host large scale festivals and events.

However, this was all disrupted when the 1893 Brisbane floods forced the central business district to shift to the northern side of the river and attain higher ground.

This began the decline of South Bank, and the area became home to vaudeville theatres, derelict boarding houses, and light and heavy industry.

In 1988, Brisbane held a successful World Expo 88, following which the Government intended to develop the site for commercial interests.

However, a public campaign successfully lobbied for the site to be redeveloped as parkland for the enjoyment of people in Brisbane.

[citation needed] In 1998, a major redevelopment was announced that included the Goodwill Bridge, Grey Street, Grand Arbour and improvements to accessibility via removal of the canals and associated pathways.

[8] In 2009, as part of the Q150 celebrations, South Bank Parklands was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "location".

[11] The South Bank Parklands can be accessed from South Bank via Vulture Street, Little Stanley Street and the Cultural Forecourt; from the City via the Victoria Bridge; from Gardens Point via the Goodwill Bridge; and from Kangaroo Point via the Riverwalk.

The arbour stretches for 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from Vulture Street to the Cultural Forecourt and is used as a pedestrian walkway.

It carries 42 gondolas on a 15-minute ride with panoramic views of the South Bank Parklands, the Brisbane River, and the City.

Directly on Streets Beach, South Bank Surf Club was opened by celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue, and features a seafood menu.

Immediately adjacent is Live Fire Steak Bar, an al fresco restaurant and function space with modern décor and features craft beers.