Post Code: 4078 Distance to CBD: 18 km
Forest Lake is a Brisbane suburb which is about 19 kilometers south-east from the central business district. It is a sprawling 1,000 hectares of residential area with 120 hectares of open parks and waterways. Forest Lake was settled by the European pioneer, Henry Farley where he built a two-story homestead out of timber in the late 1870. The site is now known as Homestead Park.
The homestead did not survive the ravages of nature and termites. However, the memories of the place were preserved by a book. The book is Archerfield Homestead, it tells the story of the place and the people who lived there. It is complete with drawings and photographs of the map of the place and the homestead and the adjacent buildings. In 1881, the place was bought by Michael Durack and the place is known as Archerfield Station. At the outset of war in the Pacific, Forest Lake was used as a bivouac area by the US soldiers. In 1990, Delfin Property Group started developing Forest Lake as a planned community.
Forest Lake Main Attractions:
o The Forest Lake
The forest lake is man-made body of water in the middle of the suburb. It has a 3.7 km walkway around the lake where a stroller can leisurely stop to feed ducks and turtles living in the lake. There are several workout stations along the walkway where a fitness buff can tone their muscles. There are also several vantage points where one can enjoy the scenic beauty of the lake for a leisure stroller. The place around the lake is great for outdoor activities like picnics or barbecues, cycling and hiking and the lake itself is great for canoeing, kayaking, rowing and sailing. Aside from ducks and turtles, the surrounding area is teeming with wildlife, so don’t be surprised to see a koala or a possum peeking out of the bushes.
o Forest Lake Sunday Market
This is a nice way to spend the early Sunday morning in a fair-like festive market. The market features agriculture and garden products, cottage arts and crafts, and home wares. Once in a while you will be treated with a soothing music from a street side musician. The place is kid-friendly. It has adjacent playgrounds and open parks. For the adults, the place offers exotic cuisine from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and traditional Australian dishes. This place offers a back drop from the busy corporate life of the city; that is wildlife within the city.