Eclectic mix claims top 25 of Queensland’s best backyards

We’ve unearthed 25 of Queensland’s best backyards and it’s a heady mix of motocross tracks and skate bowls, firepits, yurts, swim-up bars, airstrips and entire beaches. COMPARE THE RANKINGS

Queensland's perfect tropical climate has led to the creation of some of the most amazing backyards in the country.

Australia’s healthy obsession with the outdoors starts and ends at home, with a Queensland backyard in near perfect tropical weather climbing up the wishlist of many Aussies. We’ve unearthed 25 of the best that Queensland has to offer and it’s a heady mix of motocross tracks and skate bowls, firepits, yurts, swim-up bars, airstrips and entire beaches. Here’s how they placed (counting down from 25 to top position).

#25: Flying high: 28/12 Air Whitsunday Dve, Flametree

Located in the Whitsunday Aviation Village Estate, this modern residence sits on a 1270 sqm block and is listed for $1.89 million. Like all of the homes in the estate, this one has access to the tarmac and the terminal facilities, and you can literally fly your plane, land and taxi straight into your own private hangar. Owned by Shark Tank star and Queensland entrepreneur Steve Baxter, the property is called Midfield Escape.

#24: Sweet earner: 291 Mowbray River Road, Port Douglas

Architect Gary Hunt turned an old cane farm into a $100,000-plus second income earner. The 53ha Mayfield Farm on the outskirts of Port Douglas has two-thirds of its backyard as a fully working cane farm. Most of the other third is fenced off as paddocks rented out as horse agistments to local equestrians, while a small portion covers the helipad and heli-garage, two converted cane cutter cottages, with plans to put self-contained studios by the river to be holiday let — making this one of the highest paid backyards in Queensland.

#23. Sustainable sanctuary: 40 Hall St, Alderley

This sustainable sanctuary in the city has a backyard fit for an urban oasis. Lush native gardens surround the home, which is designed to integrate with the outside. Features include a semi-covered al fresco area with built-in benches and an outdoor fireplace, an in-ground swimming pool, vegetable gardens, a chicken coop and a compost/worm farm.

#22. Zen garden: 8 Arenga Drive, Tamborine Mountain

City meets country in this chic home on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland that has been designed for sustainable dual living. The backyard has a custom, raised yoga platform where you can breathe in the mountain air during morning sun salutations, surrounded by carefully cultivated vegetable and herb gardens as well as fruit trees. Take your pick from the property’s homegrown harvest of blueberries, mandarins, acerola cherries, lemons, pomegranate, plums, guava, apricot and herbs including sage, echinacea, rosemary and more. There’s also a contemporary waterfall feature and cubby house for the little ones.

#21. Mangrove magic: 9 Blue Vista Street, Macleay Island

A secluded, 1490 sqm waterfront block with a private beach and a boat ramp for the water toys — now that’s a Queensland backyard. Surrounded by bushland, this property on Macleay Island, 30km from Brisbane, also offers breathtaking views of Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island. It was sold in July by Professionals Real Estate for $1.125 million.

#20. Designer digs: 3184 Riverleigh Dr, Hope Island.

The driveway of this French provincial-inspired home leads to a full turning circle around a feature water fountain surrounded by manicured gardens conceived by landscape designer Wayne Moffatt, of Image IDG. Moffat’s handiwork is also visible at the beautiful Hunter Valley Gardens, however, it is this home’s location by the exclusive Links Golf Course that seals its position as one of the Gold Coast’s best backyards. Picture Mike Batterham

#19. Entire theme park: 505 Allambie Lane, Gumlow

Barra Fun Park’s Brent Stevenson created this amazing backyard which is on the market for $2.5m. The property has been run as a fun park, but it could now be your own private theme park. Townsville’s Barra Fun Park is situated on 25 acres and boasts a redclaw and barra farm, two inline cable skis, an inflatable water park, a 50m slip’n’slide, zorb rollers, paddle boats and a jumping pillow — all included in the sale. Picture: Shae Beplate.

#18. Fairy garden: Ashwood Court, Samford Valley

With a dozen separate themed gardens, this is a green-thumb’s utopia and a child’s fantasy land. There’s Lost World, with dinosaurs, a Fairy and Goblin Garden and a Secret Garden with an underwater concept featuring mermaids, fish and octopus sculptures. Among the relaxation/themed gardens for adults on this delightful 6000sq m property, are: ‘Aloe’, ‘Bird’ with, at last count, 63 different species, ‘Vegetable and Herb’, ‘Conservatory’, ‘White House’, ‘Friendship’, ‘Orchid’, ‘Chicken Run’, ‘Lined-Driveway’ and’ Picking’. Established 26 years ago, it’s also where injured wildlife animals recoup and are released. Picture: Zak Simmonds

#17. Fully loaded: 74 Bacton Rd, Chandler

The garage alone is worth more than many of Brisbane’s most luxurious homes — and that’s without the multimillion-dollar car collection. Add on a six-bedroom main residence, a separate guesthouse, a games arcade, two gyms, two spas, four offices, two cinemas, five storerooms, a resort-style pool, a commercial bar, a 3D golf simulator, a soccer field and a championship-sized tennis court, all on 10,000 sqm of land, and you have a strong contender for the city’s best backyard.

#16. Putt-putt dream: 6 Heidelberg Street, East Brisbane

It’s a garden that needs to be rolled and carefully clipped, but it provides the most fun any putt-putt enthusiast or half-serious golfer could ever wish for — a three-hole golf green. While the designers could easily have opted for a synthetic green, this is the real deal, and it’s on top of a garage with CBD views. What more could you ask for!?

#15. La Tourelle: 55 Foley Road, Ilkley

Minutes away from Buderim and the beaches of Mooloolaba, this mini chateau is a work of art with a yard to match. You’ll feel like you’re holidaying in the Mediterranean when you experience the beautiful established gardens, orchard, spring-fed dams and chicken run surrounding the grand home. There’s also a four-lane lap pool for working off all the foie gras and French rose you’ll be indulging in.

#14. Amazing green: 364 Old Warwick Road, Glen Niven

Listed for sale by Expressions of Interest, the new owner of Granite Belt Maze can either keep running the business or turn it into an awesome private playground. Boasting three mazes, a mini golf course and a giant outdoor chess board, the kids would never get bored.

#13. Hillside dream: 129A Gloucester Avenue, Hideaway Bay

With 4ha of lush gardens to play with and the beach on your doorstep, this castle on the hill in the Whitsundays boasts the kind of backyard dreams are made of. Whether it’s having lunch on the patio looking for turtles and dolphins as you soak up the 270 degree Coral Sea views, or enjoying a movie under the stars in the eighteen-seat outdoor cinema. And if you really must escape, jump in the chopper parked on your very own helipad and you can be at Hamilton Island Airport in 15 minutes.

#12. Multi-generational winner: 62 Wilga Drive, Bunya

The ultimate backyard playground — for the parents as well as the kids. Relax in the magnesium pool and spa with mood lighting after a barbecue lunch in the epic outdoor entertaining area while you watch the kids jump on the in-ground trampoline. Then, spend the rest of the afternoon having a hit on the putting green before enjoying a drink around the custom-built firepit.

#11. Trampling the lawn: 80 Uhlmann St, Hawthorne

This backyard is one of the best Covid projects in town. Needing to keep his kids on track to become international mogul skiers, developer Tom Dooley dug up the backyard during lockdown and turned it into a giant trampoline. Best part is, if your direction is off, the Brisbane River is right beside you for a soft, if wet landing.

#10. Outdoor delight: 63 Greentrees Ave, Kenmore Hills

This home at the end of your own private driveway on 1.4ha boasts a backyard with something for everyone, whether you have two legs or four, including a championship sized floodlit tennis court with a thatched roof pavilion, stallion-rated stables, a flying fox with raised platforms and an infinity edged pool surrounding a central pavilion. There’s also a chook pen.

#9. Yurt surprise: 33 Sunpeaks Ct, Upper Coomera

This quirky Gold Coast property was built for adventure, with a motorbike track, flying fox, epic double-storey beach shack, cubby house plus sandpit and a private dam. These are just some of the features you’ll discover across 3ha of land at this surprising Upper Coomera estate. There’s even a colourful Mongolian yurt which sleeps up to six, with a woodfired pizza oven, jacuzzi and 20ft camp kitchen to take care of all your guests. Resident kangaroos and wallabies roam the grounds, while there’s also a horse stable and yard plus feed shed.

#8. Motocross makeover: 23 Kens Ct, Alice River

Boasting its own footy field, motocross track, pool and waterslide, this house in Townsville sold for $1.6 million in April. Set on 2ha, the property went viral, with social media users dreaming up their own additions to the property, from tennis courts to golfing greens.

#7. Serenity plus: 1 Island St, Victor Island

For the ultimate Queensland backyard experience, it’s hard to beat having the entire 3.14ha Victor Island to yourself, from its private white sandy beaches to rocky outcrops where wild oysters grow and serene bushland with multiple walking trails. Once on the market for $4.7m, it has some of the best fishing around, including red emperor and barramundi, making it the best ‘au naturel’ backyard in the country without the need for bells and whistles.

#6. Quirky goodness: 154 Formosa Road, Gumdale

Why don’t you sip on a mojito while we break this backyard down for you? There’s a floodlit tennis court, basketball court, resort pool with floating cabana and swim-up bar, a shipping container that has been converted into an outdoor sports bar set among the trees at the back of the property with its own rooftop terrace, and a cleared private camp ground with a picnic table and fire pit. Plus, you get to share the space with all creatures, great and small.

#5. Adult playground: 15B Burgess Street, Kings Beach

Listed for sale, this Kings Beach residence has some serious wow factor. The four-storey home features ocean views, and boasts the ultimate adults’ backyard featuring a lap pool with 25 viewing portholes, a rooftop putting green, a fully equipped bar, an outdoor pizza oven, a gym and a steam room.

#4. All-weather fun: 39 Luxton Ct, Tallebudgera Valley

As if 2.5ha of bushland with walking tracks and a summer creek to explore weren’t enough, this amazing Gold Coast acreage caters for year-round fun with an indoor basketball court and go-kart track, each housed in separate sheds on the property.

#3. Ramped up: 39 Woodhill Road, Kadanga

This epic property has its own skate park, skate bowl, motocross track, pool and fire pit, and is listed for offers over $3.5 million. Located in the Mary Valley, the property is known as Flip Side Park and is owned by the family who run Flip Side Skate and Ride in Gympie. The skate park/bowl was professionally built and also has light and power connected, allowing for night skating. The motocross track is fully irrigated, boasting “sticky traction” and also features “sets of doubles, tabletop, berms, and a large step up to bust out the whips and tricks”.

#2. Suspended reality: 6/652 Maleny Montville Road, Balmoral Ridge

Set on over 3,000sq m of freehold land in a nature reserve in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, a 1.2 km stretch of the Obi Obi Creek flows through the centre of the property, which also features a cool suspension bridge and a large private swimming hole with rapids. The naturally landscaped gardens are beautiful, with a Japanese-inspired rock garden a standout feature. Carefully planned pathways throughout the property lead to nature walks and a meditation labyrinth.

#1. Tropical oasis: 11 Great Northern Highway, Hamilton Island

It’s a tropical oasis within a tropical oasis island. The garden is lush and the vegetation so rich, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in a resort in Bali. Palms trees and ferns envelope the house situated on 2000 sqm of elevated, hillside land. There’s also a playground and a decked-pool area where you can relax and take in this superb tropical garden paradise.

Originally published as Eclectic mix claims top 25 of Queensland’s best backyards