Petrie Park

The Andrew Petrie Park is in West Maryborough and set along the Mary River, just west of the Bruce Hwy.

The park is named after Andrew Petrie, who sailed up the Mary River in 1842, then known as the Wide Bay River. Andrew Petrie discovered the site for the port while looking for land suitable for sheep grazing.

The park is not where the first port of Maryborough was established. This is further downstream near the Pioneer Graves where George Furber rests. George Furber sailed the Mary later in the same year and established a wharf and woolstore.

Much of the park doesn’t seem to be accessible with what appeared to be an old track that may have led to the water closed off with a sign saying “public access is now closed”. The track may have been damaged during one of the floods in recent years.

The park is about 600m long in total but the main part is a lot less, around 50m to 100m. The playground is limited to a single basketball hoop with a concrete slab in front of it. You can see the Mary River but is heavily obscured by trees.

The park isn’t much of a destination stop, it may have been better when the track down to the water was open. There is a toilet block with flushing toilets, bins, and picnic tables.

As a quick rest stop avoiding going into Maryborough itself, Petrie Park may be a suitable option. If it is during school hours, especially at the start or finish of the school day, it may become busy with a school directly opposite.

To get there:

Heading south on Bruce Hwy, continue passed the first exit 600m to the next exit, heading right at the roundabout towards Biggenden. From the roundabout, follow along Alma St for 700m and turn the first left into Royle St with the brown sign for Petrie Park. The main part of Petrie Park is about 400m on the right.

Heading north on Bruce Hwy, on crossing Mary River take the exit towards Maryborough and turn left at the roundabout towards Biggenden. From the roundabout, follow along Alma St for 700m and turn the first left into Royle St with the brown sign for Petrie Park. The main part of Petrie Park is about 400m on the right.

Cost: Free

Hours: Anytime

Toilets: Yes

Bins: Yes

Tables: Yes

Seating: Yes

Water: No

Food: No

Wheelchair accessible: Yes, level grassy ground

Pets: Yes, on leash

BBQ: No

Playground: Yes, basketball hoop only