Top Walks Around Brisbane
Brisbane River Run
The run links the inner-city parks of Roma Street, South Bank parklands and the City Botanic Gardens. It comprises of three colour-coded run or walk courses (PDF – 48kb). These courses are designed to provide a training facility for casual walkers to marathon runners.Each course is distance marked for training purposes. There is a five kilometre run marker at the South Bank end of the Goodwill bridge. You can follow the coloured course arrows marked on the ground and distance markers located at intervals along the course. The run route follows the river taking in the Goodwill Bridge, Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point cliffs. The Brisbane River run is a joint venture between Brisbane City Council and South Bank Corporation.
Brisbane River Art Trail
Walk or cycle the Art and the River Public Art Trail, a 2.4 kilometre trail that meanders along the Brisbane River s edge on the Kangaroo Point boardwalk. The walk begins at the Maritime Museum, South Bank and ends at the Thornton Street ferry terminal, after taking a detour to the top of the cliffs at Kangaroo Point Park. The trail is divided into three sections:section 1 starts on the Kangaroo Point boardwalk at the Maritime Museum and extends to the Riverlife Adventure Centre
section 2 starts near the the Riverlife Adventure Centre and ends at Thornton Street ferry terminal
section 3 on top of the cliffs at the newly built Kangaroo Point Park
Cultural Heritage Public Art Trail
The Cultural Heritage Trail is a 1.3 kilometre walk through the city’s historic plazas and squares, with a focus on artworks and memorials that commemorate Brisbane’s history. The trail commences at King George Square and finishes at St Stephen’s Cathedral on Elizabeth Street. It is a mix of historic, heritage-listed and contemporary artworks and monuments, each contributing to Brisbane’s story.
Suburban Heritage Trails Trail
Brisbane’s historic built environment – from the grand buildings of the Brisbane Central Business District to shops, schools, churches, factories and dwellings in our suburban neighbourhoods – make up a rich cultural landscape and help define the character of our city. There are now 13 suburban heritage walking trails across Brisbane celebrating the stories of local suburbs, in addition to Aboriginal culture trails, the Reflections on the River Trail and the Kangaroo Point National History Project Trail.
Submariners Walk Heritage Trail
A memorial to the Australian and US submariners who were based at the Capricorn Wharf at Teneriffe during World War II marks the beginning of the Submariners’ Walk Heritage Trail along the Brisbane River where the submarines used to dock. Along the trail, between Hastings and Beetson Streets, are plaques and seats commemorating the men, the ships and their service during WWII. Five of the US submarines that left Teneriffe to go on patrol never came back – lost with all their crew. USS Growler, part of the US sub fleet based here, was involved in action against a Japanese convoy when it collided with the convoy’s escort Hayasaki, almost sinking the sub.
Lowood station
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, or BVRT, is a recreational trail that traces the old Brisbane Valley rail line that commenced at Wulkuraka, near Ipswich, and continued to Yarraman, west of Kilcoy. This 20km section of the trail follows the former rail corridor from Diamantina Boulevard, in the Ipswich suburb of Brassall, to the rural township of Fernvale. A relatively shorter section of the BVRT, Ipswich to Fernvale (or vice versa) is perfect for a fun family adventure as you traverse through farmland, forest and picturesque rural settings along this off-road, traffic-free trail.The surface of this section varies between sand, grass, gravel and rough stretches with exposed rocky ballast. The trail changes all the time, with sections that are shaded and others exposed. By using the Brassall Bikeway, users can easily connect The Workshops Rail Museum in North Ipswich, and then travel via the road network to the historic Ipswich Central precinct (6.5km total) with its funky eateries, quirky shops and attractions like Queens Park and the Ipswich Art Gallery. Alternatively, users can access the BVRT by catching the train to Wulkuraka Train Station and travelling 3.5km along the Brassall Bikeway to join the trail.
Fassifern Rail Trail
The Fassifern Rail Trail utises a section of the disused railway line on the outskirts of the Boonah township. The Fassifern Rail Trail is being developed in partnership with Scenic Rim Regional Council and local community groups of the Fassifern Valley. Commencing at the carpark of the Boonah Visitor Information Centre the rail trails starts with a climb to the “Hollywood” style sign that overlooks the town.The former rail line was known as the Dugandan railway line and linked Boonah to Ipswich about 50km to the north. This railway was reported to be the first branch line in Queensland and the first section (to Harrisville opened in 1882 and reached Dugandan in 1887. The line was closed in 1964. Evidence of the railway between Boonah and Ipswich can be seen in various locations along the former route especially in the villages such as Harrisville and Peak Crossing. The 6km long trail is at Boonah, South East of Brisbane,
Ferny Grove Rail Trail
The surburban railway to Ferny Grove once extended a further 32km to Dayboro. Short sections of this railway are now rail trails. Although short, they are popular with Brisbane mountain bikers due to their proximity to the many trails in the Brisbane Forest Park and the Samford Valley. The trails are now signposted. Accessible from Ferny Grove Railway Station, the former railway is clearly evident in the Conservation Park, rejoining quiet local roads for the section into Samford. The 5km long trail is in the Samford Valley, 16km north west of Brisbane.
Walkuraka to Brassall Rail Trail
A high standard rail trail in the major population centre of Ipswich, this 4km route has great history connections with the first rail line in Queensland, a coke mine, the Rail Workshop Museum and the Smith Street bike route to Ipswich. The trail starts at Vogel Road and heads north east towards the Brassall shopping centre (Workshops Street) and ends at W.M Hughes Street, North Ipswich at the Workshop Rail Museum. There are picnic tables, which are under cover, at Mihl Junction.
