Seven Hills Circuit

Seven Hills Circuit is a 3.1 km loop through Seven Hills Bushland Reserve, a fifty-hectare pocket of eucalypt forest and dry rainforest about ten kilometres east of the Brisbane city centre. It is real bush inside the suburbs, which is the appeal and also the reason for the one rule that matters here: lead on, the whole way, because this is a nature refuge with koalas and blue-tongue lizards in it.

The walk. A little over three kilometres, rated easy, and most people are around in under an hour. The circuit links the Ridge Track and the Gully Track through forest and rainforest gullies, with a few short steep pitches that have railings on them. Signage at the intersections is clear. There are benches at intervals and city views from the higher ground.

The rules. Brisbane City Council permits dogs on lead throughout the reserve. Keep to that. The reserve is managed as a nature refuge and dogs are the main pressure on the ground-dwelling wildlife, blue-tongues in particular. Bins are scarce, so bring bags and plan to carry waste out with you.

Water. None on the circuit. No taps, no bowls, and the creek is not a supply to rely on. Bring what your dog will drink, which in a Brisbane summer is more than you would think for three kilometres.

Hazards. Ticks are the real one. This is thick bushland on the east side of Brisbane and paralysis ticks are present, so check your dog thoroughly back at the car rather than that evening. Loose gravel on the steeper sections is slippery after rain. Koalas and lizards are about, and a dog that reaches either does serious harm.

Getting there. The reserve runs off D'Arcy Road, with street parking at the end of Baguette Street or on Latina Avenue. Latina Avenue is the straightforward start, and we have that entrance written up as Latina Ave Trail Head. Bus routes 212, 215 and 220 run near the reserve, and Cannon Hill station is a fifteen to twenty minute walk from some access points.

Nearby with the dogs. Carport Cafe on Pickwick Street has a shady courtyard and is the closest stop. Further round, Cafe & Bar on Whites Hill sits beside Whites Hill Reserve Fenced Dog Park if the dog still has energy, and Sankeys Lookout is the next bush walk over.

When to go. Midweek mornings or late afternoons. Weekend mornings are the busy window. The western side of the reserve stays quieter than the sections near D'Arcy Road. Good for seniors, and for dogs that want bush without a long day.

Sources

• Best dog-friendly walking trails in Brisbane - Brisbane City Council · www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
• Best hikes and trails in Seven Hills Bushland Reserve - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com
• Seven Hills Circuit - Aussie Bushwalking · www.aussiebushwalking.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.