Karawatha Forest Park

Karawatha Forest Park covers 900 hectares of eucalypt forest, wetland and sandstone ridge on Brisbane's southern edge, with 42 kilometres of walking track running through it. Dogs are welcome on lead everywhere in the park, and the gates close at 6pm.

The walk. The full circuit runs about 13 km and is rated moderate, at three to three and a half hours. That is the long option, and most visitors do not take it. The 42 km network breaks into much shorter pieces, and the Melaleuca Circuit and the Wild May Trail are the two most people walk: short, scenic and easy to moderate, both reachable from the Discovery Centre end. The ground shifts as you move through the park, from open eucalypt forest on the ridges to boardwalk over wetland in the low ground, and the sandstone outcrops give it more variety than a suburban reserve has any right to.

The rules. Brisbane City Council manages Karawatha, and dogs must be on lead in all areas of the park. This is not a formality. The forest is a major wildlife refuge carrying wallabies, gliders and a heavy bird population, which is the entire reason the leash rule exists. Dogs are welcome on the designated walking tracks but should stay off the untracked bush either side. Inside the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre, dogs wait outside. Bins sit at the entrances, so carry waste back to them.

Hours. Gates open at 6am and close at 6pm daily. Time your walk to finish inside that window, because the 13 km circuit will use most of an afternoon and a gate closing behind your car is a poor end to the day.

Water. There is a drinking water station at the Discovery Centre on the Acacia Road side, and it is the only reliable water in the park. The Illaweena Street end has no equivalent. Fill up before you walk in, and carry more than you think you need for a summer walk in this part of Brisbane.

Getting there. Two entrances, and they are not equivalent. The main one is 149 Acacia Road in Karawatha, which has the Discovery Centre, toilets, water and the largest free car park. The other is off Illaweena Street in Drewvale, which has a covered picnic area and an open grassy space but a smaller car park that fills faster. Both are free. It is a 25 to 30 minute drive south of the Brisbane CBD, and public transport to the trailheads is limited enough that driving is the realistic option.

Access. The main tracks around the Discovery Centre are firm enough for wheelchairs and prams, which also makes them the right choice for an older dog or one coming back from an injury.

Nearby with the dogs. Drewvale Offleash Dog Park is the closest fenced run to the Illaweena entrance, with Calamvale and Algester both a short drive. Milli and Mol's Espresso at Algester and Andonis Cafe and Bar at Stretton are the nearest stops afterwards.

When to go. Early on a weekday, or before 9am on a weekend if you want a park at the Discovery Centre. Weekends bring families to the Discovery Centre and the tracks closest to it, while the outer sections of the network stay quiet almost all the time. Wildflowers come through from August to October. Good for big runners who need a proper day out, and for anyone after real bushland without leaving Brisbane.

Sources

• Karawatha Forest - Brisbane City Council · www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
• Karawatha Forest Loop - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com

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