Kangaroo Point Bikeway

The Kangaroo Point Bikeway follows the Brisbane River from the Story Bridge around the peninsula to the Cliffs Boardwalk below River Terrace. AllTrails puts it at 8 km and grades it moderate, which is down to the stair climb at the cliffs rather than the path itself, since the riverside sections are flat and sealed. Dogs are welcome on lead the whole way.

The walk

Allow an hour and a half to two hours end to end, walked as an out and back, with the CBD sitting across the water for most of it. At the cliffs you get a choice: a long flight of stairs, or the ramped path that reaches the same place without the climb. Take the ramp with an older or heavier dog.

Bubblers with dog bowls sit along the path, with toilets and shaded parkland at Captain Burke Park near the bridge and at the base of the cliffs. The river is not a swimming option, and the sealed path and rock face both hold heat through summer.

Leash rules

Brisbane City Council manages the bikeway and dogs must be on lead at all times on the shared path and boardwalk, with no off-leash area on the bikeway itself. That matters more here than on a quiet trail, because this is a genuine commuter route carrying bikes and e-scooters at speed with a busy road alongside.

Max: this is a commuter path first and a walk second. Short lead, stay left, and give way rather than assuming a bike will.

Getting there and parking

The Holman Street CityHopper terminal is the easiest arrival and puts you near the northern end. Street parking on River Terrace at the top of the cliffs and Lower River Terrace at the base exists but is competitive at almost any hour.

More walks nearby

James Warner Park is the fenced off-leash space on the peninsula, and the Four Bridges Walk turns the same riverfront into a proper loop, with the Kangaroo Point and Story Bridge Loop as the shorter version.

Across the water, the New Farm Riverwalk continues the same walk on the opposite bank, and Realm is the local dog-friendly stay. More routes sit in our guide to dog walks in Queensland and our Kangaroo Point with the dogs page.

Go early morning or evening, outside commuter peaks, and from October to March keep to the cooler hours because the path is too hot for paws through the middle of the day. Seniors and older dogs do best on the lower riverside path, skipping the stairs entirely.