New Farm to South Bank Parklands

New Farm to South Bank Parklands is a 13.2 km round trip along the Brisbane River, starting at New Farm Park and finishing in South Bank. AllTrails grades it moderate, three to three and a half hours, and the grade comes from the distance rather than any climbing. Dogs are on lead the entire way, and South Bank has several areas they cannot enter at all.

The walk

From New Farm Park and the Brisbane Powerhouse the route follows the floating Riverwalk boardwalk, passes Howard Smith Wharves under the Story Bridge, threads through the City Botanic Gardens, crosses the Goodwill Bridge and drops into South Bank Parklands. One way is roughly 6 km, so budget the full return unless you are catching transport back. It is flat, wide and paved throughout, with the Story Bridge over the early stretch and the city skyline filling the rest. The boardwalk separates walking and cycling lanes for most of the way, which makes managing a leashed dog easier than it sounds.

Leash status

Brisbane City Council requires dogs on lead at all times on public pathways, including the Riverwalk and South Bank Parklands. Dogs are not permitted in South Bank's wet areas, meaning the swimming lagoons, the beach and the fountains, and they are excluded from the designated picnic and eating areas too. Bring your own bags, though dispensers sit at the main parkland entrances. The one real off-lead break on the route is the 24 hour fenced dog area near the Powerhouse in New Farm Park.

Max: keep the lead short on the elevated boardwalk. Cyclists and scooters share the path and the blind corners give you almost no warning.

Water

Drinking fountains and bubblers turn up regularly, especially through New Farm Park and South Bank, and several have bowls set beside them. The newer boardwalk section has little shade, but shaded rest shelters appear along the way, and restrooms run around the clock at both ends. The mudflats near the mangroves are for the birds, not for dogs.

Hazards

Cyclists and scooters share the Riverwalk at real speed, and the blind corners on the floating sections give you little warning. Keep the lead short and hold the inside line. Exposed boardwalk and concrete heat up hard in Brisbane summer, so test the surface with your hand before midday walking. Weekend crowds through Howard Smith Wharves are the other squeeze point.

Getting there and parking

New Farm Park has paid parking nearby, but the smarter arrival is public transport. CityCat stops at New Farm Park ferry terminal and the South Bank CityCat terminal sits at the finish, and dogs ride in the outdoor areas on a leash, which turns the one-way version of this walk into an easy outing. Ferries run through the day and into the evening.

When to go

Weekday mornings or late evenings, which dodge both the heat and the crowds. Saturday mornings and late Sunday afternoons get exceptionally busy, especially under the Story Bridge where the path narrows. Good for big runners with solid lead manners, and the flat surface makes the full round trip manageable for a fit dog.

Close by with the dogs

Shorten the trip with the New Farm Riverwalk or Teneriffe to Howard Smith Wharves, or approach South Bank from the other side on the Clem Jones Promenade. The Plough Inn is the South Bank end reward, and The Woolshed covers the northern end of the river.

More dog-friendly walks are on our Queensland trails page, and the New Farm destination guide covers the suburb.