Firetail Walk

Firetail Walk is a 5.3 kilometre escarpment loop in Picnic Point Bushland Reserve at Rangeville, on the southern edge of Toowoomba, zig-zagging down the face of the Great Dividing Range with views out over the Lockyer Valley. Dogs are welcome, but on-lead is enforced by council rangers throughout, so this is a lead walk from start to finish.

The walk

Grade 3 and rated moderate, the loop takes most walkers one and a half to two hours. The trail drops roughly 160 metres across the first two kilometres, so you descend first and pay for it with a steady climb on the way home. It passes Carnival Falls and the shaded eucalypt and rainforest sections are good birdwatching country, which is where the walk gets its name.

Leash status

On-lead at all times within Picnic Point Bushland Reserve, patrolled by Toowoomba Regional Council rangers. Keep the lead on in the quiet stretches too.

Water

No drinking water on the trail. Bring your own for both of you and a portable bowl, particularly for the climb back up in the warmer months.

Hazards

The escarpment bushland is a known hotspot for paralysis ticks, most active in the warmer months, so check your dog thoroughly when you get back to the car. There are no waste bins on the trail, so carry bags out with you.

Max: the return climb comes after the descent, so pace your dog on the way down rather than letting them charge ahead. You will both feel the last stretch.

Getting there

The trailhead sits near the rocket ship playground behind Lions Park, off Tourist Road and Rowbotham Street in Rangeville, about ten minutes' drive from Toowoomba's centre. Free parking sits in front of Lions Park, and there are public toilets at nearby Picnic Point Square. Local buses run from the CBD, but a car is the practical option in this residential pocket.

While you're out there

At the top of the escarpment, the Picnic Point lookouts come with picnic shelters, electric barbecues and grassy areas, and Picnic Point Toowoomba is right there for a coffee afterwards. Back in the suburb, The Coffee Chest is a solid post-walk stop, and the Table Top trail extends the outing if your dog has energy left.

If your dog needs a proper off-lead run after all that lead-walking, the Queens Park off-leash area across town is worth the drive. More routes sit on the Queensland trail guide and the Rangeville destination page.

Pepsi: mornings are best here, cooler for the climb and quieter on the trail with the rangers about.