Bicentennial Bikeway

The Bicentennial Bikeway runs 11.3 km along the northern bank of the Brisbane River, linking Toowong and Coronation Drive to the edge of the CBD. It is flat, sealed and lit the whole way, and it is also one of the busiest commuter cycling routes in Brisbane, so this is a short-lead walk rather than a wandering one.

The walk. Rated easy, and the grade backs that up: smooth concrete, no climbs, and about two and a half to three hours end to end at walking pace. Most people do not walk all of it. Pick a section, walk out and turn back, or use a CityCat to make it one way.

The rules. Brisbane City Council manages the bikeway and dogs must be on lead on it at all times. Keep the lead short rather than extended, because the path is shared with commuters moving at speed and a long lead across a bikeway is the classic way this goes wrong. Stay on the sealed path, carry bags, and watch for signed no-dog sections around riverside venues.

Water. Public bubblers sit along the route and there are benches at intervals on the riverbank sections. The river itself is not a swimming option here. The banks are walled, and the water is tidal and busy with ferries.

Getting there. Milton Station is about a 500 m walk from the path. The CityCat stops at Regatta and North Quay, which makes an easy out and back without doubling your distance. Driving is the hard option. Park at Toowong or West End and walk in.

Nearby with the dogs. The riverside walking continues at South Bank via Clem Jones Promenade and the Neville Bonner Bridge and Kangaroo Point Bridge Loop. For a proper run off lead afterwards, Anzac Park Fenced Dog Park in Toowong is fenced. The Plough Inn is the obvious finish.

When to go. Avoid 7 am to 9 am and 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm on weekdays, when bike traffic peaks. Weekend mornings and the middle of a weekday are calm by comparison. After heavy rain or a big tide, check before you set out, because sections flood and get closed for debris clearing. Good for big runners who need distance without hills, and a poor pick for nervous dogs.

Sources

• Brisbane bikeways | Brisbane City Council · www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
• Bicentennial Bikeway, Queensland, Australia - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com

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