Brisbane River West End

This riverside walk follows the Brisbane River around the St Lucia bend on the paved John Oxley River Walk, facing West End and Highgate Hill across the water. Dogs are welcome on lead, and Brisbane City Council sets the limit at two metres, which is worth knowing before you clip on a longer line. One planning note: there is no pedestrian bridge between St Lucia and West End, so a true loop across the river means the Guyatt Park to West End ferry hop or a crossing at the University of Queensland bridges upstream.

The walk

The full circuit runs 16.6 km at about three and a half hours, graded moderate, though the grade comes from the distance rather than any hill. The path is flat concrete and suits prams and older dogs alike. Most people walk a section of it instead: out along the river walk from Guyatt Park and back is a comfortable hour, with the University of Queensland grounds at one end and fig shaded stretches the whole way.

Leash status

Dogs must be on a lead of no more than two metres on the paved river walk and in the surrounding parkland. Fines apply for off lead dogs outside designated areas under council rules. Guyatt Park has a fenced off leash dog park right on the river, which is the one place along here your dog can legally run loose. Carry waste bags and keep your dog registered if over three months, as council requires both.

Pepsi: The river looks inviting and it is not. Steep banks, boat wash and CityCat traffic. Save the swimming for a proper dog beach.

Hazards

Magpies nest in the big trees around Guyatt Park and swoop from roughly August to October. The concrete holds heat badly through summer afternoons, so walk the grass verge or walk early. The river banks are steep and muddy at low tide and are no place for a dog to scramble down.

Getting there and parking

Free parking sits at Guyatt Park off Sir Fred Schonell Drive. The Guyatt Park CityCat terminal puts you on the path directly and is the better arrival if you can time it, and council buses stop at the park entrance. Toilets, barbecues and bubblers with dog bowls are all on site.

Close by with the dogs

Carawa Street Park Fenced Dog Park is the other fenced option in St Lucia, and Orleigh Dog Park sits across the river with its own fenced run on the West End bank. Saint and Co is the closest coffee, and The Raven Hotel takes dogs in West End. More choices appear on the QLD trails list and around St Lucia.

When to go

Before eight in the morning is the window, especially between August and October when the magpies are nesting and the shade matters most. Weekdays are quiet, while Saturday afternoons bring the student and family crowd. The flat ground and the ferry stop to bail out from make this a good senior dog walk.