Top walking trails rated by distance and difficulty

Brisbane City Council trail logs from June show 12 kilometres of marked paths across South Bank Parklands now carry difficulty ratings from easy to advanced.

Interest in these routes has grown since network disruptions left residents without reliable phone service for several hours last week, pushing more people toward self-guided walks that do not depend on apps or maps.

New Farm Park and the riverfront stretch near Kangaroo Point Cliffs both appear on the updated list released by the council’s active transport team.

Routes sorted by length and grade

The 3.2 kilometre New Farm Park loop starts at the corner of Brunswick Street and Oxlade Drive, stays flat for the first kilometre, then adds gentle rises near the fig trees along the river edge; council staff rate it moderate and suitable for most walkers.

A longer option runs 7.8 kilometres from South Bank Parklands through the Goodwill Bridge and along the Kangaroo Point boardwalk before returning via the Story Bridge pedestrian path; this route carries an advanced tag because of repeated stair sections and a steady 4 percent average incline.

Both paths remain open year-round with no entry fees, though the council charges $8 for a printed waterproof map available at the South Bank information booth on Little Stanley Street.

Usage numbers and next steps

A 2025 Brisbane resident survey recorded 68 percent of respondents walking in city parks at least twice a week, up from 51 percent two years earlier, with New Farm Park logging 1.4 million visits in the 12 months to March.

Park rangers advise checking the daily tide timetable posted at the base of the Kangaroo Point stairs before attempting the longer route and suggest carrying water, since public fountains operate only between 7 am and 6 pm along the riverbank.

Walkers can pick up the next free group session led by the Brisbane Bushwalking Club at New Farm Park on Saturday 11 July at 7:30 am, meeting near the rotunda on Sydney Street.