Kangaroo Point City

This highly varied inner city walking circuit of around 5km takes in old quarries, mangrove boardwalks, river parks, botanic gardens, bridges and the Riverside strip of bars and eateries and except for the stairs up to and down from the Story Bridge* is largely flat. Discounted parking is available in the Little Stanley St precinct with a receipt from a local eatery or take a chance on surrounding streets.

1. Starting from the bougainvillea arbour in the vicinity of the Maritime Museum, head towards Kangaroo Point, where the path soon morphs into a water dragon patronised boardwalk at the base of the old Kangaroo Point cliffs. Until 1976, these rocky gashes were part of an operational quarry that supplied many of Brisbane’s historical buildings with their distinctive greenish pink porphyry (or tuff) stone.

The Riverlife Adventure Centre which inhabits the heritage listed naval store at the base of the cliffs has turned them into a hot spot for city climbers and also rents out bikes, kayaks and rollerblades to bored walkers at reasonable rates.

2. The rest of the path to the Story Bridge is a delightful jumble of tiny pocket parks with picnic shelters and playgrounds, a mini mangrove forest, steel Expo ’88 sculptures and benches.

3. At the far tip under the Story Bridge is Captain Burke Park with its silty sand beach at low tide and Yungaba, the grand Victorian Italianate ex migrants hostel that is soon to be swallowed up within a luxury apartment complex. Veer backwards from here into Main St and head up to the historic Story Bridge Hotel (originally the Kangaroo Pt hotel) with its wild frontier style bar in the original section and Shelter Bar in the old bomb shelter at the rear. Turn left into Thornton St and take the pedestrian entrance up to the Story Bridge walkway.

4. Once on the other side, the keen can take a detour via the path to the right which leads to Wilson Outlook with its particularly fine view of the city, the bridge and Kangaroo Point. From here turn back and take the cliff top path until you reach the glass elevator that take you down to the Howard Smith Wharves - built in the 1930’s and now the hottest eating and drinking precinct in Brisbane. It's well worth stopping here at Felons Brewing Co for some fish and chips or a bite to eat at Mr Percival's overwater bar.  From here, the promenade leads all the way around past the old copper domed Customs House and into the throng of cafes, bars and restaurants that make up Riverside and Eagle Street Pier.

5. The boardwalk continues all the way past the Stamford Plaza Hotel and into the City Botanic Gardens and amble through the centre to George St and QUT on the far side. Old Government House, built in 1860 to house the first governor of Queensland (Governor Bowen) stands within the grounds at the tip of George St and is worth a visit.

6. Well behind the Old Government House and near to the Riverstage exit of the Gardens is the entrance to the Goodwill Bridge and the final stage of the walk across the river to the Maritime Museum. 

7. Finish with a post-walk drink or meal at South Bank, where there's everything from bars and cafes to eateries for all budgets to choose from.

Tip - *Reverse the walk if you don't want to do the Story Bridge stairs, starting up at Wilson Outlook and cross the Story Bridge, down the stairs then walk along the river at Kangaroo Point, over the Goodwill Bridge, through the City Botanic Gardens and via Eagle Street Pier to finish at Howard Smith Wharves where you can take the glass elevator back up the clifftops and to Wilson Outlook.