Brisbane is a city best experienced, rather than described. And the best way to experience this subtropical metropolis is by walking.
Plenty of mid-sized cities around the world claim to be very walkable. There are many indices and “Best of” lists on social media rating the key criteria of walkability in the world’s most liveable cities but those in the best position to judge a city’s walkability are its visitors: those trying to navigate their way around, usually unfamiliar, in a finite amount of time.
Brisbane is genuinely walkable, for both visitors and residents alike.
The city has an impressive network of river-hugging walkways and raised or floating boardwalks, linking together central precincts, neighbourhoods and parklands. These riverwalks are further connected via a series of green bridges criss-crossing the river, and new additions to the network continue.
Brisbane is actually at the forefront of sustainable, pedestrian bridge design, welcoming Australia’s first Green Bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport way back in 2009 (the Eleanor Schonell Bridge).
Our local government in Brisbane has understood that certain factors are very important for making a city walkable: including shade, connectedness and safety. Working with universities, walking and cycling advocacy groups and even street artists, Brisbane is determined to constantly improve how to move around our river city.
Our green bridges are often canopied and our streets feature stunning large figs and shade trees for all round weather protection. Our city pavements are also often sheltered thanks to thoughtful new urban developments featuring extended canopies and new plantings. Moreover, these new developments and precincts have helped to create an intriguing network of alleyways and laneways throughout the CBD, meaning it’s increasingly easier to get from one end of town to the other while protected from the elements.
Brisbane is the earliest rising city in the world. Visitors and migrants are usually stunned by how early we are out and about, with many locals make their daily commute on foot or by bicycle and, even before that, others are out exercising and socialising thanks to a coffee shop culture that kicks off at 5am. For Brisbanites, active travel is a lifestyle, and one that we could not embrace as fully as we have without our incredible network of paths and walkways.
Beyond walkability, Brisbane is also a city that is incredibly easy to navigate should you find yourself caught in a brief summer storm or simply need a respite from walking. One of Brisbane’s most positive attributes for travellers is the $0.50 train, bus and ferry rides throughout greater Brisbane. You can get to the Gold Coast on a train for $0.50… Visitors and their travel agents alike really love this about Brisbane and enjoy moving around the sights by simply tapping on and off public transport with their smart phone along the river and our inner suburbs.
Hopefully, as we head toward 2032 and hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, ongoing works to our footpaths will make them even better at serving our population needing accessible (and smooth) ways to move around the city streets and paths.
Brisbane may not be perfect (beware the e-scooters whizzing past you on the footpath) but it has become one of Australia’s, if not the world’s, most walkable cities and the team here at Brisbane Unexpected is here for that!
Join us for one of our history and culture-rich guided walking tours, or here are a few of our favourite city walks for your next visit to Brisbane:
- Cultural Precinct and South Bank along the river or through the bougainvillea Arbour
- Kangaroo Point Cliffs and around to the Story Bridge parkland
- Botanical Gardens past Kangaroo Point Bridge, and then along the city riverfront to Howard Smith Wharves
- Roma Street Parklands, down Albert Street and to the river via the Botanical Gardens.
- The Riverwalk, starting at Howard Smith Wharves precinct and following it all the way to New Farm Park and the Powerhouse
- Catch a ferry to Hamilton, then onto the Riverwalk at Hamilton back to Newstead
- Botanical Gardens then down to Riverline park (in front of Queens Wharf precinct) and across the Neville Bonner Bridge to South Bank.
- Walk to the lookout atop Mt Coot-tha in Toowong.
- Walk along the bay at Manly