#FamiliesMagFun W I N T E R ’S DAY O U T
Best bicycle paths in Brisbane
Soak up the sun, breathe in the fresh air and listen to the sounds of nature when you take your family on a bike ride around Brisbane’s best bicycle paths. There’s a plethora of bicycle paths within the area suitable for Brisbane Families ranging in difficulty from easy, medium and hard so that you can choose a path best suited to your level of experience. This makes it easy to choose a path to match your child’s age and skill level so that even young kids just learning to ride a bike can join in on the family fun. Cycling is a healthy outdoor activity that the entire family can enjoy together and has many health benefits which include developing strength, balance and overall fitness, as well as strengthening the heart, lungs, lower-body muscles and bones.
Clontarf to Redcliffe
Mitchelton to Alderley
Rocks Riverside Promenade Jindalee
Brisbane River Loop
The 13km bike ride from Clontarf to Redcliffe begins at the southern tip of the Redcliffe peninsula and travels through a pelican beach, 19th century shipwreck, headland views towards Redcliffe’s town centre. You can begin the bike ride at the pelican park which becomes an attraction at 10am for the daily feed time then continue the path around Clontarf’s bay. The route ends as you go through Settlement Cove, where you can stop for a swim on a hot day. Finish up at Bee Gee’s Way and take a walk through the commemorative walkway that honours Redcliffe’s most famous young residents.
The Rocks Riverside Promenade at Jindalee has a 6km return cycle path starting adjacent to the Centenary Highway Bridge at Amazons Place. The scenic path is surrounded by gumtrees and winds its way through meadows until it meets with the Rocks Riverside Park. Along the way there are plenty of benches and picnic shelters available to stop and take a break, as well as a playground with a flying fox that is sure to be a hit among the kids. Made up of gentle hills and wide paved paths, the bicycle track is suitable for most ages and levels of experience.
Sandgate
Cycling through Sandgate is a relatively easy ride of about 6km return and is suited to most ages and levels of experience. The pathway passes through a number of waterfront picnic spots and playgrounds until it reaches the historical jetty at Shorncliffe. Begin by the Sandgate Swimming Pool on Flinders Parade and follow the cotton tree lined esplanade along Sandgate’s historical seafront stretch. At the base of Shorncliffe’s cliffs you can find the Sandgate Baptist Church which has been around since 1887. Just around the cliff base is a sheltered beach area with grassy dunes which has a playground and picnic shelters to relax in at the end of your journey.
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Your Local Families Magazine June/July 2016
Running for approximately 8km return, the Mitchelton to Alderley bicycle path has a strong rural feel. The pathway travels along Kedron Brook through old farmlands with remnants of machinery, sculptures and historical plaques from an early farming family who once lived in the area. The diverse pathway allows you to travel along a creek through the parklands before you split down a hill and ride through a field of cows and ruins of feed sheds and sculptures made of old farm machinery. The cycling path then bypasses a bat colony and ends at Grinstead Park playground and picnic area.
The Brisbane River Loop is Brisbane’s most well-known ride, stretching between 35 and 40km. It includes cycling paths and on road riding through a range of Brisbane suburbs including South Brisbane, Brisbane City, Milton, Auchenflower, Toowong, St Lucia, Indooroopilly, Chelmer, Graceville, Tennyson, Yeronga, Dutton Park, Highgate Hill and West End. The ride is versatile and there are many variations to the loop. It can be done in either direction however many people begin and end the ride at South Brisbane. It is a long ride and is best suited to a family with more experienced cyclists. Gather up your family and take them on a bike-riding adventure around some of the best paths that Brisbane has to offer! Not only can you improve your health and fitness, you can be rewarded as you watch your skill levels grow together while you progress from the beginner paths to the more challenging trails.
Carindale Minnippi Parklands
This bicycle path runs for approximately 9km return through the lush Minnippi Parklands. The track is ideal for younger or less experienced riders and is made up of a wide concrete path that winds through forest areas,