The best gravel rides in D'Aguilar National Park

Cabbage Tree Creek Bikeway is a lovely, sealed shared pathway that follows Cabbage Tree Creek through a mix of bushland reserves, parkland, and open green space. It’s a mostly flat route that crosses a series of bridges and boardwalks as it runs along local parks, playgrounds, and neighbouring suburbs, making it popular for walking, running, and cycling. This creekside path is a great way to enjoy a peaceful stroll and is a nice escape from the urban hustle.

The picnic area has lots of shaded seating, and sprawls out across the street from the trailhead. There is parking and a restroom by the trail map as you start the track.

The Powerful Owl takes you on an elevated dirt track through the heart of the park. The path is wide and easy to follow, and is a great connector to the network of trails that spiderwebs out from it.

Ring Road is the main access route through Bunyaville Conservation Park, linking picnic areas, trailheads, and shared forest tracks beneath a canopy of tall eucalypts. The unsealed road winds through dry woodland and shaded gullies, with regular access to walking trails, mountain bike routes, and picnic facilities along the way. Around The Gully picnic area, you’ll find toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and easy access to several short bush tracks through the forest.

Mt Coot-tha Reserve is a large natural area on the western edge of Brisbane known for its bushland, scenic lookouts, and popular attractions, including the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and summit precinct. There is an extensive network of walking and cycling tracks in the reserve that wind through dry eucalypt forest and pockets of subtropical vegetation, connecting key areas across the mountain. With shaded bushland, abundant wildlife, and occasional views of the city, it offers plenty of options for outdoor recreation to immerse yourself in nature.

Samford Conservation Park includes a network of shared and specialised trails, with the main walking route being the Crebra Circuit—a short 900-metre Grade 3 loop that winds through ironbark forest from the Ironbark Gully picnic area. Beyond this, a more expansive system of multi-use trails (shared by walkers, horse riders, and cyclists) connects fire roads and forest tracks across the park, ideal for an extended walk with plenty of varied route options. There are also multiple designated mountain-bike-only trails, including Kombi, Bandicoot, and Sunset, offering purpose-built downhill and intermediate-to-difficult riding experiences within the park’s wider trail network.

Samford Conservation Park is a beautiful bushland reserve near the rural township of Samford Valley northwest of Brisbane. The park protects eucalypt forest and creek habitats that support native wildlife, including wallabies, koalas, and a variety of bird species, while also preserving part of the area’s natural catchment. There is a network of walking and cycling tracks and fire trails throughout the grounds, where you can explore the park’s ridgelines and gullies, making it an ideal location for quiet nature-based recreation close to the city.

Ironbark Gully picnic area is a popular day-use facility within Samford Conservation Park, set among open eucalypt forest near the park’s main access point at Samford Valley. There are picnic tables, shelters, and a trailhead for the short Crebra Circuit walking track, making it a convenient start or end point for exploring the park. Surrounded by ironbark woodland and native wildlife habitat, it’s a quiet bush setting ideal for a lovely picnic with access to the park’s wider trail network.