Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy
Brisbane City Council has developed a high-level, city-wide strategy to guide the future delivery of off-road cycling opportunities and facilities for children, adults and families within bushland reserves and parks.
Council is committed to creating more to see and do in a city that is clean and green, and the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy helps residents and visitors enjoy Brisbane's beautiful climate while connecting them with the people and places that make our city great.
The Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy identifies potential short and long-term opportunities for developing off-road cycling facilities across the city, including existing shared-use tracks and fire trails. Council will consider these potential locations subject to further detailed design, budget and environmental assessment.
Council would like to thank the community for their comments and feedback on the Draft Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy. Council has collated and used this feedback to develop the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy which provides an overview of how Council will deliver off-road cycling opportunities moving forward.
Download the strategy:
Project background
Due to the growing demand for off-road cycling opportunities in Council parks and bushland reserves, Council has developed the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy to guide planning and delivery of suitable facilities that will help meet demand, satisfy users and better protect our natural areas.
The strategy covers the following types of off-road cycling:
- mountain bike riding
- gravel riding
- cyclo-cross
- riding on trails
- pump tracks
- skill tracks
- dirt jumps.
When Council plans the use of bushland reserves, Council prioritises nature conservation then considers potential outdoor recreation opportunities in these areas.
Prior to creating the strategy, off-road cycling opportunities within Council parks and bushland reserves mostly included riding mountain bikes on designated single tracks and a skills track in Mt Coot-tha Reserve. Off-road cyclists could also ride on designated shared used tracks in Toohey Forest Park and bikeways in and adjacent to bushland reserves and parks.
In 2003, Mt Coot-tha Reserve became the first and only designated location for a mountain bike single track in Brisbane. Due to the high level of use, at peak times the mountain bike facilities are at capacity.
This high demand for off-road facilities in Brisbane has led to continued unauthorised track construction in bushland reserves and parks across the city. By providing well-planned off-road cycling facilities and opportunities, Council anticipates a decrease in unauthorised track construction and associated environmental impacts.
About the project
The project aimed to provide a strategic guide and framework for the future delivery of safe, recreational off-road cycling facilities and opportunities across Brisbane. Council's primary focus was to create a strategy that meets the needs of a rapidly growing off-road cycling community and better protects bushland reserves and parks. The strategy caters to children, adults, families and people of varying abilities while also protecting significant habitat and wildlife corridors.
Community consultation
Information gathering
- Stakeholder workshop
- Three drop-in information sessions
- Online survey and map
Date: Early 2019
In 2019, Council engaged with key stakeholder groups and the broader community about their ideas for future off-road cycling opportunities across the city. Following a significant response from the community, including more than 1400 survey responses, Council analysed the consultation results and used them to help develop a draft Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy.
Draft strategy release
- Online survey
- Submissions
Date: December 2020 - February 2021
In December 2020, Council released the Draft Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy and invited community feedback through an online survey and submissions. Between December 2020 and February 2021, 3249 respondents completed the survey and Council received 241 submissions. Approximately 89% of respondents agreed that Council should provide more off-road cycling opportunities and 87% of respondents agreed providing authorised opportunities will better protect environmentally sensitive areas.
Final strategy release
- Release of final Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy
Date: Late 2021
Following the consultation phase on the Draft Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy, Council collated and incorporated community feedback into the final Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy. The strategy provides an overview of how Council will deliver off-road cycling opportunities moving forward. Council released the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy in December 2021.
Delivering off-road cycling opportunities
Council is committed to building sustainable off-road cycling facilities for the future. The Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy provides a high-level roadmap to guide future investment in the design and delivery of off-road cycling opportunities across Brisbane subject to further detailed design, budget and environmental assessment.
The strategy identifies potential locations for off-road cycling opportunities that Council will consider developing in the short and long term, including existing shared-use trails and fire tracks. See Table 1 in the strategy document for potential short-term opportunities Council will consider in the next five years. See Table 2 for potential long-term opportunities.
The details of new off-road cycling facilities and opportunities will be published on Council’s Off-road cycling opportunities in parks and bushland reserves webpage once they become available.
More information
For more information about the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy, you can:
- email the project team
- phone Council on 07 3403 8888.