The Brisbane Riverwalk connects Brisbane to New Farm via Howard Smith Wharves, along the north side of the Brisbane River.

The Riverwalk connects to the City Reach Boardwalk taking you right into the Brisbane CBD. It continues on to the Bicentennial Bikeway which continues to Toowong, as well as the V1 Bikeway via the Goodwill Bridge.

The Riverwalk

The Riverwalk is a great way to get from New Farm to the city as it follows along the river rather than winding through the steep hills approaching Fortitude Valley. The Riverwalk has segregated pedestrian and cycle lanes for most of the way, so you're free to ride or walk at whichever pace you choose.

The Riverwalk includes shaded rest and viewing areas similar to other bikeways in the area.

• City Reach Boardwalk
  Connects at the city end to QUT, South Bank and the CityLink Cycleway. Ivory Lane takes you on-road to the Story Bridge via one of Brisbane's steepest climbs.
• Howard Smith Wharves
  Via a busy road with no shoulder. Take care.
• Main Lawn
  Stairs & elevator connection to Bowen Terrace.
• Brisbane Riverwalk
  Stop at one of the many lookouts to admire the river
• Merthyr Road
  Cycleway ends. Continue 450 metres on-road to Sydney Street ferry terminal where bikeway connects through to New Farm Park, Brisbane Powerhouse and on to Yowoggera Bridge and beyond.

Howard Smith Wharves

Howard Smith Wharves is a historic precinct along the Brisbane Waterfront a great place for lunch, dinner or a drink within cycling distance of the CBD. Take the stairs (or free elevator) to the top of the cliffs for a great view of the Story Bridge and Brisbane skyline, or enjoy a beer at popular chains like Felons Brewing.

The precinct was redeveloped in 2018 and Brisbane City Council left the developers to do as they pleased with the dedicated cycleway. As such it's no longer a cycleway through the precinct, instead a combination of shared footpath and roads. Be very careful around the western end because the footpath ends abruptly in a busy street with no footpath. There are no alternative routes around this area.

What happened to the old Riverwalk?

The original walkway was based on a floating design, but during the 2011 floods it became partially submerged and at risk of breaking up. While the flooding was ongoing the riverwalk was planned to be demolished to prevent any damage to property such as the gateway bridge downstream. But before this could happen it broke up of its own accord, and was escorted safely down the Brisbane River by a tug boat.

Rebuilding the Riverwalk

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced in April 2013 that having secured funding from the federal and state governments, the iconic Riverwalk linking New Farm to Brisbane City would start construction and be completed in mid 2014.

He said:

In its time before being washed downstream in the devastating 2011 floods, the original Riverwalk hosted more than 3,000 cyclists, pedestrians and runners on a daily basis, making it one of the most popular links within Brisbane.

It was an iconic feature of the city, and the completion of these works will help bring it back bigger and better than ever.

The main focuses of the reconstruction project were cost and sturdiness. The new construction is a fixed walkway constructed 3.4 metres above the mean sea level and follows a similar route to the previous structure. But was designed to have a significantly lower maintenance cost, and is expected to be able to survive a one-in-2000 year flood.