Easy hikes and walks in Leslie Harrison Dam Nature Refuge

Daisy Hill Conservation Park forms part of the Koala Bushland Coordinated Conservation Area, a vast network of protected bushland between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Surrounded by suburbia, this important wildlife refuge protects vital koala habitat while offering kilometres of walking and shared trails through towering eucalypt forest, making it one of South East Queensland's most popular places to explore nature close to the city.

The Eastern Escarpment Conservation Area is home to native species like koalas, wallabies, and more than 100 native bird species. There is a vast network of multi-use tracks used for bushwalking, running, and mountain biking, but not all tracks are open to all activities. The tracks are all clearly marked if they are open to only mountain biking, only bushwalking or combination, along with some trails allowing horseback riding. Mountain bikers will find green, blue and black trails weaving through the forest for all skill levels to enjoy.

The Upper Main Trail is a wider multi-use track running across the Eastern Escarpment Conservation. It is a great spot for bushwalking, running, and mountain biking through thick eucalypti forests. Upper Main Trail is also a main connector trail in the area, creating access to trails of varying difficulty.

The Minnippi Wetlands Circuit loops around a series of lagoons and restored wetland habitat, with wide sealed paths that make for an easy walk or ride. The route stays mostly level and passes reed-lined water edges, open grassland, and scattered shaded sections where you’ll often spot ducks, ibis, egrets, and other waterbirds feeding around the shallows. There are benches, picnic areas, toilets, and parking nearby, making it an easy one for a relaxed lap without needing to venture far from the city.

The Minnippi Wetlands add a quieter, more natural side to the parklands, with shallow lagoons, reed-lined edges, and pockets of restored habitat attracting plenty of birdlife. The wetlands were designed as part of a broader environmental rehabilitation project linked to Bulimba Creek, helping improve stormwater quality while creating habitat for aquatic species and migratory birds. Early mornings are especially good here, when the water is still and you’ll often spot ducks, ibis, egrets, and other waterbirds moving through the lagoons.

Bulimba Creek forms one of Brisbane’s major urban wildlife corridors, flowing through wetlands, bushland remnants, and freshwater swamplands before eventually reaching the Brisbane River. Around Minnippi Parklands, the creek helps support a surprisingly diverse ecosystem within the suburbs, with waterbirds, wetland vegetation, microbats, and even squirrel gliders recorded in the area. Restoration work along the creek corridor has helped improve habitat around the lagoons and riparian zones, giving this stretch a much more natural feel than you’d expect so close to the city.

This waterfront park sits along the edge of Moreton Bay with open grassed areas, mangroves, and direct access to the foreshore path. The shoreline here is relatively calm, with wide views across the bay and tidal flats exposed at lower tide. The park includes shaded sections beneath trees and connects into the surrounding walking and cycling network along the waterfront.

This section of the Moreton Bay Cycleway follows the foreshore along Queens Esplanade, running close to the edge of the bay. The path is flat and sealed, with open views across Moreton Bay, mangroves along the shoreline, and sections of tree shade. It’s a shared path used by walkers, runners, and cyclists, with a straightforward layout and continuous waterfront access along this stretch.