There are many more dog friendly trails in Brisbane than it seems at first glance! To protect our delicate and natural surroundings, many parks that do allow dogs only do so on-leash. But don’t let that prevent you from enjoying a change of scenery and going on a satisfying walk through all sorts of nature.

Let’s explore Karawatha Forest – one of the best places for dog friendly walks. They are open daily from 6am to 6pm, and the forest is always free to attend. Be sure to check online for any temporary closures before you plan your visit, just in case. And if you’re visiting on a weekend, come early! The parking area tends to fill quickly.

With 30 tracks to walk on, only 6 of them are dog friendly. We will focus on two of the most scenic, the Melaleuca Circuit and the Wild May Trail.

Where to start your walk in Karawatha Forest

Here’s a convenient starting point, on Illaweena Street (especially convenient if an overexcited pupper is with you!). You can park your car at the Illaweena Street Picnic Area (if you’re using a navigation app or something similar, it may be listed as Rocks Picnic Area).

This picnic area is the perfect resting spot to get situated with your pupper when you arrive and leave the forest. If you need to fill up yours or pupper’s water supply, there’s running water here. Please note, though, that there are no restroom facilities in this area.

Let’s get down to the trails!

On this map, A is the Illaweena Street Picnic Area and the loop with a number 16 is the Melaleuca Circuit. Number 19 is the Wild May Trail.

Melaleuca Circuit

If your pupper tires easily or if you only have a half-hour to spare, the Melaleuca Circuit is a great way to jam-pack a whole lot of beauty into a short walk.

Total distance: 1km

Time: 20 to 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy – mostly flat with few obstacles if any, and minor slopes

This trail starts at the bridge in the Illaweena Street Picnic Area and takes you slightly northwest in a short loop. For a part of this walk, a boardwalk takes you and pupper over a lagoon! Before you know it, you’ll be back where you started.

Wild May Trail

With the Wild May Trail, you can create your own route. If you want to start at the picnic area, taking the Wild May Trail to its completion and back (on the same route—not in a loop) is just a 1.2km walk.

But if you and pupper have some time and are feeling adventurous, you can make your own loop by walking the Wild May Trail to the Hakea Trail (number 18 on the above map), and take this north to the Maculata Trail (number 17 on the map above). You can then take this west and finally south, where you’ll return to your starting point.

Here’s some more information on our suggested make-your-own loop:

Distance: 5.2km

Time: 90 to 120 minutes

Difficulty: All trails are rated Easy – mostly flat with few obstacles if any, and minor slopes

On these trails, your path may get narrow and overgrown around the lagoons. Be sure you have an appropriate leash and protection for your pupper, and appropriate shoes and protection for you! You’ll see that this loop navigates around Scrubby Creek, making it a fun, scenic walk.

A change of scenery might be just around the corner!

Who knows where your next beautiful walk is hiding? It just might be on the Wild May Trail or the Melaleuca Circuit at Karawatha Forest. With a convenient picnic area that includes fresh water, this area of the forest is ideal for any fur parent who’s looking for their next sweet escape with their pupper.