Walks

Where's a good walk with my little dog in Lota?

Three walks I use around Lota with the pack — the creek boardwalk, the foreshore path towards Manly, and the fenced little-dog yard at Don Randall Park — and what to know before you go.

Roslyn, runs Oodles of Paws from her home in Lota 21 September 2026 3 min read

One of the pack on the lead, crossing the timber footbridge through the mangroves

You've got a little one with a lot of go, and a lunch break or a Saturday morning to fill. Lota's the best-kept secret on the bayside for exactly that.

I'm lucky enough to live here, so the pack and I have walked most of the paths in the suburb. Here are the three I'd send you to, and the one spot where the small ones can run.

The Lota Creek Boardwalk (the one I do most)

Start at the end of Whites Road. A wide timber boardwalk takes you out over the mangroves and across Lota Creek, then a flat track loops you back through the gums. The whole circuit is about two kilometres.

It's shady for most of the way, which matters here from October on. The boardwalk is wide, so a pram, a bike and a pup on a lead all fit past each other without anyone getting squeezed.

Good for: a half-hour wander, hot days, a little one who likes to sniff more than stride.

The foreshore path to Manly (and further if you're keen)

From the Lota end of the Esplanade, a sealed shared path runs along the water all the way to Manly, and on to Wynnum if your legs are up to it. Wynnum to Lota is about eight kilometres one way, so most of us do a slice of it.

The Lota-to-Manly stretch is the nicest bit for a small pup. It's flat, the breeze comes off the bay, and the boat harbour at the Manly end is a good turnaround. Coffee for you, a sit in the shade for them.

It's a shared path, so bikes come through. A short lead and the left-hand side keeps everyone happy.

Good for: a longer walk, a morning with a coffee at the end, pups who like to watch the world go past.

Fig Tree Point Park

Tucked in at the creek mouth, this is the quiet little park at the start of the foreshore walk. Not a long walk on its own, but it's where I stop with the pack for a drink and a lie-down in the shade before we head back.

Good for: a rest stop, a slow old pup, a picnic with your little one on the lead beside you.

Where can they run? Don Randall Park

This is the one to know. Brisbane City Council lists one off-leash area in Lota: Don Randall Park, on the Bill Lamond Park side. It's fully fenced, it has lights, and it has a separate small-dog enclosure, which is rare on the bayside. The little ones get their own yard away from the big galoots.

I checked that on the council's own list this week, because nothing annoys people more than being told a park is off-lead when it isn't. Rules change, so if you're reading this in a year, look it up again before you unclip.

A little one on the grass — this is at my place, not the park

Good for: a proper run for a small pup, early evening in summer when the lights come on.

Key takeaways

The Lota Creek Boardwalk is a flat, shady, two-kilometre loop from Whites Road. Start there.
The foreshore path runs Lota to Manly along the water. Flat, by the water, coffee at the end.
Fig Tree Point Park is the stop at the creek mouth.
Don Randall Park is Lota's only council off-leash area, fully fenced, with its own small-dog yard.
Everywhere else, your little one stays on the lead. That's just Brisbane.

Common questions

Is the Lota Creek Boardwalk pram and small-dog friendly?

Yes. It's wide, flat and mostly boardwalk or packed track, so a pram, a bike and a pup on a short lead all fit. The loop is about two kilometres and takes most of us half an hour with sniff stops.

Are there off-leash areas in Lota?

One. Don Randall Park, on the Bill Lamond Park side, is on Brisbane City Council's off-leash list. It's fully fenced, lit at night, and has a separate small-dog enclosure. Everywhere else in the suburb your pup is on the lead.

Do you walk the day-care pack around Lota?

The pack lives at my place in Lota, so yes, the paths in this post are the ones we know. Every pup in the pack gets picked up from home in the morning and dropped back in the afternoon, so you don't have to drive anywhere.