Brisbane City and Kangaroo Point are about to get back a slice of riverfront life, with a rebuilt CBD Riverwalk section returning as a much wider shared path that aims to ease pressure on one of the city’s busiest walking and cycling links.
The upgraded strip is due to reopen in the first half of February 2026, after being fenced off since 2023 during works at the Waterfront Brisbane site. Developers say the reopened section will connect Charlotte Street to Alice Street, restoring a continuous riverside route from the Story Bridge to the City Botanic Gardens. The reopening is expected to be marked by an event.
A wider shared path through Brisbane City
The reopened section runs between the Riparian building and the Stamford Plaza area, giving people a direct riverside connection between the ends of Charlotte and Alice streets. Plans for the rebuilt walkway show it reaching up to 15 metres wide in places, with new concrete paths and steel railings designed for both commuters and recreational users.
Project information released for Waterfront Brisbane describes the rebuilt Riverwalk as a shared zone for pedestrians and cyclists, with multiple access points intended to improve movement between Eagle Street and the river’s edge.
This part of the Riverwalk is near the city-side access to the Kangaroo Point Bridge, which links Scott Street in Kangaroo Point to the corner of Alice Street and Edward Street in the CBD. With the Riverwalk section reopening, walkers and riders should have a more direct route along the waterfront and into the bridge approaches, rather than relying on detours.
The closure has been a sore point for some active transport users, with community cycling groups previously raising concerns about a key public route being blocked for a private development.
Work continues…
While the Riverwalk section is returning soon, work around it will continue. Hoardings are expected to screen construction activity linked to the broader Waterfront Brisbane build as works progress toward an estimated late 2028 completion.
The wider riverfront plan includes new public space and future dining areas set back from the path, along with landscaping described as subtropical or tropical in style. Plans also flag cyclist end-of-trip facilities, including bike storage and e-bike servicing. Developers say the rebuilt public realm is being shaped to keep the walkway usable while the larger site takes shape.
The bigger development beside it
The Riverwalk works sit alongside Waterfront Brisbane, a major redevelopment of the former Eagle Street Pier precinct, led by Dexus with builder John Holland. Public project material describes a future mix of two office towers, retail, food venues and public space, with the Riverwalk intended to be a key part of how people move through the area. John Holland previously confirmed its involvement in the project’s stage works on its company update page.
Dexus has previously cited weather and the complexity of building alongside the river as factors behind delays and cost pressures, while stating that the Riverwalk reopening has been prioritized.
Nearby routes are reopening, too
The Riverwalk announcement follows recent changes to other key pedestrian links, including ongoing works associated with the Story Bridge restoration program, which Brisbane City Council says has delivered new footpath decking and accessibility upgrades as part of longer-term works.
For regular CBD walkers, office workers, and riders commuting between Brisbane City and Kangaroo Point, the Riverwalk reopening is set to bring back a familiar waterfront line — now rebuilt to handle heavier daily use.
Published 29-Jan-2026
