What to do this weekend in Brisbane North

Residents are expected to leave their homes in droves tomorrow, venturing into local parks and onto rivers as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Find out where you can and can’t go around Brisbane North.

Take time out for a paddle off Nudgee Beach. Picture: Renae Droop

BRISBANE residents are expected to leave their homes in droves this weekend, venturing into local parks and onto rivers for the first time in a month as COVID-19 restrictions are eased

The much-anticipated easing will allow people into local parks for picnics and into national parks for fishing and bush walking.

Also allowed will be leisurely drives (including those by learner drivers) within 50km of home, as will riding a motorbike, jetski or boat, and shopping for non-essential items.

Take a walk along Shorncliffe Pier while maintaining social distancing. Picture; Renae Droop

However people will have to stay in their household groups, or meet up with one person only if they are by themselves, and observe social distancing. On-the-spot fines of $1334 for individuals and $6000 for businesses apply for those who break the rules.

In Brisbane North, people will be able to linger for picnics and fish and chips along the foreshore, but playgrounds, outdoor gyms and exercise equipment are still off limits.

All council public toilets in parks have remained open but council barbecues are not.

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Dog off-leash areas being trialled at Sandgate and Nudgee Beach are still open, as are designated unfenced dog off-leash areas (such as those at Kedron Brook). However all enclosed dog off-leash parks remain closed.

Also closed are all Brisbane City Council BMX tracks such as the one at Fitzgibbon, skateparks, ball courts and rebound walls.

If you want to check out markets, Carseldine Farmers and Artisan Markets is open from 6am-noon tomorrow at 523 Beams Rd, and Nundah Farmers Markets is open from 6am-noon Sunday in the train station car park at the bottom of Nundah Village. However Strathpine Flea Market is still closed.

Carseldine Markets are still open on Saturday morning. Nundah Farmers Markets are also open, on Sunday.

If you wish to travel further afield for exercise, a number of national parks are reopening. One within the 50km distance is the day use area at Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre at Enoggera Reservoir.

Most walking tracks and recreational trails remain open for exercise – check park alerts before you go. Visitors to national parks are urged to avoid high use area touch points such as lookout handrails, seating and picnic tables.

Seqwater recreation sites are also open but swimming, camping, playgrounds and barbecues will all be closed.

Dams within driving distance include:

■ Enoggera – paddle craft, fishing, picnics, bush walking and mountain biking are all allowed.

■ Kurwongbah – paddle craft, fuel powered boating, water skiing and picnics are allowed.

■ Samsonvale – sailing and electric powered boating (club members only), paddle craft (in designated zone at Forgan Cove) fishing, bush walking, horse riding and mountain biking are all allowed.

BMX tracks, such as this one on Telegraph Rd, Fitzgibbon, remain closed. Picture: Michelle Smith

All 33 Brisbane City Council libraries and community composting hubs remain closed.

Sandgate Police officer in charge Senior Sergeant Jon Kent said they were expecting a lot of people from outside Sandgate to visit the area, especially the foreshore.

“We’ve seen large numbers in the last couple of weeks but most people have been doing the right thing,” Sen-Sgt Kent said.

“With lighter restrictions and people being allowed to stay in one place we’ll still be concentrating on people maintaining that social distance and not gathering in large numbers with people not from their household.”