Tinchi Tamba Wetlands: Walks, Bird Hide and Picnics by the Pine River

Tinchi Tamba Wetlands is a 380 hectare reserve on the edge of Moreton Bay at Bald Hills, with two walking tracks, a bird hide, a boardwalk through mangroves and a riverside picnic area. It is open 24 hours a day and managed by Brisbane City Council.

The reserve covers tidal flats, mangroves and open forest. Birdwatchers come for the shorebirds, families come for the picnic area and playground, and walkers come for flat tracks with plenty of sky.

Walks at Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

There are two walking tracks, both with mostly flat ground, few obstacles and minor slopes.

The 1 km track to the bird hide

This track crosses open grassland to the bird hide, where you can watch shorebirds on the mudflats. It is the shorter option and works well with kids.

The 3 km track: boardwalk and forest loop

The longer track includes a boardwalk over saltmarsh and mangroves, then loops through eucalypt and paperbark forest.

Birds and wildlife

The wetlands are home to migratory shorebirds, including eastern curlews, sharp-tailed sandpipers and whimbrels. Other birds include sea eagles, royal spoonbills and collared kingfishers. Council also lists the vulnerable dugong and the endangered green and loggerhead turtles among the wildlife of the area.

Look, but do not touch: council’s rules are not to touch or disturb animals or plants, and to dispose of rubbish responsibly. At sunset you can watch the sun go down over the D’Aguilar Range.

Deep Water Bend picnic area

Deep Water Bend is the main facilities hub, beside the Pine River. It has a playground, fresh water, barbecues and toilets. Nearby are a boat ramp for boats, canoes and kayaks, and a fishing platform.

A bike path starts at Deep Water Bend and runs along Wyampa Road toward the Gateway Motorway overpass.

Paddling at Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

There are two canoe trails. One paddles out into the Pine River, and the other circles the wetlands and runs down Bald Hills Creek. Check tides, currents and wind before you go out on the water.

What the name means

Tinchi Tamba means “mangrove” (tinchi) and “ibis” (tamba) in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, which suits a place of tidal flats, mangroves and wading birds. The reserve covers more than 380 hectares on the edge of Moreton Bay, and it mixes tidal flats, mangrove forest, saltmarsh and open forest.

That mix is why the two walks feel so different from each other: the short track is open grass and sky, while the longer one goes from the mangroves into paperbark and eucalypt trees.

Rules to follow

Council asks visitors to stay on the designated tracks and trails, not to touch or disturb animals or plants, to dispose of rubbish responsibly and to keep dogs on a leash. Council also recommends carrying a track map, which you can download from the reserve page.

Is Tinchi Tamba Wetlands dog friendly?

Yes, on a leash. Dispose of dog waste responsibly. If your dog needs an off-leash run, council points to Gus Davies Park in Bald Hills.

Planning your visit

• Cost: council lists no entry fee for the reserve, the picnic area or the car parks.
• Facilities: toilets, fresh water, barbecues and a playground are all at Deep Water Bend.
• What to bring: water, your phone, a track map (the council PDF is on its reserve page) and a hat. A pair of binoculars helps at the bird hide.
• Best time: check the tide and the weather. Sunset is a drawcard, as council notes.

Getting there and parking

The reserve is on Wyampa Road, Bald Hills, about 22 km from the Brisbane CBD, which is about 30 minutes by car without traffic. There are three car parks along Wyampa Road, and one of them is for boat trailers.

Council points visitors to the Translink Journey Planner for public transport, and to its bike paths map for riders. More detail is on council’s Tinchi Tamba Wetlands page.

Nearby

• Bracken Ridge – the neighbouring suburb, with the wetlands and local parks.
• Nudgee Beach – more Moreton Bay shoreline to explore.
• Shorncliffe Pier – a bayside pier for fishing and sea air.
• Redcliffe – the bayside peninsula to the north.

Browse more nature walks, wildlife watching and Brisbane.

You might also like

• Boondall Wetlands (Brisbane)
• Whites Hill Reserve (Camp Hill)
• Oxley Creek Common (Rocklea)

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