wellness
Adelaide CBD Adds Safe Cycling Routes for Families, Beginners
Marked paths through Adelaide CBD parklands give new riders and parents with children clear options away from busy traffic.
How we reported this
New family-friendly cycling loops opened this month across sections of the Adelaide Park Lands, giving beginners and parents with young riders dedicated lanes separated from motor vehicles.
City planners added the routes after repeated requests from local parents for safer outdoor options close to home. The push gained momentum following a 2025 council survey that showed rising interest in low-traffic exercise spots within the central business district.
Routes through the Park Lands
One loop starts at the eastern edge of Victoria Square and runs north along the Torrens River path to the Botanic Garden gates on North Terrace. A second circuit circles Light Square and connects to the western parkland strip near West Terrace. Both paths feature bright green paint markings, speed limit signs set at 15 kilometres per hour and regular rest points with benches.
The Adelaide City Council worked with the Park Lands Trail group to install the signage and widen several gravel sections into smooth bitumen. Riders can join either loop from the Rundle Mall tram stop or from the corner of King William Street and North Terrace.
Practical steps for first rides
Council figures released last week record 1,850 family passes sold for the new loops since their launch on 15 June 2026. A two-hour bike hire from the North Terrace rental kiosk costs $12 for an adult bike and $8 for a child model with training wheels.
Families new to the routes should begin at the Victoria Square entrance where the path is widest and flattest. Helmets remain compulsory under state rules, and riders are asked to stay on the marked lanes between 8am and 6pm. The loops close at dusk each day to allow maintenance crews to check lighting and surface conditions.