Virtual Mount Coot-tha Summit Walk for Treadmills
The Summit Track climbs from the J.C. Slaughter Falls Picnic Area towards the Mount Coot-tha Lookout in Brisbane. This 45-minute walking video follows the well-formed uphill track through open eucalypt forest, with a mix of paved sections, steps, rocks and uneven natural surfaces along the way.
The climb is fairly steady rather than being one long steep section. Eucalypts and native bushland surround the track for most of the walk, although the forest becomes more open as the trail gets higher. At around 287 metres above sea level, Mount Coot-tha stands noticeably above the surrounding Brisbane landscape.
The official Summit Track is about 1.9 kilometres each way and is one of the main walking routes through Mount Coot-tha Reserve. It's easy to forget you're so close to Brisbane while you're down among the trees, as most of the track feels like a proper bush walk. As you get closer to the summit, though, the city starts to become much more noticeable.
The biggest change comes at the lookout, where the trees give way to wide views across Brisbane and towards Moreton Bay. After spending most of the walk surrounded by forest, the sudden open panorama makes a great finish to the climb.
For the treadmill version, the video is set at around 4 km/h with a 4% incline. This gives it a consistent uphill feel and represents the overall effort of the climb, rather than trying to match every change in gradient or the individual steps on the real track. Dropping the incline to 2–3% would make for an easier indoor session while keeping the same general feeling.
At 45 minutes, this is a proper treadmill hill walk rather than a flat stroll through the bush. The steady climb through eucalypt forest, followed by the open views from the summit, gives the walk a nice sense of progression from the picnic area to the top of Mount Coot-tha.
Trail Information
Location: Mount Coot-tha, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Trail: Mount Coot-tha Summit Track
Walk Duration: 45 Minutes
Terrain: Eucalypt Bushland & Mountain Trail
Suggested Treadmill Incline: 4%
Walking Pace: Moderate