Griffith University Archives

From 530 Runners to a Sell-Out: Ten Years on the Trails of Toohey Forest

When runners line up for the sold-out Toohey Trail Run, they will be taking part in an event that looks very different from the one that began in Toohey Forest with 530 runners.

The 10th anniversary event will be held on Sunday, 20 September 2026, starting from Griffith University’s Brisbane South campus before heading into Toohey Forest. The half marathon begins at 6:30 a.m., followed by the 10 km at 6:45 a.m. and the 5 km at 7:05 a.m.

Every distance has sold out, continuing the growth of a race that began in 2015 with just two courses.

A Small Beginning in 2015

The inaugural Toohey Trail Run offered 5 km and 10 km courses between Griffith’s Nathan campus and Toohey Forest. More than 500 runners took part. Griffith later recorded the field at 530, giving organisers an early indication of demand for the event.

By the following year, a half marathon had been added. Organisers were aiming for more than 1,000 competitors, with about 400 registrations already received before race day. The three-distance format later became a fixture.

In 2018, registrations reached 1,082, then the largest field in the event’s history and a 10 per cent increase on the previous year.

Powerful Owl Habitat Put Limits on Growth

As participation increased, organisers also placed limits on some race fields.

In 2017, the combined field for the 10 km and half-marathon races was capped at 800 competitors because those routes passed through habitat used by the Powerful Owl.

The 5 km field was not subject to the same restriction because its course did not extend as far into the forest. Organisers said the longer routes had been designed to reduce disruption to the owl’s woodland and watercourse habitat.

Toohey Forest Park covers about 260 hectares around 10 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD. Brisbane City Council lists walking tracks, shared trails and picnic areas across the reserve, with connections to Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve and Griffith University.

Across Toohey Forest Park and Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve, Council records more than 400 species of native plants and wildlife, including koalas, echidnas, possums, gliders, frogs, bats and owls. Around 30 walking tracks extend across the two reserves.

The race has continued on trails that are also used for everyday recreation while forming part of an important urban bushland habitat.

A Break, Then More Runners

The event was not held in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned in 2021 with more than 830 participants across the 5 km, 10 km and half-marathon courses. By 2025, participation had reached 1,252 runners, including 272 in the 5 km, 573 in the 10 km and 407 in the half marathon.

Griffith recorded the half-marathon field as the largest in the event’s history, with competitors ranging from five to 77 years old.

Fundraising Grew Alongside Participation

The trail run has also developed a fundraising component. The 2018 event raised more than $6,500 for Diabetes Queensland. In 2025, Griffith recorded $13,150.69 raised in support of Diabetes Australia.

Race-day operations have changed as well. The 2026 event will again operate without disposable drinking cups at water stations, requiring competitors to carry a bottle, hydration pack or collapsible cup. A limited-edition collapsible cup was offered to the first 1,200 people registered for the anniversary event.

Back to the Starting Line

The race precinct is scheduled to close at 10:30 a.m., several hours after the first competitors leave the starting line.

From 530 runners and two distances in 2015, the Toohey Trail Run has grown to three established courses and more than 1,200 participants at its most recent event. Its 10th anniversary race now arrives with every distance sold out, returning runners once again to the trails that gave the event its start.

Published 15-Sept-2026

Nathan Researcher Finds Brisbane’s Apartment Rezoning May Be Falling Short

Research from Griffith University’s Nathan campus has raised fresh questions about Brisbane’s ability to deliver the higher-density housing needed to accommodate future population growth.

The study found that almost half of the city’s land zoned for apartments and townhouses is too small to support those developments, despite planning changes designed to encourage more homes in established suburbs.

Griffith Study Tests Brisbane’s Housing Strategy

Dr Rachel Gallagher, from Griffith University’s Department of Tourism and Marketing, analysed Brisbane’s zoning alongside land parcel data to assess how much of the city’s upzoned land could realistically be redeveloped.

Her research found that Brisbane’s typical residential block is around 400 square metres, while developments containing multiple dwellings generally require sites of at least 600 square metres.

Only 51.2 per cent of land currently zoned for multiple dwellings met that minimum size.

Dr Gallagher said many property owners would need to combine adjoining blocks through land assembly before redevelopment became possible, but noted the process was difficult, slow and relatively uncommon.

Challenge for Future Housing Supply

The findings come as Brisbane prepares to accommodate significant population growth over the next two decades.

Under the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan, Brisbane is expected to provide more than 210,000 new homes by 2046, with nearly 90 per cent intended to be delivered as higher-density housing within existing suburbs.

While upzoning has been promoted as a way to unlock more housing, the Griffith research suggests many sites may never be able to take advantage of the new planning rules because of their physical size.

Looking Beyond Planning Maps

The study found that lot size was only one hurdle facing redevelopment. Character protections, vehicle access and parking requirements could further limit opportunities in Brisbane’s established suburbs.

Dr Gallagher said previous research showed higher-density projects were most successful on larger sites, in areas already planned for increased density and supported by appropriate infrastructure. Many newly upzoned locations did not meet those conditions.

She also cautioned that rezoning land in areas with weaker housing demand may inflate land values without increasing the number of homes built, while restrictive zoning continued to constrain redevelopment in suburbs where demand remained high.

Dr Gallagher said planning policies needed to better reflect the physical realities of individual sites, arguing that land characteristics ultimately determine whether higher-density housing can be delivered.

The research has been published in the journal Urban Policy and Research under the title Misaligned Policy and Practice: Does Upzoning’s Implicit Reliance on Land Assembly Undermine Densification Goals?

Published 22-June-2026

Toohey Forest BioBlitz Doubles Brisbane’s Species Count

Photo Credit: Griffith University/LinkedIn

When scientists and volunteers took to Toohey Forest for a weekend survey, they documented part of a rich ecosystem hidden in plain sight at the forest, home to more than 500 species.

Community Effort in Action

Between 5 and 6 September 2025, more than 80 volunteers joined Griffith University researchers for the Toohey Forest BioBlitz. This two-day survey invited everyday nature lovers to help document the forest’s rich ecology.

Using the app iNaturalist, they photographed plants, insects, birds and fungi across the campus and surrounding bushland. In total, they recorded 4,166 observations and identified 516 unique species, nearly doubling the site’s previously known biodiversity record.

Lead organiser Wade Hadwen from Griffith’s School of Environment and Science said the data not only mapped the forest’s ecological health but also created a valuable baseline for future monitoring. The project was run in partnership with the Griffith EcoCentre, with community engagement at its core. Many participants were new to biodiversity surveys, yet their observations significantly expanded scientific records of the area.

*Photo Credit: Griffith University/LinkedIn*

Findings That Matter

Among the hundreds of records were sightings of endangered and vulnerable wildlife, including the Koala and the Powerful Owl. The findings confirmed that Toohey Forest still supports species of conservation concern despite sitting within metropolitan Brisbane.

Specialists and enthusiasts working across plant, insect and fungi groups helped uncover major data gaps, especially among smaller species such as spiders, beetles and fungi.

Griffith University noted that the expanded dataset could inform management of the forest, including habitat protection, fire control and biodiversity planning. The results also showed how collaborative research can reconnect urban residents with the natural world in their own backyard.

A Baseline for the Future

Hadwen explained that Toohey Forest acts as a “biodiverse island oasis” surrounded by urban development, making it an ideal site to track how ecosystems adapt to environmental pressures. Organisers said the success of this first BioBlitz could pave the way for ongoing volunteer monitoring programs that continue to build on the dataset.

Participants reported the experience as educational, with many saying it strengthened their connection to the local environment. The BioBlitz has become a model for community-driven conservation, blending academic research with public participation to protect one of Brisbane’s last remaining forest corridors.

Published 22-Oct-2025

Locals Step Up as Koala Underpass Plan in Toohey Forest Gains Urgency

Plans for a wildlife underpass at Toohey Forest are moving forward, with local residents and wildlife carers pushing for greater protections, monitoring and research, as frequent koala sightings increase the risk for more road deaths.

Community Concern Grows Around Koala Road Risks

Earlier this month, plans were confirmed for a wildlife underpass beneath Toohey Road to connect both sides of Toohey Forest. Since then, residents living near the forest have come forward with growing concern about the number of koalas seen dangerously close to traffic, calling the project overdue and urging stronger action.

Local wildlife advocate Brad Lambert, who runs a dedicated Facebook group about the area’s koalas, has observed a sharp increase in sightings over the past year. He said he spotted 10 koalas across different locations in just one week and had previously counted up to 19 in a single week. He also noted a rise in the number of road strikes involving the animals, despite the lack of an official database tracking deaths.

Lambert said more consistent monitoring and clearer population data were urgently needed to assess the risk and determine whether local koala numbers could be sustained over time.

A Call for Scientific Monitoring

While Brisbane already has a land bridge at Compton Road near Karawatha Forest and aerial rope crossings in other areas, the Toohey Forest project will be the city’s first purpose-built underpass for koalas. With that in mind, advocates are hoping it will also become a research opportunity.

Lambert and others are encouraging council to install motion-sensing cameras at both ends of the underpass to allow researchers, including those from nearby Griffith University, to track how often wildlife use the structure. Currently, there is little available data on how well these types of crossings work in urban areas like Brisbane.

By gathering information from day one, residents hope the project can provide long-term insights and shape future wildlife planning elsewhere in the city.

History, Habitat and Hopes for the Future

Toohey Forest, which borders the suburbs of Tarragindi, Moorooka and Nathan, is now one of the city’s healthiest koala habitats — but that wasn’t always the case. Around 30 years ago, there were no known koalas in the forest. Some carers believe the population may have grown as a result of rescues and relocations from other parts of Brisbane, where habitat loss has been more severe.

The underpass, funded by with a $3-million contribution through the Saving Koalas Fund, will sit just southwest of the Toohey Picnic Area. It will be designed with natural materials like mulch and logs to encourage animal use and will include fencing to guide wildlife away from the road and toward the crossing.

Cr Steve Griffiths said the fencing, along with escape hatches for trapped animals, would allow traffic to continue at normal speeds while improving safety for wildlife. He welcomed the funding and acknowledged residents’ long-standing calls for action.

Council is expected to begin construction sometime between mid-to-late 2025. In the meantime, updates will be shared with residents as the project moves closer to its start date.

Published 14-July-2025

Griffith University Experts in Nathan Cited for Scientific Breakthrough of 2020

The work of a team of archeologists from Griffith University in Nathan was cited as one of the Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2020 in Science Magazine.

Members of the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research (GCSCR) and the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) did extensive research on the world’s oldest known rock art early this year. Their discovery confirmed that Asia, instead of Europe, was the birthplace of modern humans’ very first figurative artwork.

Professors Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm, along with Griffith PhD students Adhi Agus Oktaviana and Basran Burhan, studied cave paintings from 44,000 years ago in Indonesia. The artwork showed humans with spears or ropes and animal figures.

Photo Credit: Griffith University/Facebook

“It represents our species first evidence of storytelling,” Mr Brumm said. “The figurative depiction of hunters as therianthropes may also be the oldest evidence for our ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings, a cornerstone of religious experience.

“This is the first time such a detailed visual narrative or ‘story’ has been identified so early in the vast record of prehistoric cave art worldwide.”

Mr Oktaviana said that the cave paintings have started to peel off at “an astonishing rate” due to age, thus the importance of the study.

“It would be a tragedy if these exceptionally old artworks should disappear in our own lifetime. But it is happening, so we need to understand why this globally significant rock art is deteriorating – and now.”

According to Science Magazine, this discovery from the Griffith University experts “unseats Europe as the first place where modern humans are known to have created figurative art.” It also showed that the human species could “imagine beings that do not exist” during those periods.

This is the second time Griffith University has landed in Science Magazine‘s Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs, following the first recognition in 2014.

“In what has been a very tough year for Griffith it is wonderful to see our researchers making world-class discoveries that are changing our understanding of the human story,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans.

“This is a well-deserved recognition of the bold contributions of our students and academic staff. The work illustrates beautifully the confluence of the arts and sciences and has profound implications for modern understanding of people, human thought and behaviour,” added Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mario Pinto.