Grants up to $2 million support Queensland councils to plan, design and deliver safe active transport infrastructure, improving walking and cycling connectivity across communities statewide.
On this page you will find
What is the Queensland Active Transport Grants (QATG)?
The Active Transport Grants Program supports Queensland councils to plan, design and construct high-quality, safe active transport infrastructure on local transport networks.
For the purposes of the program, active transport primarily means walking and bike riding.
The program is administered by the Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads and aims to help deliver connected, sustainable and inclusive communities across Queensland.
Funding is available through two streams:
- Stream 1 – Project Development and Readiness: supports feasibility, planning and development work required to make proposed active transport projects delivery-ready.
- Stream 2 – Project Delivery: supports construction-only and design-and-construction projects for new or upgraded active transport infrastructure.
Queensland Active Transport Grants level of support
A total of $15 million is available for the 2027–28 funding round.
Funding Amount
Stream 1 – Project Development and Readiness
- Minimum grant: No minimum grant amount is specified in the guidelines
- Maximum grant: $75,000
- Councils may submit up to two Stream 1 applications
- Maximum total Stream 1 funding requested by one council: $150,000
Stream 2 – Project Delivery
- Minimum grant: No minimum grant amount is specified in the guidelines
- Maximum grant: $2 million
- Councils may submit up to two Stream 2 applications
- Maximum total Stream 2 funding requested by one council: $4 million
Across both streams, an applicant may submit a maximum of four applications — up to two applications per stream.
Co-contribution
Yes. A co-contribution is generally required.
For most councils:
- The program can fund up to 50% of eligible project costs
- The applicant must contribute at least 50% of eligible project costs in cash
For eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils and councils classified as Very Remote:
- The program can fund up to 75% of eligible project costs
- The council must contribute at least 25% in cash
Other conditions include:
- For most councils, the required contribution cannot be funded from another Queensland Government funding program
- Contributions may come from a non-Queensland Government source, including an Australian Government funding program
- Eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Very Remote councils may use funding from other Queensland Government programs, subject to the rules of those programs
- In-kind contributions cannot count towards the required contribution
- All funding sources must be identified in the application.
Queensland Active Transport Grants important dates
- Applications close: 30 November 2026
- Application outcomes: Estimated March 2027
- Projects expected to commence: Between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2028
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
The department notes that program timeframes may change and updates will be provided directly to councils and published on the program webpage.
Queensland Active Transport Grants objectives
The program aims to support Queensland councils to plan, design and construct active transport infrastructure aligned with Principal Routes in a Queensland Principal Cycle Network and/or a Walking Network Plan.
Projects should:
- Improve active transport connectivity within, to and from, and between communities
- Provide safe, attractive, direct and continuous walking and cycling connections
- Connect more people walking and riding bikes with key destinations
- Address areas of high or growing active transport demand
- Improve access to schools and educational facilities
- Improve access to universities, TAFEs and training facilities
- Improve connections to hospitals and medical centres
- Improve connections to public transport stops and stations
- Improve connections to tourism attractions and precincts
- Improve connections to Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games transport hubs and supporting facilities
- Deliver infrastructure that is fit-for-purpose for its location, demand and expected users
- Demonstrate project readiness
- Represent value for money.
Projects and expenditure eligible for Queensland Active Transport Grants support
Eligible projects must deliver outcomes for people walking and/or riding bikes.
Projects must generally be located on:
- A Principal Route identified in an endorsed Queensland Principal Cycle Network
- A route identified in an endorsed Walking Network Plan
- An approved alternative alignment that delivers the same strategic network outcome.
Where a project forms part of a broader program of works:
- The specific portion seeking funding must be clearly defined
- The funded component must be a discrete and stand-alone project
- The project must have clearly defined active transport outcomes and benefits
- The project must not rely on future stages, related projects or additional funding to achieve its intended outcomes.
Stream 1 – Project Development and Readiness
Eligible activities may include:
- Feasibility studies
- Options analysis
- Site investigations
- Concept design
- Stakeholder engagement
- Community engagement
- Planning approvals
- Other development activities required to progress a project to delivery-ready status.
Stream 2 – Project Delivery
Stream 2 supports:
- Design and construction projects
- Construction-only projects
- New active transport infrastructure
- Upgrades to existing active transport infrastructure
- Projects across multiple locations where the combined works deliver a defined active transport network outcome.
Infrastructure may include:
- Cycle tracks
- Bicycle lanes
- Bicycle paths
- Shared paths
- Safe crossings
- Bicycle parking where part of a larger project
- End-of-trip facilities where part of a larger project
- Signage where part of a larger project
- Lighting where part of a larger project
- Wayfinding where part of a larger project
- Shade and landscaping where part of a larger project.
Ineligible projects and expenditure
The following are not eligible:
- Projects that have already commenced
- Projects reliant on other planned or future works to achieve their intended outcomes
- Bicycle Awareness Zone treatments, except where permitted under the program’s Technical Guidance
- Local network transport strategies or plans
- Land acquisition, except where it forms part of project construction
- General road upgrades
- Other upgrades that are not related to active transport.
Complementary infrastructure such as bicycle parking, end-of-trip facilities, signage, lighting, wayfinding, shade and landscaping is not eligible as a standalone project and must form part of a larger eligible project.
Other Queensland Active Transport Grants important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Queensland Active Transport Grants support
To be eligible, an applicant must:
- Be a Queensland local government listed in the Local Government Directory
- Submit a completed application by the published closing date unless an extension has been approved
- Provide all information and supporting documentation required by the application form and guidelines
- Demonstrate that the proposed project meets the program’s project eligibility requirements.
Applications that do not satisfy all eligibility requirements will not progress to further assessment.
Queensland Active Transport Grants assessment criteria
The Active Transport Grants Program is competitive.
Eligible applications will be assessed, scored and ranked using a Multi-Criteria Analysis process.
The main guidelines provided do not specify percentage weightings for the criteria. They identify the following assessment areas:
1. Connectivity and Demand
Applicants should demonstrate:
- How the project improves walking and/or bike-riding access
- How the project connects users with key destinations
- Evidence of existing or expected user demand
- How the project will increase active transport connectivity
Priority destinations may include:
- Schools
- Universities, TAFEs and training facilities
- Public transport stations and stops
- Hospitals and medical centres
- Tourism attractions and precincts
- Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games transport hubs and supporting facilities.
2. Network Priority
Applicants should demonstrate:
- How the project contributes to a Principal Route identified in a Principal Cycle Network Plan
- How the project contributes to a Walking Network Plan
- Where an alternative route is proposed, evidence that it provides an appropriate strategic network outcome.
3. Safety and Suitability
Applicants should demonstrate:
- That the infrastructure is fit-for-purpose
- That the design suits the project location
- That expected demand has been considered
- That expected user types have been considered
- How the project will improve safety
- How the project will make walking and bike riding more attractive.
4. Deliverability
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Appropriate project readiness
- A realistic scope
- An achievable delivery approach
- Appropriate supporting evidence
- Value for money relative to project scope and complexity
- Expected active transport network outcomes.
The department will also consider the following when prioritising applications:
- Available program funding
- Geographic spread of applications
- The council’s track record in delivering current and previous program projects
- The number of current program projects already being delivered by the council
- Project dependencies
- Overall deliverability
- Community consultation
- Other relevant information contained in the application.
Following assessment, the department will recommend projects to the Minister or delegate, taking the available program budget into account. The Minister or delegate makes the final funding decision.
How do I get the Queensland Active Transport Grants support?
To put forward a competitive application, applicants should demonstrate:
- Their organisation satisfies all applicant eligibility requirements
- Their proposed project meets the relevant project eligibility requirements
- The project delivers clear benefits for people walking and/or riding bikes
- The project addresses an identified active transport network priority
- The project improves connectivity to important destinations
- There is evidence of current or expected user demand
- The proposed infrastructure is safe and fit-for-purpose
- The project aligns with an endorsed Principal Cycle Network, Walking Network Plan or approved alternative alignment
- The project is sufficiently developed for the funding stream being sought
- Project scope, costs and timeframes are realistic
- Risks, constraints, contingency and escalation have been appropriately considered
- The applicant can deliver the project within the required timeframe
- Appropriate community and stakeholder engagement has occurred or is planned
- The project represents value for money
- All required supporting evidence and documentation is available
- The council has the required cash co-contribution available
- The project can proceed as a stand-alone initiative without relying on unfunded future works.
Information to prepare for the Queensland Active Transport Grants support
Applicants should prepare relevant supporting information, which may include:
- Completed application form
- Project description and scope
- Project location information
- Location maps
- Details of surrounding land uses
- Information on key destinations and trip attractors
- Site photographs or video evidence
- Details of physical constraints
- Concept, preliminary or detailed designs, where required
- Evidence of compliance with relevant design standards
- Project-specific cost estimates
- Funding sources and co-contribution details
- Contingency and escalation allowances where applicable
- Project works schedule
- Proposed commencement and completion dates
- Community and stakeholder engagement information
- Evidence of community support where required
- Supporting information demonstrating connectivity and demand
- Evidence of alignment with the Queensland Principal Cycle Network or Walking Network Plan
- Relevant approvals or information about planned approvals
- Other project readiness documentation required for the relevant stream.
Applying for the Queensland Active Transport Grants support
The application form is provided directly to council contacts and is also available through the program webpage.
Applications must be lodged by email to: ActiveTransportGrantsProgram@tmr.qld.gov.au.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Queensland Active Transport Grants resources
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