Cabbage Tree Creek is a tidal waterway in the northern Brisbane suburb of Shorncliffe, Queensland, offering a sheltered paddle through mangroves and residential shoreline. The creek extends approximately 5.6 kilometres before becoming choked with vegetation just past the Gateway Motorway underpass, making the total out-and-back distance around 15 kilometres from the primary launch point.

The standard put-in is the Shorncliffe Public Boat Ramp on Sinbad Street, located roughly 30 minutes north of Brisbane's CBD. Parking is ample but can fill during peak periods due to shared use by motorised boaties. An alternative starting point is Brownsea Water Activities Centre at 89 Allpass Parade, used by scout groups for shorter paddles of around 2 kilometres each way to Curlew Park, or 4.4 kilometres each way to the train line.

Because the creek is tidal and the main route heads upstream, timing the paddle within two to three hours either side of an incoming high tide is important. Sections can bottom out at low tide. The paddle can be undertaken year-round, though mornings or afternoons are preferable given limited shade during midday hours. Low-wind conditions are recommended.

The route passes under several bridge underpasses, including a road bridge, a railway bridge, and a cycleway underpass at Sandgate Road. Trains typically pass on the quarter-past and quarter-to the hour. About two-thirds of the way along, the mangrove-lined channel opens into a noticeably wider body of water. The creek is generally wide and protected from wind for most of its length, though the approach to the boat ramp can be more exposed.

Water quality is a notable concern. E. coli counts are reported as high, attributed to urban runoff from the Chermside catchment and a sewerage outlet along the route. Deliberate swimming or capsizing is discouraged for this reason, and paddlers are advised to wash hands before eating. Rubbish and debris, including trolleys and other dumped items, have been documented particularly near the Gateway Motorway bridge. Traffic noise increases noticeably closer to the highway.

Bull sharks have been reported in the creek by local fishermen, and at least one paddler has noted being bumped by an unidentified underwater animal. Target fish species for those combining paddling with fishing include flathead and bream.