Dog walking areas

Council has several designated areas for on-leash and off-leash dog walking and each area has signs to indicate this. Some of our on-leash areas have designated off-leash sections within them, and signage must strictly be adhered to. Detailed information about our off-leash areas can be found in the table below.

The following rules apply in our approved off-leash areas:

Dogs must be supervised and under effective control at all times
Dogs must not harass people or other animals. Any dog displaying aggression or anti-social behaviour must be removed from the dog off-leash area immediately
Dog owners are responsible for acknowledging appropriate signage, including time limits in off-leash areas
Dog waste is to be disposed of in the bin/s provided
Dogs must be on a leash when entering and exiting off-leash areas

These rules are in place to ensure the safety and enjoyment of off-leash parks for everyone. Council Rangers regularly patrol these areas and may issue fines for breaches.

Additional guidelines:

Always be ready and equipped to put your dog back on a leash at any point
Establish good behaviours first; untrained dogs are best kept on a leash
Know your dog’s temperament; if issues have occurred in the past, then maybe it's time to make the call and keep your dog on its leash. Off-leash dog walking is not for every dog. Instead, make use of one of our many on-leash walking areas.

Dog litter bag dispensers are available at all off-leash parks, however we recommend always carrying dog bags with you when you're walking your dog, to ensure you don't get caught out. The penalty for not picking up after your dog may exceed $275. Find out more about your responsibility as a dog owner.

All day off-leash

	Varna Park Varna St, Waverley The eastern end of the park is a designated off-leash area. An open area, surrounded by seating,trees and plenty of shade. The playground at the western end of the park is a popular play spot for children, so it's important that dog walkers have effective control of their dogs at all times. No dogs allowed near playground Map of Varna Park
	Raleigh Reserve Raleigh St, Dover Heights A long stretch across the reserve which runs along the cliff walk and provides scenic ocean views. Seating available throughout the reserve. Dogs need to be on-leash prior to entering the reserve, including Rodney Reserve at the northern end, and avoid the sports field when marked out. Map of Raleigh Reserve
	Diamond Bay Reserve Craig Ave, Vaucluse A spectacular setting, Diamond Bay Reserve has a 24 hour off-leash dog exercise area. Dogs are to remain on-leash for the remainder of the cliff walk. Limited shade available. Map of Diamond Bay Reserve
	Dickson Park Wellington St, Bondi The top section of the park is a 24 hour dog exercise area. However, dog walkers need to avoid the sports areas when sports are being played. No dogs allowed near playground. Council is currently working on some park improvements and expect the site will be updated over the coming months. This will include better surfacing. Map of Dickson Park
	Hugh Bamford Reserve Military Rd, Dover Heights The area west of the car park at Hugh Bamford Reserve is available to exercise dogs off-leash. Parking is free, and the area is ideal for small dogs. The site also provides great ocean views. Council asks that dogs do not run on the sports fields, which is used by community groups throughout the year. Map of Hugh Bamford Reserve
	Waverley Park Bondi Rd, Bondi Junction The top section of Waverley Park provides fantastic views and an open area to allow dogs to exercise off-leash. The area can be accessed via the staircase behind the playground, or up the hill on the south west corner. Seating available. Dogs must remain on-leash in all other areas of the park. Dogs can't go: on the sports fields near the children's playground near the BBQs in the Memorial Gardens. Map of Waverley Park
	Queens Park (Managed by Centennial Parklands) Huge flat area, popular amongst the community for dog walking at all hours. Plenty of shade amongst surrounding trees. Dogs not allowed on or near sports fields while in use. Dogs must also avoid the children's playground area. Map of Centennial Parklands

Timed dog off-leash areas

	Marks Park Fletcher St, Tamarama Flat grassy area with good views north over Bondi Bay, south towards Coogee and east. Seating and shaded area available. Children's playground on site, so dog owners must ensure dogs avoid this area. Dogs off leash allowed between 4.30pm and 8.30am daily. Dog off-leash arrangements suspended during Sculptures by the Sea period (approx. mid October - mid November annually). Map of Marks Park
	Bronte Park Bronte Rd, Bronte Bronte Gully allows a great corridor for dog owners to exercise their dogs. A beautiful setting, dogs are allowed off-leash between 3pm and 10am daily. Dogs must be on-leash in all other areas of the park and gully. Dogs can't go: near Bronte ocean pool on the beach within 10 metres of the children's playground near the BBQs. Map of Bronte Park

The following are dog prohibited areas in keeping with the NSW Companion Animal Act (unless signposted otherwise):

Beaches and pools (including beach pools).
Sport and recreation areas, such as sports fields, memorial parks, ovals, pitches and courts (subject to Council determination and signage).
School grounds.
Childcare centres.
Within 10 metres of any children’s play areas
Shopping complexes
Bushcare sites
Wildlife protection areas (subject to Council determination and signage).
Food preparation and consumption areas, such as public barbeque facilities, although there are some exemptions to this as detailed below -

dogs must be a minimum of 10 metres from any area where food is prepared or consumed unless the food is being consumed in an outdoor dining area. In this case, a dog is permitted to be in the area as long as it is leashed, on the ground, and is not fed by the owner. If the outdoor dining area is within an off-leash dog park, the dog is permitted to be unleashed, fed, and sit on the owner's lap as long as they do not make contact with any utensils or the table and chairs.

Please respect these restrictions they are in place for the safety and enjoyment of the whole community.

A person with a disability is entitled to be accompanied by an accredited assistance animal into or onto any building or place open to the public, including public transport.