Dog-Friendly Beaches in Sydney: Off-Leash Spots and Times by Area

Quick answer: most of Sydney's big surf beaches don't allow dogs, but there are good off-leash dog beaches on the harbour, Botany Bay and Pittwater. All-day options include Rose Bay Foreshore, Silver Beach at Kurnell, Lady Robinson Beach at Kyeemagh, Rowland Reserve at Bayview and Manly Lagoon. Greenhills Beach at Cronulla is the only ocean-facing dog beach, with set hours. Times change, so always check the council's page and the signs on the day.

The hours below are as published by Destination NSW on Sydney.com. Councils set and change the rules, so treat this as your shortlist and confirm before you drive.

Eastern Suburbs (Woollahra Council)

Rose Bay Foreshore, Rose Bay

An all-day off-leash area with a sandy stretch and calm, shallow harbour water. Great for inner-city dogs who are new to swimming.

Dumaresq Reserve, Rose Bay

Grass plus tidal sand at low tide, with harbour views. Off-leash before 8:30am and after 4:30pm; on-leash at other times.

Lower North Shore (Mosman Council)

Sirius Cove, Mosman

A sheltered cove just west of Taronga Zoo, with shallow water, shade and a big grassy area. Off-leash all day on weekdays; before 9am and after 4pm on weekends and public holidays.

Northern Beaches

Rowland Reserve, Bayview

A large grassy reserve and sandy Pittwater shoreline, off-leash all day.

Manly Lagoon, Manly

Just inland from Manly Beach, with calm, shallow lagoon water and off-leash access around the clock.

Flora and Ritchie Roberts Reserve, Curl Curl

A grassy reserve on Curl Curl Lagoon, off-leash all year.

For more Northern Beaches spots, including Sandy Bay, Clontarf and the Mona Vale dog area, see our Northern Beaches dog beach guide.

Botany Bay and the south

Lady Robinson Beach, Kyeemagh (Bayside Council)

A 24/7 off-leash area at the northern end of the beach, about 150m from the netted swimming enclosure, with flat water and parking nearby.

Silver Beach, Kurnell (Sutherland Shire)

Off-leash all day, but only between the third and fourth jetties at the western end, in front of the Bonna Point Reserve car park.

Greenhills Beach, Cronulla (Sutherland Shire)

Sydney's only ocean-facing dog beach, about 3km long. Off-leash before 10am and after 4pm during daylight saving, and before 10am and after 3pm outside daylight saving. Outside those hours, dogs aren't allowed on the beach at all.

Horderns Beach, Bundeena (Sutherland Shire)

From May to August, dogs can use the beach at any time. From September to April, dogs are allowed off-leash on weekdays only, before 8:30am and after 4:30pm, and must be on-leash at other weekday times. No dogs on weekends from September to April.

Which Sydney dog beach suits your dog?

Your dog	Try	Why
Nervous or new swimmer	Rose Bay Foreshore, Sirius Cove, Manly Lagoon	Calm, shallow water
High-energy runner	Greenhills Beach	3km of ocean beach, within set hours
Midday visit	Rose Bay Foreshore, Silver Beach, Kyeemagh, Rowland Reserve	All-day off-leash
Weekend trip south	Greenhills (within hours)	Horderns Beach is closed to dogs on Sep–Apr weekends

Before you go: a quick beach safety checklist

Check the council page and signs — hours change with seasons and reviews.
Bring fresh water; drinking seawater can make dogs sick. See is salt water bad for dogs?
Scan the sand for washed-up fish. Pufferfish are toxic to dogs — see pufferfish poisoning in dogs.
Re-check collar fit after a swim; wet fur makes collars looser. See why dogs slip their collars at the beach.
Practise recall before letting your dog off somewhere new. See teaching recall at the beach.
Know what to do if they run. See my dog went missing at the beach.

FAQs

Is there an ocean beach in Sydney where dogs can go off-leash?

Greenhills Beach at Cronulla, within set morning and afternoon hours. Most other ocean beaches prohibit dogs.

Are dogs allowed on Bondi or Manly Beach?

Not on the main surf beaches. Rose Bay is the closest harbour option to the east, and Manly Lagoon is next to Manly Beach.

Which Sydney dog beaches are off-leash all day?

Rose Bay Foreshore, Silver Beach (between the third and fourth jetties), Lady Robinson Beach at Kyeemagh, Rowland Reserve and Manly Lagoon, according to Destination NSW. Confirm with the council before you go.

Our groodle Indie once went missing at Freshwater Beach and was found sitting by our car. Now an AirTag goes on the collar for every beach walk. The Pawfetchers waterproof AirTag holder is rated waterproof to 1 metre for 30 minutes, so it can stay on for swims. Busy beaches are full of iPhones, which is where AirTag works best. AirTag sold separately.