Dog Friendly Beaches Australia: Off-Leash Areas by State
Most beaches in Australia have restrictions on dogs, especially during summer and in patrolled areas. The rules vary by council and by time of day, so "dog friendly" can mean anything from fully off-leash year-round to on-leash before 8am only. This guide covers the beaches on BeachCheck that have confirmed off-leash areas, organised by state.
Always check current local council rules before you go. Restrictions change and some beaches have seasonal time limits (often 9am-5pm restrictions in summer months).
Queensland
Marcus Beach (Sunshine Coast)
Marcus Beach is a quieter beach between Noosa and Peregian on the Sunshine Coast. It's off-leash and tends to be less busy than the main Noosa beaches, which makes it a better option if your dog is social but you don't want crowds. The beach is long and flat, and the access is easy via Eumundi-Noosa Road.
Doggy Beach (Sunshine Coast)
Doggy Beach is what it sounds like. Located at Peregian Beach on the Sunshine Coast, it's a designated off-leash section of beach. Consistently popular with locals who have dogs. Check Noosa Council's current rules on seasonal time restrictions.
Holloways Beach (Cairns)
Holloways Beach is a suburban beach north of Cairns city. The beach itself is a calm, estuarine stretch rather than an open ocean beach. Dogs are allowed off-leash here, and it sees a regular local dog-walking crowd. Note that swimming in this part of Far North Queensland requires caution regarding marine stingers and crocodile risk depending on conditions.
Lillson Beach (Gold Coast)
Lillson Beach is a Gold Coast beach with off-leash access. It's less well-known than the main Gold Coast strips, which means it's generally less crowded. Worth knowing if you're staying on the Gold Coast with a dog and the main beaches have restricted hours.
Sandgate-Brighton Foreshore (Brisbane)
Sandgate-Brighton Foreshore is on Moreton Bay, north of Brisbane. The bay beaches here are calm (no surf, sheltered water) and the foreshore is a long flat area popular with local dog walkers. Off-leash access makes this one of Brisbane's better dog beach options. It's about 25 kilometres from the CBD via the Bruce Highway or train to Sandgate station.
New South Wales
Budgewoi Beach (Central Coast)
Budgewoi Beach is on the Central Coast, near Toukley. It's a lake-adjacent beach on Lake Macquarie rather than an ocean beach, which means calm water and a different environment from the surf beaches. Off-leash sections are available. Good option if you're travelling up the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Newcastle.
Murrays Beach (Coffs Harbour)
Murrays Beach is near Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast. Off-leash access here gives you a north coast beach option that's less built-up than the main Coffs beaches. Worth factoring in if you're travelling north on the Pacific Highway with a dog.
Victoria
Bells Beach
Bells Beach is one of Australia's most well-known surf breaks, but it also allows dogs off-leash. The beach is at the base of a steep cliff and the access is via a long staircase, so it's not the easiest beach to get a dog to, but once you're down there it's uncrowded and dramatic. Check seasonal restrictions with Surf Coast Shire Council.
Mordialloc Beach
Mordialloc Beach is in Melbourne's southeastern suburbs, on Port Phillip Bay. The bay beaches here are calm, which makes them easy for dogs who aren't confident swimmers. Off-leash sections exist along the foreshore. The Mordialloc train station is walkable from the beach if you're coming by public transport.
Half Moon Bay Beach
Half Moon Bay Beach is in Black Rock, another Port Phillip Bay beach in Melbourne's southeast. It's known for the wreck of the HMVS Cerberus, a 19th-century warship that sits partially submerged just offshore and is visible from the beach. Dogs are allowed off-leash here. The beach is a sheltered bay with a rock and sand mix. Good option for a dog walk with something interesting to look at.
Western Australia
Trigg Dog Beach (Perth)
Trigg Dog Beach is one of Perth's most popular off-leash ocean beaches, located in Trigg on the northern suburbs strip. It's a proper ocean beach with Indian Ocean waves, not a bay beach, so your dog gets the full experience. The area is popular on weekend mornings. Access from West Coast Drive.
Peasholm Dog Beach (Perth)
Peasholm Dog Beach is at Scarborough, adjacent to the main Scarborough Beach. Off-leash and well-used by the local dog community. If you're at Scarborough for the surf and have a dog, this is the section to use. It's clearly signed and the boundary between the dog beach and the main patrolled beach is marked.
South Australia
Youngs Beach
Youngs Beach is an SA beach with off-leash access. Check Alexandrina Council's current rules on timing and seasonal restrictions, as Gulf St Vincent beaches sometimes have time-based restrictions in summer.
General Tips for Dog Beaches
Check timing restrictions: Many beaches restrict dogs to before 9am and after 5pm during summer. The off-leash designation doesn't always mean 24-hour off-leash.
Bring water: Beach sand gets hot, dogs dehydrate quickly, and not all beach access points have taps nearby.
Rinse your dog: Salt and sand can irritate skin and coat with repeated beach trips. Most beachside car parks don't have hose-down facilities but some do.
Stingers and jellyfish: After storms, jellyfish wash up on beaches across the east coast. Dogs will often try to eat or roll on them. Watch where your dog goes.
Off-leash vs on-leash sections: Some beaches have separate off-leash and on-leash zones at the same location. The off-leash area is usually marked and may be a specific section of the beach rather than the whole thing.
For the full list of dog-friendly beaches on BeachCheck, filter by "dog friendly" in the beach directory. The database covers beaches across all states with facility and access information.