beach ✓ Dogs welcome, verified on Google Off-leash

Half Moon Bay Beach Off Leash Area

Dog-friendly beach in Black Rock, VIC — off-leash area

4.8 (55) Open in Google Maps

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The rules at a glance

Off-leash allowed

Verified dog-friendly on Google

Open 24 hours

Black Rock, VIC 3193

Council / official page

Rules verified 9 June 2026

Dogs: Welcome
Where: Black Rock, VIC
Policy checked: 2026-06-09

What visitors mention

cliffsgentle wavespeaceful vibesoft sandswimmingbeachsunsetgood views

A crescent of soft sand tucked below the Black Rock cliffs, Half Moon Bay is one of the calmer off-leash swims on the bay, with the wreck of HMVS Cerberus sitting just offshore. The defining fact: the off-leash zone runs all winter, but summer locks dogs out through the middle of the day, so timing is everything.

The rules. From 1 April to 31 October, dogs are off-leash at any hour under effective voice control. From 1 November to 31 March the beach is closed to dogs 10:00am to 7:30pm, off-leash sunrise to 10:00am, and on-leash 7:30pm to sunrise. The off-leash area covers the main swimming stretch; check the on-site Bayside Council signage, as seasonal times can change.

The water and terrain. Gentle waves and clear water make this an easy swim for most dogs. The bay is compact at roughly 350 metres and narrow, so a lower tide gives you far more room to run; high tide shrinks the sand considerably. Natural rocky sections sit at the edges.

What's there. Public toilets, a water tap, and a jetty popular with anglers. Up on the bluffs there's a picnic area with a playground and BBQs.

Getting there. The beach is off Cerberus Way, reached via Beach Road. Ticketed parking applies on Cerberus Way, roughly 8:00am to 8:00pm including public holidays, and it fills on warm weekends. Sandringham Station is the nearest train, with buses running along Beach Road and Bluff Road.

Watch-outs. The Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary sits nearby along the coast; keep dogs out of the protected rock pools and off any marked conservation areas.

Pepsi's takegolden retriever

The calm water here is perfect for a nervous first-timer, just come early in summer before the 10am cut-off and you'll have the sand to yourself.

When to go. Winter weekday mornings are the quietest and give you all-day off-leash access. In summer, a sunrise-to-10am window at low tide is the sweet spot. Good for gentle swimmers and social dogs.