Floreat Dog Beach

Floreat Dog Beach is the wide, 24-hour off-leash strip north of the surf club in City Beach, running from Peasholm Street towards the Floreat drain and managed by the Town of Cambridge. Sandy, spacious and popular, it is one of the easiest off-leash runs in Perth's western suburbs, reached via a dune path off Chipping Road.

The rules

The beach itself is off-leash around the clock, every day, but dogs must be leashed in the car park, on the dune access path and on surrounding footpaths. Your dog must stay in sight and under voice control, and you must carry a leash at all times so you can restrain it when needed.

Dogs are not allowed to chase or harass other beachgoers, children, wildlife or other dogs, and they must be kept strictly off the main patrolled swimming areas of City Beach and Floreat Beach. Carry bags and use the bins, as rangers do fine for uncollected waste.

The water

This is open west coast surf with a decent shore break, so pick your spot before letting a keen swimmer in. The sand narrows at high tide, so low tide gives dogs more room to run along the wide flat strip.

What's there

The car park off Chipping Road has roughly 40 free bays and is floodlit, so early morning and evening visits are manageable. It is about a 300 metre walk down through the dunes to the sand.

There is no direct shower or bin block at the dog beach itself; the nearest toilets and showers are back at the main Floreat Beach kiosk area, a short walk south. Bring your own water.

Max: watch your dog around the drain and pipe structures at the northern end. They are not fenced off and the footing can be uneven.

Getting there

Drive in via West Coast Highway or Chipping Road and park at the top of the dunes. Transperth buses run along West Coast Highway, but you will still need to walk in through the dunes from the closest stop, so a car is the easier option.

Watch-outs

Keep dogs clear of the main patrolled swimming areas of City Beach and Floreat Beach, and away from the drain structures at the northern end. The beach draws a busy, sociable pack, so it suits confident dogs more than nervous ones.

When to go

Weekday mornings or late afternoons are quietest; Saturday and Sunday mornings between 8am and 11am draw the biggest crowds. For food afterward, Hamptons City Beach welcomes dogs on its outdoor area on Challenger Parade, and the Perry Lakes Dog Exercise Area is an inland option nearby.

More sand is on the Western Australia beach guide and the City Beach destination page.