Paradise Point Dog beach

This dog beach is the off-leash foreshore at the northern end of the parklands in the northern Gold Coast suburb of the same name, on the Broadwater. It is a sandy spot with shallow, calm water, so dogs can wade and swim close to shore without fighting surf.

The rules

Only the northern foreshore is off-leash, running between the northern platform and The Sovereign Mile bridge. Lead your dog on before you enter and as you leave, keep it under effective voice control, and make sure someone over 17 is supervising. The playground and the human swimming enclosure are off-limits to dogs, and you must clean up after them.

The water

This is sheltered Broadwater rather than open surf, shallow at the edge and calm enough for a cautious swimmer. It is best around low to mid tide; at high tide the sand narrows and the usable area gets tight, so time your visit accordingly.

What's there

A waste-bag dispenser and bins, drinking water taps, shaded picnic tables and seating, with public toilets and BBQs in the wider parklands. There is wheelchair-accessible parking and entry, which makes it workable for visitors with mobility gear and prams alike.

Getting there

Free street parking runs along The Esplanade and the parade beside it, with local bus stops a short walk away. It is an easy drive from Brisbane or the southern Gold Coast, sitting just off the M1 corridor through Helensvale.

Max: this one is about the tide more than the hour. At high water the beach shrinks to a strip, so check the tide chart before you promise your dog a swim.

Watch-outs

Weekend mornings, Sundays especially, get busy, and the narrow high-tide sand can put dogs and strangers close together. Keep your dog clear of the swimming enclosure boundary, and watch the sun on the sand in the middle of the day in summer.

Pair it with

If you want a real ocean beach, The Spit Dog Beach is about 25 minutes south, and Saltwater Fenced Dog Park at Hope Island is the enclosed option with a dog pond for swimmers. Musgrave Offleash Agility Dog Park at Labrador is another off-lead option on the drive down the coast.

Weekday mornings are the quietest window, with the most sand at low to mid tide. More options are on the Queensland dog beaches guide.