Redhead dog beach entrance and car park

The dog beach at the southern end of Redhead is a 700-metre run of open coast, off-leash 24 hours a day for the stretch south of Second Creek. The Cain Street car park drops you almost onto the sand, and at low tide you get a wide apron of hard-packed sand for proper running and ocean swims.

The rules. Off-leash applies to the beach south of Second Creek only, around the clock. Dogs are banned from the main patrolled beach north of Second Creek and from the section between First and Second Creek. Keep your dog on lead through the dunes, Webb Park and the Cain Street Reserve until you reach the off-leash sand. Pick up after your dog, rangers patrol and fines apply.

The water and sand. This is open surf, not a sheltered bay, so read the swell before you let a keen swimmer in. Low tide is the time to come: it opens up a broad, firm running strip. At high tide the water pushes up to the dunes and the usable sand shrinks right back.

What's there. The Cain Street car park is sealed and sits right by the beach track, with public toilets, showers and picnic spots near the main reserve. There is no freshwater tap on the beach itself, so carry your own water and a bowl. A kiosk near the main reserve handles coffee and snacks.

Getting there. From Newcastle it is roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive via Kahibah and Redhead Road or Kalaroo Road; Cain Street turns directly off the local streets. The car park is large but fills fast on sunny weekend mornings and public holidays, so aim to arrive before 8:30am. Bus route 48 runs from Newcastle and Charlestown to Redhead, leaving a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the beach.

Nearby with the dogs. Cargo Espresso Bar sits right at the beach beneath the Redhead Surf Life Saving Club (1C Beach Road) and takes leashed dogs at its outdoor tables. Redhead Industrial Takeaway and Cafe on Kalaroo Road has a well-liked dog-friendly outdoor area for a post-swim feed.

Come at low tide on a weekday morning for the most room and the fewest dogs. Good for big runners and confident ocean swimmers; nervous or small dogs will do better on a calm, low-tide day.

Sources

• Off-leash areas - Lake Macquarie City Council · lakemac.com.au
• Pet Friendly Places - Visit Lake Macquarie · visitlakemac.com.au
• Dog-Friendly Beaches In and Around Newcastle, NSW · travelnuity.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.