Peasholm Dog Beach

Peasholm Dog Beach is a 24/7, year-round off-leash beach on the Scarborough-Floreat coast, run by the City of Stirling between Peasholm Street and the Floreat Drain. It is the wide, open, surf-side dog beach northern-suburbs owners drive to: a long stretch of sand for running and swimming, backed by a floodlit car park and a dog wash at the top of the dune track.

Leash status

Dogs are off-leash within the marked zone between Peasholm Street and the Floreat Drain and must stay under effective voice control, with a lead carried at all times. They are not permitted in the car park beyond the access path, on the dunes outside the marked track, or in the surrounding coastal reserve, so keep to the beach itself and clean up as you go. Stay inside the boundary signage; the rest of the Scarborough foreshore is on-leash or no-dogs.

Pepsi: low tide is the move here, all that firm sand to sprint on, then a rinse at the dog wash before you get back in the car.

Water and terrain

This is open surf, so conditions follow the swell rather than a tide chart alone. It is best at low tide, when the widest run of firm sand is exposed; a high tide narrows the usable strip. The shorebreak suits confident swimmers, but currents can pull further out, so keep a strong-swimming dog within sight. Bluebottles wash up after onshore winds, and the exposed sand gets hot in summer, so test it with your hand and aim for early morning or evening.

Getting there and parking

Turn off West Coast Highway at Peasholm Street, Scarborough; the free floodlit car park of around 40 bays sits at the western end, with a dune track of roughly 300 metres down to the sand. Transperth buses run along West Coast Highway near Peasholm Street, leaving a short walk to the beach. The car park fills fast on summer weekends, so come early or late.

Worth knowing

Facilities are better than most dog beaches: public toilets, an outdoor shower, a dog wash for rinsing off after a swim, and drinking fountains with dog bowls near the entrance. The car park lighting makes early-evening visits practical through the cooler months. Keep dogs off the vegetated dunes, which are a protected zone.

When to go

Weekday mornings and late afternoons are the calmest windows, while Saturday and Sunday mornings bring the busy social rush. Aim for a falling tide and out of the midday heat. This is a good pick for big runners and water-loving swimmers; nervous dogs tend to do better on a quiet weekday.

While you're out there

Lady Latte and The Porch Cafe are easy dog-friendly coffee stops a few minutes inland, and Drift Kitchen has a shaded outdoor courtyard for brunch. On a high-tide day, the Abbett Park Reserve fenced dog park gives you a secure run instead, and the Trigg dog beach is the next off-leash stretch up the coast.

More options are on the Western Australia dog beaches guide and the Scarborough destination page.