South Beach Dog Off Leash Area

The South Beach dog off-leash area is a flat, sandy stretch on Marine Terrace in South Fremantle with calm, shallow water and a strip of grass behind it. It is one of the most established dog beaches in Perth, and the gentle water suits dogs of any swimming ability, from puppies to committed non-swimmers.

The dog setup

Under the City of Fremantle's dog exercise policy, the off-leash zone covers the beach and reserve between the southern boundaries of Scott Street and Douro Road, running down towards the South Beach groyne. It applies around the clock, with no time-restricted bans on the exercise zone.

The adjacent car parks and footpaths are strictly on-leash, so keep the lead on until you are on the designated sand. Dogs are banned from children's playgrounds and their buffers, every dog needs a collar and current registration, and bag dispensers and bins are maintained nearby. Carry a leash even off-lead: effective control is the council requirement.

The water and the sand

The water stays calm at any tide, sheltered from the bigger Indian Ocean swell, which is the whole reason the nervous-swimmer crowd keeps coming back. Behind the beach there is lawn for fetch, outdoor showers to rinse off, public toilets and picnic space. The crowd swells on weekend mornings and around late afternoon, when the sunset crowd arrives.

Pepsi: late afternoon is the play here, an easy swim and then the sunset the South Freo locals time their whole visit around.

Getting there and parking

The beach sits on Marine Terrace in South Fremantle, walkable from central Freo or a short bus ride from Fremantle Station. Parking is close by but fills quickly on weekends, so earlier is easier. It is a busy, sociable beach rather than a quiet one, with a regular local crew most days.

Close by with the dogs

Head north to the Leighton Beach dog exercise area for a wider run, or let the groyne walk stretch legs at the South Beach groyne. Post-swim coffee is easy: South Beach Cafe sits right by the sand and Third Wheel Cafe is a short walk inland.

More options are on the WA dog beach guide and the South Fremantle destination page.