Tomakin Beach 24 Hour Dog Off Leash Area

The Tomakin Beach 24 Hour Dog Off Leash Area sits on the Tomaga River side of the headland on the NSW far south coast, where the calm river mouth meets the sea. The draw is simple: this is a river-mouth beach where dogs can run and swim off-leash at any hour, under Eurobodalla Shire Council rules.

Leash status

The 24-hour off-leash designation covers the Tomaga River beach from the Cove beach headland down to the boat ramp, with the off-leash reserve continuing from the boat ramp west towards Connells Close. Dogs must be under effective control throughout, meaning reliable recall on command, and waste goes in the bins provided.

Neighbouring Barlings Beach operates under a timeshare restriction: dogs are allowed in the designated area at any time from 1 May to 31 October, but only before 9am and after 5pm from 1 November to 30 April. Keep your dog on the river foreshore and do not wander onto Barlings during the day in summer months.

Water and terrain

The Tomaga River mouth delivers calm, sheltered water that suits dogs who love to swim without contending with surf, and the estuary edge is often glassy on a good day. Mid to low tide is the sweet spot, opening more sandy running space, while high tide shrinks the dry beach considerably, so check the tide chart if your dog wants room to move.

Max: know the boundary before you let your dog off. The Barlings Beach timeshare rule is easy to stumble into if you drift south along the sand, so keep recall sharp near the headland.

Getting there and parking

Turn off George Bass Drive onto Tomakin Road and follow it to the Kingston Place access near the river mouth and boat ramp. Parking sits close to the sand, with public toilets and water bubblers near the carpark, and The Rivermouth general store and cafe at the end of the strip for supplies. The carpark fills quickly on sunny weekend mornings.

Worth knowing

Nesting shorebirds use this stretch of coastline, so a solid recall matters near any birds on the foreshore and chasing wildlife is not on. An outdoor shower near the access makes the drive home less sandy.

When to go

Early mornings are the quietest and coolest, and the 24-hour designation means dawn and dusk sessions are fair game. Summer days bring holiday crowds to the river mouth, so aim for low tide early starts between Christmas and late January if you want space.

While you're out there

The river walk along the Tomaga foreshore makes a good warm-up, and if you are camping with the dog, Rosedale Caravan Park is a short drive north along the coast. More options are on the New South Wales dog beaches guide and the Tomakin destination page.