Toogoom 08 Beach Access

Toogoom 08 is the foreshore access via the pathway between 54 and 56 Shellcot Street, and it marks the start of the suburb's 24-hour off-leash beach running through to Ries Road. The stretch is wide and flat, and at low tide the water pulls back far enough to leave hundreds of metres of firm sand, shallow pools and soldier crabs for the dogs to hunt.

Leash status

Under Fraser Coast Regional Council's rules, the beach from this Shellcot Street pathway through to Ries Road is off-leash around the clock, with dogs under effective control and responding to recall the whole time. The rules change along the same foreshore: the stretch between the Lorikeet Avenue pathway and the pathway between 76 and 78 Kingfisher Parade runs to timed hours, off-leash 3pm to 8am and on-leash during the day, and any beach outside the marked zones is leash-only. Read the signage at the access point before you unsnap the lead, because the boundaries are not obvious from the sand.

Keep your dog leashed on Shellcot Street itself and on the sandy path down from the road. Council requires dogs to be registered and asks you to carry bags and pick up immediately; there is a waste bin at the pathway entrance.

Water and terrain

This is a tidal flat beach rather than a surf beach. Mid to low tide opens up the long firm-sand run that makes Toogoom worth the trip, and the shallows suit paddlers and small dogs. The tide comes back in quickly across the flats, so watch it and do not let your dog range out onto the sandbanks as the water rises. There is no water station here, so bring your own.

Max: time the tide, not the clock. An hour either side of low tide gives you the whole flat; two hours later there is a narrow strip of wet sand and a quick tide walking in behind you.

Getting there and parking

From Hervey Bay or Maryborough, take the Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road, turn onto Toogoom Road and follow it to Shellcot Street. Park on the street and look for the public access sign between numbers 54 and 56; the entry is easy to miss. The path down is soft sand and not wheelchair accessible, and this access has no toilets, the Toogoom 09 access further along is the one with facilities.

Worth knowing

Weekday mornings and evenings are quiet, while sunny weekend mornings and the evening slot draw the locals. Council periodically reviews foreshore rules and may add shorebird or dog-free zones, so it is worth checking its dog off-leash page before a long-drive visit.

When to go

Early morning at a falling or low tide is the best combination, cool sand, maximum walking room and calm water for a paddle. Summer visits are best before 9am, when the flats heat up and the tide is usually coming back in.

While you're out there

Salty at Toogoom on Moreton Street welcomes dogs in its garden and does good coffee after a beach walk. For a longer stay, Serenity Caravan Park on Moreton Street takes pets, and Lemac on the Beach sits right on the water.

More options are on the Queensland dog beaches guide and the Toogoom destination page.