Toogoom 09 Beach Access

Toogoom 09 is one of the numbered beach accesses along the Toogoom foreshore, sitting close to the Shellcot Street end of the suburb's best dog zone. Soft sand, gentle tidal water and a small village feel make it a favourite with local walkers, and the fraser coast council rules here are more generous than most beach towns manage.

Leash status

Fraser Coast Regional Council designates the stretch from the pathway between 54 and 56 Shellcot Street through to Ries Road as off-leash 24 hours a day, which is the zone this access serves. Beyond it, a second timed area runs from opposite Lorikeet Avenue to the path between 76 and 78 Kingfisher Parade, off-leash 3pm to 8am and on-leash from 8am to 3pm, with the same timed arrangement continuing toward Craignish from Ries Road. Anything unsigned stays on-leash. Dogs must be under effective control and answer recall, waste goes in the bins, and signposted environmentally sensitive areas are out of bounds.

Pepsi: Off-leash all day and all night here, and at low tide the water runs away so far I could chase the horizon. Nearly did.

Water and terrain

The beach is highly tidal. At low tide the water retreats a long way and leaves wide, firm sand flats that suit long runs and fetch, while high tide covers most of the beach against the vegetation line. The incoming tide moves quickly on these flats, so keep an eye on the water line when your dog is deep into a chase. The shallows stay gentle, suiting paddlers rather than surf dogs.

Getting there and parking

Toogoom sits 15 to 20 minutes north of Hervey Bay along Pialba-Burrum Heads Road, turning off at Toogoom Road. This access has direct sandy entry from the roadside and street parking along the esplanade near Shellcot Street, and it carries better facilities than some of the smaller numbered points nearby. Public transport is effectively nonexistent, so plan to drive.

Worth knowing

Carry your own water for the dog, as taps are not guaranteed at the access, and the serious shopping and services are back in Hervey Bay. The beach is flanked by holiday homes, which keeps crowds low even in peak season. Registration tags and up-to-date vaccinations are part of the council's expectations for off-leash use, and the rangers do patrol in summer.

When to go

Because the Shellcot to Ries Road stretch is off-leash around the clock, timing is about tide and comfort rather than rules. Low to mid tide gives the most walking space, weekday mornings are the quietest, and late afternoon light across the flats is the local postcard. On the timed stretches either side, the 3pm to 8am window is your off-leash option.

While you're out there

Salty at Toogoom takes dogs in its garden on Moreton Street, a natural coffee stop off the sand. For another swim, the Pialba Foreshore Off-Leash Beach works on its afternoon window back toward Hervey Bay, and Craignish Park Fenced Dog Park adds a fenced run on the way south. If the day turns into a weekend, Serenity Caravan Park puts you right in the village.

More sand is in our Queensland dog beaches guide, and the Toogoom page covers the village itself.