Woolgoolga Back Beach

Woolgoolga Back Beach is the open-coast stretch running south from the headland below the Woolgoolga lighthouse, and City of Coffs Harbour lists it as an off-leash beach. It is the working dog beach for the northern Coffs coast: long sand, real surf, and a town centre with cafes a few minutes away on the other side of the headland.

Leash status

Dogs can run off leash on the back beach under council's dog rules, with the important exception that leash restrictions apply during signposted little tern breeding season. Little terns nest on the sand spit near the Woolgoolga lake mouth at the northern end of the beach, and council signs mark the restricted zone and period when it is active, typically through the warmer months. Read the signs at your access point every visit: the boundaries move with the season, and the lake mouth end is the area to keep clear. Clip the lead on for the car park and any track from the car park down to the sand.

Water and terrain

This is an exposed ocean beach, so expect real surf rather than bay water, and pick your stretch accordingly. The southern end takes the swell with rips moving after weather, while the northern end near the lake is flatter and shallower when the lake is open to the sea, which suits dogs that paddle rather than swim. Sand runs firm at low tide for a proper run and narrows back to the vegetation line on a rising tide.

Pepsi: the whole beach smells of seaweed and possibilities. I check every one of them while the humans watch the waves and drink their thermos coffee.

Getting there and parking

From the Woolgoolga town centre, cross to the coast side and follow the signs to the back beach access on the southern side of the headland; the car park sits close to the sand, so the walk in is short. The headland above the beach has the lighthouse and a whale watching platform, worth the climb in season, and the town's cafes and shops are five minutes back towards the highway.

Worth knowing

Facilities on the back beach itself are minimal, so bring dog water, bags and your own shade. Mobile coverage is reasonable but not guaranteed at the far southern end, and the beach is quiet enough that you should not count on other walkers for help. Take rubbish out with you.

When to go

Early morning is the classic window: cool sand, empty beach and the headland keeping the sun back. Summer school holidays fill the beach by mid morning, and the middle of the day in January is the time to be elsewhere. Winter and shoulder season are the easiest months for a long off-lead run.

While you're out there

Two more dog beaches sit within an easy drive: Emerald Beach Dog Beach to the south and the North Wall off-leash area at Coffs Harbour, with the Coffs Creek Walk as a leashed fallback on surf days. More options are on the NSW dog beaches guide and the Woolgoolga destination guide.