Sticks & Grinds Cafe

Sticks & Grinds Cafe sits in the Woodlands Village Shopping Centre at 28 Palm Drive, Deeragun, on Townsville's northern beaches, and it is one of the rare cafes built around dogs rather than merely tolerating them. Visitor posts show a fenced dog park behind the outdoor tables, so your dog can run off-lead while you keep an eye on your flat white.

The dog setup

Tables are spaced across a large outdoor area with the fenced dog park at the back, and water bowls are put out for visiting dogs. Ask staff which gate leads through before unclipping the lead, and keep the outdoor seating area on-lead as usual. Locals describe a spacious, community-minded setup that suits families and big dogs alike.

Worth knowing

The kitchen is known for hearty breakfasts: eggs benedict, bacon and eggs, sourdough and hash browns, plus milkshakes and generous serve sizes. Expect a community, family feel rather than a polished city cafe, and note feedback on service and wait times has been mixed, so weekday mornings before the rush are the safest bet. Hours run roughly 7am to 4pm daily, but check the cafe's Facebook for current trading.

Getting there and parking

Palm Drive runs through the Woodlands Village Shopping Centre precinct, with the centre's car park at the door, an easy arrival compared to most suburban strip cafes.

Close by with the dogs

If the on-site run is busy, Sanctum Dog Park at Mount Low is minutes away, and Townsville Main Dog Park covers the bigger-city option heading south. Junction Cafe - North Shore at Burdell is the neighbouring dog-friendly breakfast stop.

More options are on the QLD dog friendly cafes guide and the Deeragun destination page.

Max: a fenced dog park attached to a cafe patio is about as good as it gets. Ask staff which gate leads through before letting your dog off the lead.