The Dog Centre

The Dog Centre is a private, fully fenced dog park on a 100-acre working farm at 35 Yalyalup Rd, Abba River, just outside Busselton. Unlike a free council off-leash park, this one is booked by the hour, which means your dog gets the paddock without the usual scrum of unknown dogs at the gate.

The rules. Access is by booking only, not a walk-in park. You need a free membership registration before your first visit, then book a time slot online for roughly $25 an hour. All dogs must be fully vaccinated to use the facility. The site is open sunrise to sunset, six days a week, and your booking is for a private, secured paddock rather than a shared session.

What's there. Two separate fully fenced paddocks plus a smaller puppy playground, so a boisterous adult dog and a nervous puppy aren't sharing space. Fresh drinking water and poo bags are supplied on site, and there are shady trees, picnic benches and seating for owners while the dogs run. Secure vehicle entry means no gate-dashing on arrival.

Getting there. This is a rural property, so a car is the only realistic way in. It sits just outside Busselton town centre on Yalyalup Rd, with on-site parking at the gate. There's no public transport option worth planning around.

Nearby with the dogs. Busselton proper is a short drive away with several dog-friendly options for the rest of the day, including outdoor seating at cafes along the foreshore strip. For an overnight stay, holiday parks around Busselton such as Busselton Holiday Village and BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks take dogs, so you can pair a paddock session with a proper break.

Book ahead rather than turning up on spec, since slots fill on Saturdays and Thursday evenings. A quieter midweek afternoon booking is the easiest way to get the paddock close to yourselves. Good for dogs that need space away from other dogs, or owners wanting recall practice without the risk of an off-leash park free-for-all.

Sources

• Bookings - The Dog Centre · thedogcentre.com.au
• Services - The Dog Centre · thedogcentre.com.au
• About - The Dog Centre · thedogcentre.com.au

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.