Canal Reserve

Canal Reserve is an unfenced green corridor running along Hawthorne Canal in Annandale, and it is one of the Inner West's most popular off-leash strips. It is a 24/7 off-leash area bounded by the canal, the light rail line and bridge, and the car park on Canal Road, with a shared path running alongside for walkers and cyclists.

The dog setup

The off-leash status applies inside that bounded strip only. Dogs need to be leashed on the shared pedestrian path, in the car park and on the surrounding residential streets, and kept at least 10 metres clear of the children's playground. On Saturdays between 10am and 4pm, leash up if organised sport or training is running on the adjacent fields. Drinking fountains with dog bowls are spaced along the path, waste bags and bins are provided, and shaded seating sits under the trees for owners taking a breather. Because the reserve is unfenced next to both water and a busy shared path, it rewards a dog with reliable recall around cyclists.

Max: mind the 10 metre playground buffer and the Saturday sports window, and watch the canal at high tide. The water comes right up to the bank, and low tide exposes mudflats any digger will find in seconds.

The vibe

This is a proper local dog strip rather than a destination park: a long green run beside the water where regulars loop the corridor while their dogs amble and sniff. Weekday mornings and early evenings are the quiet windows, while Sunday mornings, Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons get busy. It suits social dogs that walk well off-leash near water and cyclists, and is less comfortable for a dog still working on recall.

Getting there and parking

The reserve runs along Wigram Road in Annandale, with the Hawthorne Canal light rail stop right beside it, which is the easiest way in. Street parking around the reserve is limited, so the main car park on Canal Road is the more reliable bet. Several buses run along nearby Parramatta Road.

While you're out there

Cafe Bones, the well-known dog-friendly kiosk famous locally for pupaccinos, sits right on the canal at the end of Canal Road, and Hawthorne Canal Reserve continues the same corridor south. Federal Park Dog Park and the fenced Murray Park Fenced Dog Park give you alternatives if your dog needs a fully enclosed space, and the Glebe Foreshore Walk extends the outing on leash.

More options are on the New South Wales dog parks guide and the Annandale destination page.