Banora Point Dog Park

Banora Point Dog Park on Darlington Drive is the fenced off-leash facility in John Baker Reserve, and it gives Tweed Shire owners something rare: a fully fenced space with separate sections for small dogs and for large, active ones. The big-dog yard covers roughly 4,600 square metres and the small-dog yard about 3,000, so there is genuine room to run.

The dog setup

Both sections enter through double-gate airlocks so dogs cannot bolt while you are getting settled. Inside there are agility extras such as tunnels, bridges and balance beams, accessible drinking fountains with low dog bowls, shelters, benches with backrests, and waste bag dispensers with bins. Tweed Shire Council rules require dogs to stay under effective control and continuous supervision, a leash to be carried at all times, and dogs leashed again in the car park and the rest of the reserve. Declared dangerous, menacing or restricted breeds are not permitted, and any dog showing aggressive or harassing behaviour has to be leashed and taken straight out.

Max: the trees here were only planted in 2022, so shade is still developing. Pick your hour in summer rather than trusting the canopy.

Worth knowing

There are no public restrooms directly on site. After heavy rain the turf in the yards can get muddy, so factor in a towel for the car. Late afternoons on weekdays and weekends are the busiest stretch; a Sunday morning or a quiet weekday evening is when you are most likely to have space to yourself.

Getting there and parking

The park sits on Darlington Drive in Banora Point, reachable via Terranora Road, Fraser Drive or the M1 with the Tweed Valley Way exit. There is an off-street car park at the entrance with accessible paths linking it to the gates, though it fills during busy periods and nearby residential streets take the overflow. Surfside Buslines services stop on Darlington Drive near Banora Point High School, a short walk from the entry.

While you're out there

For a coffee or brunch afterwards, Dulcie and Edna and Felicity's Coffee Co are both Banora Point locals worth trying, and the shopping strip around Tweed City is a few minutes away.

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