Fenced Dog Off-Leash Area - Boongaree

Boongaree is Berry's big community precinct on North Street, and the fenced dog off-leash area tucked inside it is the town's only fully enclosed dog run. Shoalhaven City Council lists the zone under standard off-leash conditions, and because the wider precinct stacks a flying fox, skate park, pump track, water play and picnic shelters into the same grounds, it solves the mixed-family outing problem in one stop. The 24-hour opening also makes it usable outside the usual park-hours window, which matters for travellers passing through on the Princes Highway.

The dog setup

The dog area is fenced, so it suits puppies and recall-in-progress dogs, and the precinct stays open 24 hours. Shoalhaven's conditions apply: dogs under effective control, wearing a collar with current tags, waste removed, restricted breeds and dangerous dogs prohibited, and leashes back on once you leave the zone. The surrounding playground and sports areas are dog-free, so keep to the enclosure and the paths between, and the regulars tend to rotate turns inside the fence when it gets busy.

Make a day of it

The precinct has BBQs, picnic areas and shade, which makes it a straightforward half-day plan: one adult inside the dog fence, the rest cycling through the skate park, sandpit and water play. Afterwards, Berry's dog-friendly food strip is a few minutes away. IV Coffee and Pickled Ink Kitchen both take dogs in the outdoor areas, SocialLife works for a longer lunch, and Berry Showground Camping Area is the practical overnight option if you are staying on.

Parking is off North Street with room for caravans near the showground end. Weekday mornings are the quiet window for the dog enclosure; Saturday mornings it shares the precinct with sport and the market crowd, and the shade structures and shelters keep the precinct usable through summer. The pump track and scooter side sit across the precinct from the dog enclosure, so the dog zone stays calm even when the wheels are out in force. More options across the region are on the NSW parks list, and the Berry destination guide pulls the town's dog-friendly stops together.

Pepsi: a real fence, a big run, and the humans were happy with the flying fox, so everyone left tired.