Wellington point dog park

Wellington Point Recreation Reserve sits at the tip of the Wellington Point peninsula right on Moreton Bay, and despite the dog park name this listing carries, it is an on-leash reserve rather than an off-leash area. The drawcard is the sandbar walk out to King Island, passable at low tide, plus wide grassy foreshore, huge fig trees and easy bay access for a leashed paddle. Come for a coastal walk with the dog rather than a run.

The dog setup

Dogs stay on lead at all times across the reserve and along the sandbar, and Redland City Council rangers do patrol. Keep at least 10 metres clear of the playground and stay out of the designated bathing reserve. The water access is easy and shallow near the shore, which makes a leashed swim straightforward on a warm day. If you want genuine off-leash time, the fenced options back in Birkdale are the better tool.

Max: don't be fooled by the name. This is on-lead the whole way, including the sandbar, so keep a lead handy even when the flat sand looks too tempting to resist.

Worth knowing

The reserve is well set up: free electric barbecues, picnic tables, shade, accessible toilets, a jetty and a children's playground. The tide is the thing to check before you go. The sandbar walk to King Island is about 2 kilometres return and only passable near low tide, so grab a Redlands Coast tide chart and time your visit, because a rising tide cuts the path off quickly. Weekend mornings and fine-weather days are busy; weekdays are far calmer for a nervous dog.

Getting there and parking

The reserve is at 2A Main Road, Wellington Point, at the very end of the peninsula, roughly 30 minutes from the Brisbane CBD. Parking is free but fills fast on weekends, so arrive early. TransLink buses run nearby, though expect a walk from the closest stop to the point itself, so driving is the easier option with a dog.

Close by with the dogs

Main Road has dog-friendly dining near the point: Wellington Point Farmhouse Restaurant and Cafe on a working market garden and Tanja's Cafe & Restaurant both set up alfresco areas for dogs. For proper off-leash time, Valantine Park Fenced Dog Park and Three Paddocks Park Fenced Dog Park are a short drive back into Birkdale, and O'GABEE & Co Coffee Roastery covers the coffee stop.

More options are on the Queensland parks guide and the Birkdale destination page.