Burnett Heads Dog Park

Burnett Heads Dog Park is a fenced, always open off leash area inside Jack Strathdee Memorial Park on Neill Street, one of the newer dog parks in the Bundaberg Regional Council network. It is an easy, contained run close to town rather than a scenic destination, which is exactly what you want before or after a foreshore walk.

The dog setup

The park splits into two secure sections: a small dog area suited to lighter dogs and a large all dogs area, both fully fenced with secure perimeter fencing. Agility equipment gives the energetic something to do, there is bench seating and established shade trees, bag dispensers and watering stations on site, and the surrounding Jack Strathdee Memorial Park adds toilets, parking and a playground for the rest of the family.

The rules here

Council's rules are straightforward: stay inside the enclosure with your dog and keep it under verbal or visual control, and remember you remain responsible for your dog's behaviour at all times. Close the gates behind you on the way in and out so no one bolts. Any dog showing fighting or persistent aggression must be leashed and removed immediately, and outside the fence, dogs stay leashed on council grounds and streets. Skip the food and glass inside the enclosure; council guidance discourages both because they spark squabbles.

Getting there and parking

The park is on Neill Street, off the main road towards the coast, with street parking along Neill Street and connections to the esplanade footpaths if you are walking or cycling in. Public transport to Burnett Heads is limited to local buses from Bundaberg, so most visitors drive.

When to go

Weekday afternoons and Sunday evenings tend to be quietest, while weekday mornings and early evenings draw the local regulars. Read the room before letting a shy or reactive dog loose into a busy session, and hold the off lead release until the outer gate has closed behind you.

Make a day of it

Kellys (By the Sea) welcomes dogs in its outdoor seating a few minutes away, and the Mary Kinross Park Fenced Dog Park in Bargara makes a good second stop if you are working the coastline. Note that dogs are not permitted on patrolled Oaks Beach. More options are on the Queensland dog parks list or the Burnett Heads guide.

Pepsi: gates shut, then zoomies. Small yard first if your dog is still learning the etiquette.