Griffith Park (Dog Park)

Griffith Park's off-leash area sits on Pittwater Road in Collaroy, west of the sportsfield and south of the tennis courts, and it runs 24 hours a day under Northern Beaches Council rules. It is a large, open, grassy space rather than a fenced enclosure, and the lagoon and beach paths around it make the broader parkland worth the trip even before the dogs start playing.

The dog setup

Off-leash is permitted around the clock within the designated area, but it is unfenced and runs alongside a main road, so this is a recall park: council itself flags that dogs need to be under effective control with owners nearby. Dogs must be leashed on the surrounding shared pathways and on the sports oval. Waste bags and bins are provided, a water tap is on site, and bench seating rings the open space. Do a boundary check before you unclip, because the park edges move quickly from grass to car park to Pittwater Road.

The vibe

Weekday mornings and midday are the quiet sessions; weekends and sunny afternoons draw the local regulars. There is very little shade in the off-leash zone itself, so summer visits work best early. On-lead, the shared path continues south over Long Reef headland and around the golf course, and the lagoon-side walking around Dee Why Lagoon gives the leashed dog a slower second half to the outing.

Getting there and parking

Turn off Pittwater Road onto Anzac Avenue; parking sits beside the sports field at the park entrance, with toilets in the building to the east. B-Line buses stop along Pittwater Road a short walk away, which saves the parking scramble on weekends. The enclosed children's playground and tennis courts share the precinct, so expect foot traffic near those edges.

Make a day of it

Extend on foot along the Bicentennial Coastal Walk to Long Reef Point or the shorter Long Reef Headland Loop, both dog-friendly on lead. Afterwards, Ciao Bella keeps outdoor tables for dogs, and DY Local up the road in Dee Why is a solid coffee stop on the way home.

Max: treats the unfenced boundary as a personal challenge until the first car passes on Pittwater Road, after which he discovers impeccable recall.

More options are on the NSW dog parks list, and the Collaroy guide covers the rest of the suburb.