Dwellingup Dog Park

The Forrest Street dog exercise area is Dwellingup's central off-leash spot, a quiet wooded and grassy block a short walk from the town centre and the Dwellingup Trails and Visitor Centre. It is the easy first stop for a run before or after you tackle the region's trails, and the closest thing to a dedicated dog park in a proper forest town.

The dog setup

This is a natural, unfenced exercise area rather than a gated facility: dogs go off-leash inside the designated block but must stay under effective control, and cleanup is expected. Bench seating and tree shade cover the owner side, but there is no water, so carry a bowl. The critical regional detail sits just beyond the town boundary: 1080 poison baiting runs through the surrounding Dwellingup State Forest for feral animal control, and it is lethal to domestic dogs. Keep your dog close, leash up the moment you leave town, and take the DBCA baiting signs seriously on any forest track. Lane Poole Reserve next door requires dogs on-leash at all times.

Max: had the whole off-leash block to himself, then went straight back on the lead at the town edge because the baited forest starts close by.

The vibe

Early mornings and weekdays are the quiet times. Weekends pick up after 10am as hikers and mountain bikers move through the Trails Centre, and parking near the hotel fills on winter and spring tourist weekends. This suits calm dogs who are happy ambling a grassy block with their person rather than chasing a ball inside a fence.

Getting there and parking

The exercise area is on Forrest Street within walking distance of the Dwellingup townsite. Park off Marinup Street opposite the Dwellingup Hotel, or via Newton Street. It is roughly an hour and 15 minutes by car from Perth, and there is no direct public transport, so plan on driving.

While you're out there

The Dwellingup Hotel across the road has a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden, and the town's cafes take dogs in their outdoor areas, including Blue Wren Cafe Dwellingup on the main street and Rubie's Place Dwellingup. For an overnight with the dog on a lead, the Lane Poole Reserve campgrounds allow leashed dogs, and Baden Powell Campground sits right on the river. Compare more dog parks in WA or plan a trip around Dwellingup.