Memorial Park

Memorial Park is Howlong's Murray River foreshore park on Pearce Street, and Federation Council lists it as one of the town's off-leash areas. The setting does the selling: open grass running to the river bank, BBQs and picnic tables under shade, a boat ramp for the ski crowd, and swimming spots that locals use all summer. Reviews call it well maintained and peaceful, which tracks with how the town uses it, and the river gives the park a second dimension most suburban reserves can't offer.

The dog setup

Federation Council lists the park as off-lead, under effective control, and the area is unfenced, so the river bank is your boundary and supervision does the rest. The practical kit is already there: a water tap for the dogs, a doggy bag dispenser, bins, and public toilets. The swimming stretch off the foreshore is a locals fixture in summer and the shallow entry is forgiving for water-loving dogs, though river conditions shift with the season. Between the water access and the open grass, most dogs treat a visit as swim session plus social hour, and the foreshore path gives you a proper walking loop without leaving the off-lead zone. The grass holds up well through the season, which is half the reason the foreshore works as an everyday run rather than an occasional one. Watch the boat ramp end on busy water days, because trailers and tow ropes move through there.

Make a day of it

The fenced alternative in town is the south west corner enclosure at Lowe Square, which pairs well if your dog needs a fence before it settles. For food, 1/2 Acre Coffee Lounge Cafe is the local stop, and Howlong Caravan Park puts a river holiday within walking distance of both parks.

Parking sits along Pearce Street beside the foreshore, with room for boats near the ramp. Summer weekends belong to the boat traffic and swimmers, so early mornings are the calm window for an off-lead run, while the shade trees and picnic shelters make a long summer lunch on the grass genuinely workable. The broader region is covered by the NSW parks list and the Howlong destination guide.

Pepsi: river water, shaded grass and a swim at the end, the humans just need to watch me near the ramp.