Pioneer Park Fenced Dog Park

Pioneer Park is Landsborough's fully fenced, off-leash dog park on Caloundra Street, with separate runs for large and small dogs and enough tree cover to keep it usable through a Sunshine Coast summer. The secure fencing and the size split are the reason to come, especially with a nervous or small dog who does better away from the boisterous end.

The dog setup

Two interconnected fenced sections sit on grass shaded by mature trees: a larger yard and a separate small-dog run. There are water points with bowls, bench seating for owners and an agility feature or two. The enclosure sits alongside the main Pioneer Park, which has toilets, barbecues, picnic tables and the award-winning all-abilities playground next door, so it combines well with a family outing.

The rules at the fence

Off-leash applies inside the enclosure only, so keep your dog on lead until you are through the gate. Sunshine Coast Council rules require you to stay inside with your dog, keep it under effective voice or hand control, carry bags and bin waste immediately, and have the council registration tag on the collar. Dogs are not permitted at the children's playground or in the picnic and barbecue areas, and regulated dogs are excluded from off-leash areas. Pull an over-excited or aggressive dog out before it becomes a problem.

Max: check both yards before you unclip. If the big-dog side is chaotic, the small-dog run is the safer call for a wound-up newcomer.

Getting there and parking

The park is on Caloundra Street, reached via Steve Irwin Way, with free on-site parking. It is also an easy walk from Landsborough train station on the Sunshine Coast line, which makes this a rare off-leash park you can reach without a car.

Worth knowing

Weekday mornings and early afternoons are the quietest windows. It fills up across Saturdays, Sunday mornings and weekday late afternoons. For a longer outing, the Ewen Maddock Dam bushland close by has on-lead walking where a run in the yard is only the warm-up.

Close by with the dogs

Stretch the legs further on the Ewen Maddock Dam main track, grab a coffee at Didi's Coffee Haus in town, or try Mill Park at Beerwah for a second fenced run.

More options on the Queensland dog parks list or around Landsborough.