D.M. Henderson Park Dog Off-Leash Area

The dog off-leash park at D.M. Henderson Park in MacGregor is a fenced enclosure on Brisbane's south side, set inside a bigger recreational reserve with a bushy feel. Mature trees throw real shade over the grass, which is worth a lot by mid-morning, and the wider park keeps the rest of the family busy while the dog burns off energy.

The dog setup

The enclosure is fully fenced, and dogs must be on-leash entering and exiting, then under effective voice control at all times inside. Pick up after your dog; bins are provided on site. Any dog showing aggression needs to be leashed and removed straight away. The space suits both small and large dogs, though it is a shared yard rather than separate zones, so keep an eye on rough play. Water is not guaranteed at the enclosure, so bring a bottle and bowl.

Worth knowing

The grass can get overgrown between council mows, so give your dog a tick check when you get home. In the warmer months watch for snakes near long grass and around the bases of the mature trees, and keep your dog from crashing through thick undergrowth at the edges. The off-leash zone sits next to the playgrounds, BMX pump track and walking paths of the wider reserve, and public toilets are within the park complex. Mid-day on a weekday is the quietest window; weekday mornings before work, late afternoons and weekend mornings are the busy periods.

Max: do the tick check in the car park, not at home. Long grass and a bushy reserve make it a five-second job that saves you a fortnight of scratching.

Getting there and parking

The park sits on Granadilla Street in MacGregor, with the reserve also fronting McCullough Street, and access is easy from Kessels Road (A3). There is a dedicated off-street car park, and bus stops on McCullough Street connect towards Westfield Garden City and the Brisbane CBD, so it is reachable without a car from the inner south.

Close by with the dogs

If the yard is crowded, Abbeville Street Park Fenced Dog Park at Upper Mount Gravatt is a short drive away. For coffee, The Feathers cafe in Nathan is nearby, or the Mount Gravatt Hotel for a meal, and Deli Dakota in Mount Gravatt East does solid sandwiches.

More options are on the Queensland dog parks guide, and the local area is covered on the MacGregor destination page.