Shoalhaven Heads Off leash dog park

The fenced off-leash area at Jerry Bailey Reserve is Shoalhaven Heads' main spot for a dog to run without road worries. It sits on Shoalhaven Heads Road beside the community centre, skate park and pump track, so it works as a family hub as much as a dog park.

The dog setup

The oval is fully fenced with a double-gated entry, which makes it the safe pick for dogs still learning recall. One catch matters: the space doubles as a junior cricket field, so when a game or training session is on, dogs go back on-leash. Shoalhaven City Council also lists timed off-leash windows for parts of the reserve, broadly afternoons and overnight with on-leash daytime hours, while directory listings describe the fenced pen as usable whenever sport is not on. The two do not fully agree, so if you are counting on a specific hour, check the council's off-leash guide before you go. Wherever your dog runs, pick up after them and use the bins.

Max: the fence is reassuring, but check whether cricket is on before you unclip. A game in progress means the whole oval goes back on-leash, and there is not much shade if you end up waiting it out.

The vibe

This is a multi-use precinct rather than a quiet suburban pen. Water taps serve the dogs, bring your own bowl, and bag dispensers and bins are stocked near the entry. Seating is unshaded, so hot afternoons are hard work. For humans, the wider reserve adds picnic shelters with electric barbecues, the skate park, pump track, learn-to-ride track and a public pool.

Getting there and parking

The reserve sits on the main road into town, with free and plentiful on-site parking, including an accessible space. Local buses along Shoalhaven Heads Road stop near the reserve.

Close by with the dogs

The 24-hour off-leash stretch of Shoalhaven Heads Beach starts about 200 metres north of the surf club, so a fenced run pairs naturally with a beach walk. The town's second option, Gaffer Atlas Dog Park, gives you an alternative yard, and Hedy's Bistro is a local feed afterwards. Staying over, the Shoalhaven Heads Hotel is in town.

More runs across the state are on the NSW dog parks page, and the Shoalhaven Heads guide covers the village.