Sorell Dog Park

Sorell Dog Park sits on Montagu Street beside the town's RV park, about 25 minutes east of Hobart, and it is the municipality's main fenced off-leash option. It is a practical, no-frills park: two size-separated zones behind a secure double gate, seating, a water tap, and free parking at the fence line. For locals, it beats driving into Hobart for a secure run; for travellers on the Tasman Highway, it is an easy stop to break up the trip.

The dog setup

The park splits into separate gated areas for larger and smaller dogs, which keeps the small and vulnerable end of the spectrum out of the path of bouncy big dogs. Use the size-matched zone rather than mixing. The double-gated entry works as an airlock, and it only works if you close the first gate before opening the second, so hold an excited dog back while you get through.

Sorell Council requires dogs to be registered and microchipped, and off-leash here still means effective control: stay in the enclosure, watch your dog rather than your phone, and remove any dog showing aggression. Bag dispensers and bins are provided, but the bag supply is hit and miss, so carry your own. A water tap is on site, though it is worth bringing a backup bottle on warm days.

Max: The double gate only works if you close the first one behind you before opening the second. Do not let an excited dog barge the airlock.

Worth knowing

Shade is limited, so skip the middle of hot summer days and aim for mid-morning or early afternoon on weekdays, which are the quietest windows. After 4pm and on weekends the regular crowd fills the park. Ground conditions swing with the seasons: expect mud through winter and hard, dry ground in summer, so footwear matters for the owner as much as paws for the dog.

Getting there and parking

The park sits just off the town centre, reached easily from both the Arthur and Tasman Highways, with free parking right beside the fence and a wheelchair-accessible entrance. Metro Tasmania buses run into the Sorell town centre, and the park is a short walk from there. Cafes and shops in town are close enough to plan a coffee stop either side of the run.

While you're out there

The Cambridge Dog Park covers the airport side of the drive into Hobart, and the Howrah Dog Park serves the eastern shore. In town, Velvet is a local cafe worth checking for dog-friendly seating, and the Sorell Council Self Contained RV Park next door is handy if you are travelling with the dog overnight. See more dog parks in Tasmania or around Sorell.