South Turramurra Dog Oval

South Turramurra Dog Oval occupies a corner of Kissing Point Village Green at 1 Vernon Street on Sydney's Upper North Shore, and it is a large, fully fenced and gated off-leash oval under Ku-ring-gai Council. The full perimeter fencing is the reason to come: owners of determined runners and recall-challenged dogs can let go of the lead with genuine confidence.

The dog setup

The surface is mostly flat turf ringed by mature gum trees that throw decent shade, with a water tap for dogs on site. Double-gated entries keep escape artists contained while you fumble with the lead, and informal seating near the gate makes it easy to settle in. Dog tidy bags are provided and public toilets sit within the village green.

Worth knowing

Dogs may run off-leash inside the fence around the clock, but they must stay under effective voice control and not harass other users. Under council rules dogs must remain at least 10 metres from the children's playground and eating areas, and leashed immediately outside the fence. Off-leash play also gives way when organised sport is running on the oval. Pick up waste; council fines apply. The adjoining playground is for kids, not dogs.

Max: Full fencing with proper gates means I can practise my recall drills without my owner hovering. Work the perimeter first, then reward focus inside the fence line.

Getting there

Free street parking runs along Vernon Street, with a small parking area near the park. Local buses serve the area with a stop right at 5 Vernon Street. Weekday early mornings, late afternoons and weekend mornings are the busy stretches, but the oval is large enough that dogs spread out even when the regulars are out in force; for maximum open space, aim for weekday midday.

Make a day of it

For a post-walk coffee, Replay Espresso Turramurra offers dog-friendly outdoor seating with water bowls near the station. Two more off-lead options are close by: the North Turramurra Dog Park and the Wahroonga Dog Park.

More fenced runs are catalogued in the NSW dog friendly parks guide, and the suburb is on the South Turramurra destination page.