St Ives Showground Fenced Dog Park

St Ives Showground on Mona Vale Road has two fully fenced, off-leash dog rings, making it one of the most reliable enclosed spaces on Sydney's upper North Shore for a proper run without a dog bolting toward traffic. Both rings sit inside the wider showground, where dogs otherwise stay on lead.

The dog setup

Dog Ring 6 is the smaller of the two, roughly 45 by 33 metres, sitting near the Douglas Pickering Pavilion and suiting smaller or older dogs. Dog Ring 7 is larger at about 45 by 36 metres, runs parallel to Mona Vale Road, and gives high-energy dogs more room to sprint. Both have tap water and seating, with public toilets about 50 to 60 metres away.

These are level grassed exercise rings rather than agility parks, so expect an open run and training space rather than obstacles.

Worth knowing

Off-leash applies only inside the rings. Across the rest of the showground, dogs stay leashed, and voice control is still required within the fences. Clean up immediately. The rings can be booked for private training sessions through Ku-ring-gai Council, with a minimum one-hour booking, so check availability before you drive over, particularly on weekends.

Max: confirm the rings are not booked out for a training session before heading over, and check the ground is not waterlogged after heavy rain, since council has flagged closures when it gets too wet.

Getting there

The showground is at 450 Mona Vale Road, St Ives, with free, ample parking throughout the grounds close to both rings. Public transport works but is roundabout: the nearest station is Gordon, then a connecting bus toward St Ives. The rings run daily from roughly 7am to 8pm around the booking schedule.

While you're out there

Weekday mid-mornings and mid-afternoons are noticeably quieter; weekend early mornings and late afternoons draw the biggest crowds. For a change of scene, the Wahroonga Dog Park and the Karuah Park off leash area in Turramurra are both within easy reach, and Karoo & Co The Old School in St Ives is a local meal stop.

More options are on the New South Wales dog park guide and the St Ives destination page.