Manning Esplanade Park Fenced Dog Park

Manning Esplanade Park's fenced dog park in Thornlands is a fully enclosed grassy off-leash field with agility equipment, and the double-gated entry makes it one of the more secure runs in Redland City for dogs who bolt at open exits. It sits inside the wider Manning Esplanade parklands off Eddie Santaguiliana Way and works as a genuine neighbourhood meeting spot.

The dog setup

Entry runs through a double-gated airlock, and dogs stay on leash until both gates are shut behind you. Once inside, off-leash applies, but council rules expect you to stay in the park and supervise the whole time rather than letting the dog off and wandering off.

Waste bags are stocked in council dispensers, and any dog that turns aggressive or becomes a nuisance is expected to be leashed and removed straight away. It is the standard Redland City setup, enforced mainly by the locals who use it daily.

Max: treat the airlock like a real airlock. Clip the lead off only once both gates are closed, otherwise a keen dog has a straight run at the car park.

Worth knowing

Benches and shelters give partial cover, though shade is patchy rather than full, so midday sun can catch you in summer. The grass is kept decent and the agility gear gives high-energy dogs a job to do, which matters if yours burns off energy faster than a flat field allows.

Getting there

The parklands sit off Eddie Santaguiliana Way in Thornlands, with street and small car park options close to the dog enclosure. It is an easy detour off Cleveland Redland Bay Road if you are passing through the bayside suburbs, and the playground next door earns the enclosure its family outing role.

Close by with the dogs

For a swim afterwards, Raby Bay Dog Beach in Cleveland is about ten minutes north with calm shallow water and shade. Heading south, the fenced hillside run at Point Talburpin Dog Park in Redland Bay sits right by the water, and Victoria Point Bushland Refuge Fenced Dog Park covers the other direction.

More options are on the Queensland dog parks guide and the Thornlands destination page.