Bunny Jarrett Park Dog Off Leash Area

Bunny Jarrett Park's off-leash area sits behind the houses on McManus and Murchison Streets in Whitfield, an open grassed reserve where Cairns Regional Council allows dogs off lead around the clock, every day of the year. The designated zone runs along the northern side of the drainage easement and creek, so the good running ground stretches back from the street frontage rather than sitting out the front.

The dog setup

There is no fence. This is a drainage reserve turned exercise area, so the off-leash zone is defined by signage rather than gates, and dogs must stay under effective voice control the whole time. Clip the lead back on for entering and leaving the zone, keep the rest of the park on-lead, and bring bags because the clean-up rule applies on the spot. The creek line along the boundary is the obvious escape route for a dog that wanders, so recall matters more here than it does at an enclosure.

Worth knowing

The space is a large open grassed area with scattered trees offering shade, paths to circle on, and little else by way of build: no agility gear, no dedicated water station, no toilets. Come supplied with water and bags. The trade-off is room: on a quiet morning there is easily enough space for a proper run, a game of fetch, or a slow off-lead wander with a steady dog. Dangerous, menacing and restricted dogs are not permitted under the council's off-leash rules.

Max: check your dog's recall before you unclip the lead here, there's no fence backing you up if something spooks them.

Getting there and parking

The park is reached from McManus Street, with Murchison Street providing a second entry closer to the creek end. Both are residential streets with kerbside parking, so park near the nearest entry and walk in. Cairns bus routes run along the main roads through Whitfield, but expect a short walk from the closest stop.

Close by with the dogs

If your dog needs a fence, Cairns has you covered nearby. Touch Park in Aeroglen is a short drive east and its fenced dog area sits between the sporting fields and the mangrove creek, while Card Avenue Park in Manunda is a purpose-built enclosure closer to the city side. Irene Street DogPark in Mooroobool is another local option on the western side, and for coffee after the run, TANK sixtyfour in Edge Hill is an easy stop on the way back.

Locals tend to use the park on weekday mornings and early evenings, with Saturday mornings drawing the regular dog-walking crowd; aim outside those windows for space to yourself. Midday heat is the other constraint in Cairns, so stick to the shaded edges in the warmer months. For more options across the region see other QLD parks, and our Whitfield guide has the suburb rundown.