Blackwattle Bay Loop

The Blackwattle Bay Loop runs along the Glebe and Annandale foreshore with the Anzac Bridge overhead and the city across the water. Dogs walk it on lead, but the parks it threads past include signed off lead ground, and that is the reason to bring a dog here rather than walk the street.

The walk. AllTrails puts the loop at 6.1 km and rates it easy, about an hour to an hour and a half at walking pace. It is flat, sealed the whole way and has no gates or steps, so it suits any dog who is comfortable on a shared path. You can shorten it to a there and back along the water without losing much. It joins the Glebe Foreshore Walk and connects on toward the Pyrmont to Darling Harbour foreshore if you want to keep going.

The rules. City of Sydney manages this foreshore. Dogs must be on lead on the shared walking and cycling path, which is the whole of the loop itself. Parts of the Glebe Foreshore parks either side are signed as off lead, including the dog park at Federal Park, so read the sign at each park rather than assuming the rule carries over from the last one. Canal Reserve is the other patch of green close by.

Water. There is water access to the bay at a couple of points along the foreshore, and bubblers along the path. This is working harbour rather than a swimming beach, so most dogs get a paddle instead of a swim.

Getting there. Parking is the hard part. Street parking around Chapman Road and the Tramsheds is metered and limited, and it fills on weekends. The L1 light rail to Jubilee Park or Rozelle Bay drops you at the water, which is the easier option. Toilets, barbecues and picnic tables sit in the parks along the way.

Nearby with the dogs. The Glebe Hotel is a short walk up from the water, and Hawthorne Canal Reserve is the next green space west if you want a second stop.

When to go. Weekday mornings are quiet. Weekend afternoons fill with families, runners and cyclists all at once. Good for city dogs who are already used to crowds.

Sources

• Glebe Foreshore East Plan of Management - City of Sydney · www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
• Blackwattle Bay Park - City of Sydney · www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
• Blackwattle Bay Loop - AllTrails · www.alltrails.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.