Centennial Parklands

Centennial Parklands gives dogs something rare in inner Sydney: signed off-lead grass inside a huge historic park. It sits in the suburb of Centennial Park, a few kilometres east of Zetland, and Greater Sydney Parklands runs it.

Leads and the off-lead area

Dogs can run off lead on the designated open grass outside Grand Drive, and on sporting fields when they are not in use.

Clip the lead on for the Grand Drive circuit, all roads and shared paths, the Guriwal Trail, and anywhere within 10 metres of a pond or waterway. Tramway Oval and Kippax Lake Field are off limits to dogs altogether.

The walk

Grand Drive is the classic loop, with paved shared paths beside it and dirt and gravel tracks threading through the park. Some of the dirt tracks are for horses, so watch for riders.

Along the way you pass wrought-iron gates, statues and lakes busy with black swans, pelicans and other birdlife.

Max: The lakes pull dogs in. Clip the lead on well before the water, because the 10 metre rule covers every pond.

Pair it with

Back in Zetland, Joynton Park is a local option for a shorter outing, and Naxeion Cafe suits a coffee afterwards.

When to go

Time it for when the sports fields are empty if you want the most off-lead room. The mix of paved and dirt paths suits most dogs, from steady walkers to keen runners.