The Bay Run via Brett Park

The Bay Run via Brett Park is the 6.8 km flat loop around Iron Cove, picked up from the green space on Henley Marine Drive in Drummoyne. The path itself is on lead at all times, and Brett Park is the reason to start here: it holds one of the few signed off-leash areas directly on the circuit.

The walk

Sealed, flat and shared with runners, prams and cyclists the whole way around Iron Cove, roughly an hour and a half at walking pace. It is a true loop, so there is no turnaround decision to make, and the water is beside you for almost all of it, including views up the Parramatta River. Distance markers help you break it into legs for an older dog.

Leash status

The City of Canada Bay manages this stretch. Dogs must be on lead on the paved Bay Run path, in the playground area and around the barbecues, and must stay 10 m clear of children's playground equipment. The off-leash section at Brett Park is the flat open grass opposite Sisters Crescent, it is unfenced, and council lists the permitted hours as before 9am and after 5pm. Check the reserve signage on the day rather than trusting a schedule you read somewhere.

Max: Unfenced off-leash grass sits metres from a busy shared path and a road. Recall needs to be reliable with bikes flying past, or this is a long lead park and not an off lead one.

Water and hazards

Drinking fountains with dog bowls sit at several points around the loop, along with public toilets at Brett Park and further around the path. There is no safe dog swimming here. The shoreline is seawalled and the cove carries boat traffic. The main hazard is traffic on the path itself: bikes come through at speed on a route this popular, so keep the lead short and the dog on the grass side.

Getting there and parking

Street parking on Henley Marine Drive and Sisters Crescent is limited and fills early on weekends, so check the signs in the residential streets behind. Buses run along Victoria Road and Lyons Road, a short walk from the park. Sisters Crescent is the easiest way in on foot.

When to go

Mid-week mornings after the commuter rush, or early afternoon. Weekends are busy all day, and 6am to 8am and 5pm to 7pm on weekdays are the peak for runners and cyclists. Good for big runners who need flat distance, and manageable for seniors in shorter sections.

Close by with the dogs

The full Bay Run guide covers the circuit from other angles, and the Brett Park off-leash area has its own page for the off-lead patch. Queen Victoria Reserve is the other Drummoyne option, and the Five Dock Park Fenced Dog Park is the safer fenced version. Cafe T.A.N.K and the Nield Park Pavilion both take dogs outside. The NSW trails guide and Drummoyne destination page list more.