Alum Cliffs Track

The Alum Cliffs Track runs north from Kingston Beach along the clifftops above the Derwent Estuary, and Kingborough Council rates it an 8 km return trip. Dogs are allowed on lead the whole way, which makes it one of the better long coastal walks near Hobart you can do with a dog.

The walk

The track climbs from Tyndall Beach through coastal blue gum forest and tall silver banksias, winds up into silver peppermint bushland, dips into a fern-filled gully, then rises onto headlands with open views over Storm Bay and the Derwent Estuary. Council calls it a half-day walk. AllTrails walkers log about 7.1 km in around two and a half hours. It is a return trip rather than a loop, so you can turn back at any headland and still get the view.

Leash status

Kingborough Council manages the track and the policy is short: dogs allowed on lead, and keep to the marked route. Bikes and horses are not permitted, so it is walkers and dogs only. The northern end of Kingston Beach at Tyndall is a separate council-designated off-lead exercise area on the sand, so the dog can run there before or after the clifftop leg.

Hazards

The track is narrow with steep edges in places, and Council specifically flags that care is needed at those points. For some dogs this is the deciding fact of the page. A dog that pulls hard is a real risk on a narrow clifftop bench, so a short lead and a harness beat a retractable here.

Max: Steep edges and a dog that lunges after a wallaby make a bad combination. If yours has a strong prey drive, keep them on your inside shoulder, away from the drop.

Getting there and parking

Start at the northern end of Kingston Beach, where there are toilets, picnic facilities and parking. Further entrances along the route at Tyndall Road, Harpers Road and Taronga Road let you walk a shorter section. Metro bus 427 runs through Kingston Beach and along the Channel Highway to Taroona and the city, so a one-way walk is possible if your dog travels well on a bus.

When to go

Mid-morning on a weekday, or early on a weekend. Weekends bring walkers, runners and other dogs onto a track that is narrow in sections, and passing is far easier with fewer people about. Good for big runners with sound lead manners.

While you're out there

The track connects with the Brickfields Track and links toward Clarks Beach further down the Channel. For a proper off-lead run at either end, the Kingston View Drive Fenced Dog Park and Taroona Dog Park are both fenced. The Salty Dog Hotel on Beach Road takes dogs in its beer garden. The Tasmanian trails guide and Kingston Beach destination page list more.