Middle Rock Boardwalk

Middle Rock Boardwalk is a short timber boardwalk through coastal dune scrub between Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills on the NSW Mid North Coast, running through Middle Rock Reserve toward Cathie Beach. It is an easy, well-maintained stroll, and dogs are welcome on lead the whole way.

Leash status

The boardwalk and all of Middle Rock Reserve are strictly on-lead for dogs under Port Macquarie-Hastings Council rules. The track itself is only a few hundred metres, so most people extend it onto the sand: Cathie Beach allows dogs on lead from Kywong Street north to Middle Rock, while the stretch from the 4WD access point south to Kywong Street is off limits to dogs entirely.

Keep dogs at least ten metres clear of the playground in the reserve, and carry your own waste bags because there are no dispensers on the track.

Pepsi: The dune sections have zero shade, so this is a morning or late afternoon walk in summer, not a midday one.

The walk

Expect a solid timber path with the odd bench, dune scrub on both sides and steady birdlife, with stairs down to lookouts and the beach at the far end. The boardwalk alone takes well under half an hour; adding a stretch of sand toward Bonny Hills turns it into a proper walk depending on tide and pace.

Water and hazards

There are no water stations or toilets on the track, so bring water for both of you and pack out whatever you carry in. The exposed dune sections offer no shade, and the beach extension is tide dependent, so check the Port Macquarie-Hastings tide chart before planning a long shoreline leg.

Getting there and parking

The reserve is reached off Summer Circuit, which runs off Ocean Drive between Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills. Roadside parking is limited, so arrive early on weekends. Buses along Ocean Drive are infrequent, and you would still face a walk in from the nearest stop.

While you're out there

Bonny's Beach Cafe at Bonny Hills is an easy post-walk stop with outdoor seating and a relaxed approach to dogs. For a longer coastal drive, Nobbys Beach in Port Macquarie adds a dog-friendly beach option about twenty minutes north.

More walks sit on the NSW dog friendly trails guide and the Lake Cathie destination page.