Matilda Bay Reserve Foreshore

The foreshore path at Matilda Bay Reserve in Crawley gives you a flat, paved stroll along the Swan River with yachts on the bay and the city skyline across the water. Dogs are welcome, but they stay on a lead the whole way.

Lead rules

The reserve is managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions through Parks and Wildlife Service. Dogs must be on lead at all times, including on the shared paths and around the boat ramps.

The walk

A concrete multi-use path runs right beside the foreshore, so the surface is smooth and even underfoot. It suits dogs of any age or mobility, and prams share it too.

Mature eucalypts, peppermints and pines throw patchy shade over the lawns and path. Drinking bubblers sit near Bayside Kitchen and the UWA Watersports Centre, and bins are spaced along Hackett Drive and by the picnic areas.

Getting started

Parking bays run straight off Hackett Drive and Australia II Drive, so you can start from whichever end suits.

Make a day of it

Finish with a coffee at Bayside Kitchen on the foreshore, or head up the road to Varsity Nedlands.

Early mornings are the pick in summer, before the sun gets onto the open stretches. It is an easy choice for older dogs and slow sniffers.