Peter Depena Reserve

Peter Depena Reserve sits on Russell Avenue at Dolls Point, where the paved Cook Park foreshore path runs past big shady trees and open views across Botany Bay. Dogs are welcome, but Bayside Council keeps them on lead here at all times.

Leads, sand and playgrounds

This is not an off-leash area, and neither are the connected foreshore paths along Cook Park. Dogs are also banned from the sand and the bathing areas, so the beach itself is off limits.

Give the children's playground a wide berth too, as council requires dogs to stay well back from play equipment.

The walk

The path is flat and paved, and it links Dolls Point with Sans Souci and Ramsgate Beach if you want a longer on-lead stroll by the water. The reserve lawns have plenty of mature trees for a shady break, while the narrow waterfront promenade is more exposed.

Bins are easy to find along the paths. Bubblers turn up along the wider Cook Park network, but a bottle and a travel bowl are worth carrying on warm days.

Make a day of it

Free off-street parking is right off Russell Avenue. For a proper run, the fenced Bona Park Off-leash Dog Area in Sans Souci is close by, and White Rabbit is the local coffee stop.

Flat paving and shade make this an easy pick for older dogs and slow sniffers. On hot afternoons, stick to the tree-lined lawns rather than the open promenade.