Sandringham to Brighton Bay Walk

The Sandringham to Brighton Bay Walk runs 7.1 km one way along Port Phillip Bay, a flat, easy coastal path linking the two suburbs with barely a hill to trouble any dog. Budget 1.5 to 2 hours for the full stretch, or treat it as a there-and-back if you do not fancy the train home.

The walk

It is an easy-graded 7.1 km trail, mostly sealed path, running along the foreshore rather than looping. It passes Green Point, Brighton Beach Gardens, the row of Brighton bathing boxes and a few short clifftop sections before beach access points open up along the way. The surface is flat the whole way, so it suits older dogs and puppies as well as fit walkers.

Leash status

Bayside City Council requires dogs on lead on the trail itself and on all foreshore reserves year round, including beach paths and car parks. The catch is the sand itself: from 1 November to 31 March, named beaches such as Middle Brighton Beach, Dendy Beach and Brighton Beach are dog-prohibited between 10am and 7.30pm, with off-leash access allowed from 7.30pm to 10am.

Sandown Street Beach in Brighton is a fenced, gated off-leash area open all year, and rules vary beach by beach, so check the council's beach pages before you go.

Max: do not assume the whole beach is fair game because the path above it is on-lead only. The summer daytime ban applies to the sand itself, not just the path, so read the signage at each access point.

Water and hazards

Water stations for people and dogs sit along the trail, and toilets are at Green Point and Hampton Beach. The path is largely exposed to sun and wind off the bay, so watch paw pads on the sealed surface in summer heat, and keep dogs close on the short clifftop stretches. Cyclists share much of the route, so a short lead works best.

Getting there

Both ends sit on the Sandringham railway line, so you can start at Sandringham Station and finish at Brighton Beach Station, or the other way round, without doubling back. Paid parking is available at Green Point and the foreshore reserve, at roughly $7 an hour.

More walks nearby

Continue the coastline south with the Sandringham Jetty to Ricketts Point walk, or start the morning with a swim at the Sandringham Harbour Dog Beach, the year-round off-lead beach past the yacht club.

When to go

Weekday mornings beat the weekend crowds on the shared path. In summer, walk early: the path heats up and the beach ban starts at 10am. More options are on the Victoria dog walks guide and the Sandringham destination page.