Gadigal Reserve

Gadigal Reserve, still often spelled Cadigal, is a narrow green strip of the Inner West GreenWay at 1 Grosvenor Crescent, Summer Hill, on the Lewisham border. The draw is a fenced off-lead dog area joined to a leafy on-lead path.

Leads and the off-lead area

Inner West Council allows dogs off lead inside the fenced dog area near the Lewisham West light rail end. Everywhere else in the reserve, and on the connecting shared paths, dogs must be on lead.

The walk

The surface changes as you go, from paved sections and raised shared paths to dirt and rocky ground. Native plantings line the corridor, with canal crossings and the light rail close by.

The old cast-iron sewer pipe crossing from the 1890s and the Long Cove Creek mural give it an industrial-meets-nature feel. Established trees give patchy shade.

Getting there

Street parking is limited on Grosvenor Crescent and nearby streets, so the light rail is the easy option. Bins sit along the paths and at the entrances.

Water is not reliable inside the reserve, so bring a bottle for the dog.

Make a day of it

Follow it with a coffee at The Granary Cafe Summer Hill, or a slower lap of Darrell Jackson Gardens.

When to go

The shared paths carry cyclists, so keep the lead short outside the fence. It suits city dogs that want a short run and a sniff in one outing.