Wolli Creek Walking Track

Wolli Creek Walking Track runs through Wolli Creek Regional Park, starting near Waterworth Park in Tempe and finishing up near Bexley North, threading bushland between suburban train lines for its whole length. It is rated easy and takes most walkers around two to two and a half hours one way. What makes it special for dog owners is the paperwork: this is NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service land, and dogs are normally banned on NPWS tracks. Here they are welcome, on lead.

The dog setup

This is a one-way route rather than a loop, mostly natural bush trail with mangrove forest and sandstone cliff views, linked by some paved paths and suburban footpaths. Expect a few uneven, rocky stretches and some steps. The surface does not suit wheelchairs or strollers, and it rewards an agile dog with shade, creek air and more birdlife than the suburbs usually offer. Most walkers do it in sections between train stations, which turns the one-way problem into a feature.

Leash status

Dogs must stay on lead at all times. NPWS confirms on-lead dogs are permitted here as a regional park exception, and the leash rule has a specific reason: a large grey-headed flying-fox colony camps near Turrella, best seen at dusk. Keep dogs on lead and stick to the designated track rather than cutting through the undergrowth, for the bushland's sake as much as the rulebook's.

Water, terrain and hazards

Snakes turn up in the bushland sections, so keep an eye on where your dog is sniffing, particularly in the bushier stretches near Turrella. Parts of the track get muddy and slippery after heavy rain, particularly near the creek itself. There is no dog water on the track, so carry what you need between stations.

Max: Keep the lead short through the bush near Turrella. Snake season and a busy nose are a bad combination.

Getting there and parking

Tempe Station or Bardwell Park Station both make good starting points, and Bexley North Station closes the other end, so the train does the shuttle work for a one-way walk. Street parking near Waterworth Park serves the Tempe end, though it fills on weekends. This is a public transport friendly walk, which is rare for a bush track inside Sydney.

When to go

Weekday mornings are quietest, and dusk is the time for the flying-fox flyout if you finish near Turrella. The track holds its character in winter, and in summer the canopy keeps most of it workable. After heavy rain expect mud near the creek.

While you are out there

At the Tempe end, Cooks River Cycleway and the Cooks River Short Loop extend the walk along the water, and Tempe Dog Park sits on the same reserve. At the Wolli Creek end, Cahill Park Fenced Dog Park is the closest secure off-lead ground, with Where's Wolli Cafe nearby. More walks are collected in the New South Wales trails guide, and the suburb is on the Tempe destinations page.