Best Dog Beaches On The Gold Coast & Beyond
Marshall is my dog (he’s a Groodle mix)—him and I have been livin’ that beach life since late 2019 when we moved to the coast from Melbourne!
He’s four years old and he loooves the beach and loves to run around with other dogs, so we go to off-leash areas a lot.
Below are some of my favourite off-leash dog beaches on the Gold Coast and beyond. Take them with a grain of salt! While your dog may be okay around other dogs, always be mindful that some people aren’t always as responsible about their dogs, so we’ve had a few close encounters at some of these. 😅
The Spit Dog Beach
Southport, QLD
I don’t go to Southport a lot, just ‘cause it’s a bit out of the way for me, but The Spit is really nice! Lots of space to run around and good views, so if you’re in that area, defs recommend.
Palm Beach Dog Beach (Southern End - Dune Cafe)
Palm Beach, QLD
There are two dog beaches at Palm Beach—one at the Northern end where Custard Canteen is, closer to Talle. And the one I’m talking about here is at the Southern end, at Currumbin Creek, where Dune Cafe is.
I don’t mind the Talle one, it just doesn’t have as much space and parking around there can be a bit of a nightmare when it’s busy. I much prefer the Southern End—the off-leash area is much more expansive. You get the beach end and the creek end, so there’s plenty of space for your pup to run around and go for a swim.
Just be mindful on weekends, it gets pretty busy, and some dogs get overwhelmed when there’s so much going on! Always keep an eye on your pup and how they interact with other dogs.
Pizzey Park Beach
Mermaid Waters, QLD
**HEADS UP** I love Pizzey, it’s really pretty, but this is honestly where I’ve had the most iffy dog encounters out of all these spots. Lots of weirdly aggressive cattle dogs in the evening, so I recommend skipping the dog beach if it’s too busy and just having a nice lap around the park!
It’s a really nice and tranquil walk, the views around the lake are very pretty and there are a lot of ducks, swans, and other wildlife around (I see flying fish there all the time!)
South Fingal Head/Kingscliff Beach
Kingscliff, NSW
We’re moving onto Northern NSW—this dog beach is closer to Fingal and you can access it from Murphys Road Kingscliff. Just drive to the end of the road, “to a point 0.5km south of the beach access point.”
It’s a gorgeous beach and it’s generally pretty quiet, so you can have a nice long walk with amazing views.
Kingscliff Dog Beach
Kingscliff, NSW
Marshall at Kingscliff dog beach!
This one’s right off Kingscliff creek—it’s a massive beach, with really nice views as well. I’ve had a mixed bag of dog encounters here. Sometimes it’s fine, sometimes it’s a bit busy, it really depends. Always keep an eye out and keep your leash nearby!
Cabarita Dog Beach
Cabarita, NSW
Caba is by far my favourite dog beach of all time. When I lived in Casuarina it was my go-to—would grab a coffee in the mornings and just sit there all day.
The walk is really nice and generally the dogs are pretty good. Again, just be mindful during school holidays and busy periods.
**HEADS UP** Horse riding is allowed at Caba (just not on the headland). So if your dog likes to chase horses (like mine does! -_-), always make sure to bring your dog on lead first, scan the beach for horses, and then take them off lead accordingly!
Hope this was helpful!
