Dog-Friendly Central Coast: Off-Leash Beaches And Cafes From Daleys Point
Daleys Point sits right on the edge of Bouddi National Park. That is wonderful for people, but dogs are not allowed in the park. The good news is that the southern Central Coast has plenty of council off-leash sand within about 15 minutes: Killcare on the ocean side, Ettalong and Umina on the bay side, and Pearl Beach and Patonga a little further on. This guide covers where your dog can run, where it has to stay on the lead, where you can eat together, and the spring hazards worth knowing before you arrive.
Key Takeaway
Dogs are banned from Bouddi and Brisbane Water national parks, including the bushland behind Daleys Point. They are welcome on the lead in most other public places, and off the lead only in signed off-leash areas. The closest off-leash beaches to Daleys Point are Killcare (access from the Beach Drive car park), Ettalong and Umina. There is also a fenced dog park at Ettalong.
Before The Dog Hits The Sand
Three checks save most of the problems visiting dog owners run into here.
1Read the sign: Off-leash boundaries are signed at each beach access and some have moved in recent years.
2Stay out of the park: No dogs in Bouddi National Park, even on a lead, and baiting programs run there.
3Check for ticks: Spring is peak paralysis tick season on the Central Coast. Search the coat every day.
Three Easy Dog Days
Most dog-friendly stays here come down to three kinds of outing.
1Bay morning: A calm run on the bay side at Ettalong or Umina, then coffee near the Esplanade.
2Ocean afternoon: The Killcare off-leash stretch, with a stop at Hardys Bay on the way home.
3Village day: Pearl Beach or Patonga for a quieter off-leash beach and a waterfront lunch.
Why Daleys Point Works For A Holiday With Your Dog
Daleys Point is a small, leafy suburb on the eastern shore of Brisbane Water. The bay is in front of it and the bushland of Bouddi National Park is behind. The Rip Bridge links it to Booker Bay and Ettalong, which puts the bay-side beaches of the Woy Woy Peninsula a short drive away. Killcare, Hardys Bay and the ocean beaches of the Bouddi Peninsula are just as close in the other direction.
For a dog owner, that location gives you two sets of beaches to choose from. On the bay side, Ettalong and Umina usually have calmer water and a long foreshore path. On the ocean side, the Killcare off-leash stretch gets real surf and has more room to run. Pearl Beach and Patonga, a little further south-west, are village beaches with their own off-leash sections.
The catch is the national park. The bushland right behind the house, the Bouddi Coastal Walk and Maitland Bay are all off-limits to dogs. That means a dog-friendly stay here is organised a little differently from a bush-walking one. People take the park walks in turns and the dog gets the council beaches and foreshores. Our pet-friendly Daleys Point stay sits right on that line, so knowing the rules before you arrive makes the whole trip easier.
The house is between the park and the bay. The park is for people and the bay-side beaches are where the dog can run.
The Dog Rules That Apply Everywhere In NSW
Central Coast Council's revised draft Dogs in Open Space Action Plan (exhibited in September 2023) summarises the NSW Companion Animals Act rules that apply in every public place. These are the ones visitors most often forget:
Lead by default
In a public place a dog must be on a lead held by, or secured to, a competent person aged 16 or over. The only exception is a designated off-leash area.
Collar and ID
Your dog must wear a collar that shows its name and the owner's contact details.
Pick up straight away
Owners must pick up dog litter in a public place immediately.
Playgrounds and limits
No dogs within 10 metres of play equipment, and one person can be in charge of no more than four dogs in a public place at a time.
Inside an off-leash area, your dog still has to be under effective control. The council's earlier draft plan, as reported locally, described this as staying within 100 metres of you, within clear sight, and not rushing at other dogs or people. In practice, your dog needs to come back when called. If it won't, keep it on a long lead on busy beaches.
These rules and the council's off-leash list can change. Before you go, check Central Coast Council's dog parks, beaches and off-leash locations page, and treat the signs at each beach as the final word.
Bouddi National Park: The Big No, Right Behind The House
NSW National Parks says pets and domestic animals, other than certified assistance animals, are not allowed in Bouddi National Park. Brisbane Water National Park, on the other side of the waterway around Patonga and Pearl Beach, follows the same rule. Council's action plan also lists national parks, and the Coastal Open Space System reserves it manages for conservation, as places where dogs are prohibited.
The listing describes direct access to Bouddi National Park bushland, so the stroll out the back is not a dog walk, even on a lead. The Daleys Point walking track, the Bouddi Coastal Walk, Maitland Bay, Box Head and the Putty Beach picnic areas are all for people only.
There is also a safety reason to take this seriously. NPWS runs fox control using 1080 baits, and 1080 is lethal to dogs and cats. In September 2026 the park's alerts page listed a ground-baiting program from 5 to 25 September at the Box Head track, the Flannel Flower walking track, and the Little Beach and Tallow Beach campgrounds. Programs like this come around again, so check the Bouddi local alerts page before you arrive. If your dog picks up anything unusual on a walk, call a vet straight away.
How dog owners do BouddiSplit the group. One or two people walk the Coastal Walk or Maitland Bay in the morning while the others take the dog to Killcare or Ettalong, then swap in the afternoon. That way nobody misses the park and the dog is never left alone in the house.
Killcare Off-Leash Beach: The Ocean Run, And The Car Park To Use
The closest ocean off-leash sand to Daleys Point is the stretch between Killcare and Putty beaches, about 11 minutes' drive away. Visit NSW describes it as a stretch of dog-friendly sand between Putty and Killcare beaches, with bigger waves than the bay side. Council's list names the site Putty Beach Road Reserve, Killcare Heights.
Getting in is the part that catches visitors out. Council's revised draft action plan says the only access to the Killcare Beach off-leash area is from the north-east end of the Beach Drive car park. Many people park on Putty Beach Road instead, but the connecting path from there runs through a national park buffer zone where dogs are prohibited. So park on Beach Drive, head to the north-east corner and follow the off-leash signs.
This is a proper surf beach. Keep the dog out of the water when the surf is up, watch for rips, and rinse off salt and sand afterwards. Killcare Beach is patrolled in the warmer months. In Central Coast Council's 2025-26 season, patrols started on Saturday 27 September 2025. Keep the dog well away from the flagged swimming area and inside the signed off-leash boundary. The 2026-27 patrol dates had not been confirmed when we checked, so look for them on council's beaches page.
Killcare in one linePark on Beach Drive, walk the dog to the north-east end, stay inside the signs and keep off the Putty Beach Road path and the national park end of the beach.
Ettalong: Bay Beach, Foreshore Path And A Fenced Dog Park
Ettalong is the easiest dog outing from Daleys Point: about five minutes over the Rip Bridge. Council's off-leash list includes Ettalong Beach off The Esplanade and a separate fenced off-leash area at the corner of Maitland Bay Drive and Pacific Parade. Council's plan says all six of its fenced dog parks, Ettalong included, will stay fenced.
Read the signs on the beach carefully. Dogs are allowed on part of Ettalong Beach but not all of it, and council has changed the signs in recent years. A 2023 community petition, published in council's consultation report, asked council to remove newly installed signs banning dogs from part of the beach. Local guides describe the boundaries in different ways, so we have not given street-by-street limits. Go by the signs at the access point you use.
Away from the sand, The Esplanade shared path runs along the foreshore between Ettalong, Ocean Beach and Umina. Love Central Coast lists it as a dog walk, and it makes a good on-lead morning walk with the dog.
Umina Beach: The Long Off-Leash Stretch
Umina Beach, about eight minutes' drive from Daleys Point, is the Peninsula's best-known dog beach. Council's list includes the Umina Beach off-leash area off The Esplanade. Its revised draft plan says outright that it does not propose any changes to Umina Off Leash Beach.
Visit NSW places the off-leash area near the NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, reached from around the Umina Surf Life Saving Club. Other local guides describe the boundaries in different ways, so look for the signs at the access track. The water here is generally gentler than at Killcare, which makes it a good pick for younger dogs, older dogs and swimmers still finding their feet.
For a coffee afterwards, the Pupsy dog guide lists the Jasmine Green Park kiosk right next to the dog beach. Trading hours change with the season, so check before you go.
If the dog is young, old or new to the beach, start at Umina or the Ettalong fenced park and save Killcare's surf for later in the trip.
Pearl Beach And Patonga: The Quieter Village Beaches
Pearl Beach, about 15 minutes' drive from Daleys Point, is a small village beach with an off-leash section off Agate Avenue on council's list. Coasties Mag and iCentralCoast both place the off-leash stretch at the northern end, from around the Agate Avenue car park. Love Central Coast warns that the waves can be bigger at the northern end. Council lists the Crommelin Native Arboretum at Pearl Beach as a dog-prohibited area, so skip it if the dog is with you.
Patonga, about 18 minutes away at the end of Patonga Drive, is on council's list as an off-leash beach off Bay Street. Pupsy and Coasties Mag both describe the dog-friendly section as running between Brisk Street and Jacaranda Avenue. Love Central Coast notes that the water is usually calmer here. Visit NSW describes the deck at The Boathouse Patonga as dog-friendly, with a kiosk and a restaurant.
Quick Local Stops For Morning And Evening Walks
You won't want to drive to the beach every time the dog needs a stretch. Council's off-leash list includes several smaller reserves close to Daleys Point:
Empire Bay
Sorrento Road Reserve, Sorrento Road. Empire Bay is about five minutes' drive from Daleys Point, which makes this the handiest spot for a quick early run.
Pretty Beach
Araluen Drive Road Reserve. Araluen Drive runs along the bay through Pretty Beach and Hardys Bay, about 13 minutes' drive away, so this pairs well with a Hardys Bay coffee.
Woy Woy
Dulkara Road Reserve and North Burge Road Reserve. Useful if you are in Woy Woy for groceries, the train or lunch, about eight minutes away.
Davistown
Illoura Reserve, called Pippi Point by locals. Council has proposed shrinking this off-leash area to protect shorebirds, and adding a new one at Davistown Memorial Oval.
Pippi Point is worth a closer look before you go. Council's 2023 ecological assessment found habitat there for the critically endangered Eastern Curlew, the endangered Bush Stone-Curlew and the endangered Pied Oystercatcher. Council has proposed reducing the off-leash area and expanding the Davistown Conservation Area next to it, where dogs are already banned. Check council's current page before you go, keep to the signed area and give shorebirds a wide berth on every beach.
Eating Out With The Dog: Cafes, Pubs And Takeaway
Carinya's house rules ask guests not to leave pets locked up inside while the house is unattended. That makes dog-friendly meals out a real part of the plan. Most seat dogs outdoors only, so bring a lead, a water bowl and a towel for the dog to lie on. Dog policies can change, so call ahead if a venue matters to your day.
Ettalong
Visit NSW lists The Box on the Water, a waterfront seafood restaurant, as having terrace seating where dogs are welcome. Pupsy lists Lords of Pour, a block from the beach, as dog-friendly.
Woy Woy
Link and Pin at 18a Railway Street is a live-music cafe and beer garden. Visit NSW says dogs are allowed in the rear courtyard. Its website lists Wednesday to Sunday trading. Woy Woy Fishermen's Wharf does takeaway fish and chips with waterfront benches close by.
Killcare And Hardys Bay
Pupsy lists Hardys Bistro at 54 Araluen Drive as dog-friendly outdoors, with water bowls and a covered patio. Hardys Bay Club at 14 Heath Road is a volunteer-run community club, listing Thursday to Sunday hours. Ask about dogs when you book.
Patonga, Kincumber And Gosford
Visit NSW describes The Boathouse Patonga deck as dog-friendly and Bay Road Brewing in Gosford as completely dog-friendly. Pupsy lists Block 'n' Tackle brewery in Kincumber as allowing leashed dogs inside.
One closure to know about: Visit NSW and several dog guides still list Impact Plants Cafe at Empire Bay, the closest dog-friendly cafe to Daleys Point. Its own website says the cafe closed for renovations from 18 August 2026, with the reopening date to be announced. The nursery was still listing daily hours. Check before you go.
Carinya has a full kitchen, a De'Longhi coffee machine and a barbecue on the balcony, so it can make sense to eat most meals at home with the dog. Save meals out for a waterfront lunch or a relaxed afternoon at a brewery.
Taking The Dog On The Palm Beach Ferry
The Palm Beach ferry links Ettalong and Wagstaffe with Palm Beach on Sydney's northern beaches. It is a lovely way to spend a day on the water, but check the dog rules first. Palm Beach Ferries' animals and pets policy says dogs are allowed, but they must be kept in a suitable box, basket or other container for the whole trip. Animals that are not clean, seem aggressive or are likely to annoy other passengers can be refused, and the crew can say no when the ferry is full. Accredited assistance animals do not need to be contained.
The operator gives trip times of about 20 minutes from Palm Beach to Wagstaffe, 10 minutes from Wagstaffe to Ettalong and 25 minutes from Ettalong to Palm Beach. In practice, a crate works for small dogs. For larger dogs, the ferry day is usually a people-only outing while someone else stays with the dog on the peninsula side.
Further Afield: Forest Walks And More Off-Leash Beaches
Everything above is within about 20 minutes of Daleys Point. If you have a spare day, these are worth the extra drive:
Strickland State Forest, Somersby (about 35 minutes). Forestry Corporation of NSW lists dogs as allowed. The forest is gated and open for day use from dawn to dusk, with picnic shelters, tables and toilets, and six short tracks from 1 km to 2.3 km, including the easy Arboretum and Bellbird tracks. Keep the dog on a lead on shared tracks and check Forestry Corporation's closures page before you go.
Kincumber to Saratoga pathway. Love Central Coast recommends the shared path past the Kincumber and Saratoga waterways and wetlands as an on-lead dog walk. Council lists the Saratoga Conservation Area as dog-prohibited, so stay on the path and follow the signs.
Avoca, Copacabana and Wamberal. Council's list includes off-leash sand at North Avoca Beach (View Street), Copacabana and MacMasters lagoon (Marine Parade) and Wamberal Beach.
Spring Hazards: Ticks, Heat And After-Hours Help
Paralysis ticks. Terrigal Vet calls the paralysis tick a major problem for cats and dogs on the Central Coast. Ticks are around all year, but numbers peak from early spring to late summer when it is warm and wet. RSPCA NSW advises using a vet-approved tick preventative, searching your pet's skin and coat thoroughly at least once a day, and avoiding bush and scrub during tick season. The house backs onto bushland, so check your dog every evening, even if it has only been in the garden.
Signs to watch for, according to RSPCA NSW and Terrigal Vet: a change in the bark, wobbly back legs, vomiting or gagging, and slow or laboured breathing, often with a grunt. Terrigal Vet notes that signs usually appear three to four days after the tick attaches. RSPCA NSW says to remove any tick you find straight away, keep the dog calm and contact a vet immediately rather than waiting until morning.
Heat and cars. Spring days on the coast can turn warm quickly. Never leave a dog in a parked car, carry water on every outing and plan beach runs for the cooler morning and late afternoon.
After-hours vet. SASH Central Coast at 2 Bounty Close, Tuggerah, lists itself as a 24-hour emergency animal hospital open 365 days a year, phone (02) 4311 1311. It is roughly 40 minutes' drive from Daleys Point. Save the number in your phone on arrival, and look up the nearest daytime clinic on the peninsula too.
The two-minute evening checkRun your fingers slowly over the head, ears, neck, under the collar, between the toes and along the chest and belly. Then check the legs, tail and everywhere else. If you find a tick, call a vet for advice.
Why Carinya Coastal Escapes Suits A Holiday With Your Dog
Carinya Coastal Escapes is a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house at Daleys Point that sleeps up to 10. The listing welcomes up to two pets, by approval. It looks west over Brisbane Water towards Ettalong and Booker Bay, which puts the bay-side dog beaches just across the water and about five minutes away by car. Ocean Beach at Umina is listed at about nine minutes.
The balcony is where a dog-friendly stay mostly happens. The listing describes a private water-view balcony with a four-burner barbecue and outdoor dining for 10. That means an easy dinner at home after a beach afternoon, with the dog settled nearby and nobody rushing off to a restaurant. The kitchen has a dishwasher, oven, cooktop, a Thermomix and a De'Longhi coffee machine. The laundry has a washer, dryer and full-size sink, which comes in handy for sandy towels and beds.
The house rules for pets are simple and worth reading before you book. Keep pets off bedding and furniture, don't leave them locked up inside while the property is unattended, and clean up after them before you leave.
A few practical points: the home is spread over several levels, with stairs between the top, middle and bottom floors and another staircase down to the garage. Older dogs, or those that struggle with stairs, may need a hand. There is on-site parking for three cars. The listing doesn't say the grounds are fenced, so ask when you enquire rather than assuming your dog can roam the garden. With Bouddi bushland right behind the house, keep the dog on a lead outside unless you have confirmed otherwise.
About this stay
Where Carinya Coastal Escapes fits a trip with your dog
Carinya Coastal Escapes sleeps up to 10 across four bedrooms and welcomes up to two pets by approval. The bay-side dog beaches at Ettalong are about five minutes away over the Rip Bridge, and the Killcare off-leash stretch is about 11.
A water-view balcony with a four-burner barbecue and outdoor dining for 10 makes dinners at home with the dog easy. The laundry sink handles sandy towels. Read the pet house rules before booking, and remember the Bouddi bushland behind the house is off-limits to dogs.
How A Group With Dogs Can Share The House And The Days
With room for 10 people and up to two approved pets, the house suits a family or two friendship groups travelling with one or two dogs. The easiest way to run it is a daily "dog roster": someone is always on dog duty, and everyone else is free for the national park, the ferry or a long lunch somewhere that doesn't take dogs.
The upstairs retreat with its daybed, desk and water views works well as a quiet corner for whoever is staying in with the dog during the heat of the day.
Use the laundry sink for rinsing sandy paws and leads before you come back inside, so sand stays out of the living areas.
A Relaxed Three-Day Dog-Friendly Plan From Daleys Point
Day One: Arrive, Settle And Try The Fenced Park
Check in, walk the dog on the lead around the street to settle it, and find the tick-check spot and the towel pile. In the late afternoon, drive five minutes to the Ettalong fenced off-leash area for a safe first run. Walk the Esplanade on the lead, then come home for a balcony barbecue at sunset.
Day Two: Bay Beach Morning, National Park Afternoon
Start at Umina's off-leash beach while it is cool. Stop for coffee near the beach, then head home. In the afternoon, the humans take turns: one group walks the Bouddi Coastal Walk or Maitland Bay while the others stay with the dog or visit a dog-friendly cafe in Ettalong or Woy Woy.
Day Three: Killcare Surf And Hardys Bay
Park on Beach Drive and walk to the Killcare off-leash stretch at the north-east end. Rinse off, then drive around to Hardys Bay and Pretty Beach for lunch. If you have another day, swap in Pearl Beach or Patonga, or head up to Strickland State Forest for a shady walk.
The NSW spring school holidays run from Monday 28 September to Friday 9 October 2026 (Eastern division), and the Labour Day long weekend is 3 to 5 October. Beaches and car parks will be busier then, so go early. From mid-October the peninsula quietens down again.
What To Pack For A Dog-Friendly Central Coast Stay
For the dog: collar with an ID tag showing your mobile number, lead plus a long line for recall practice, the dog's own bed and a throw for the car, bowls, food for the whole stay, treats, a tick preventative that is up to date, a tick remover and plenty of poo bags.
For the beach: a collapsible water bowl, fresh water, two old towels, a shade shelter or umbrella, and a spare lead for the car.
Paperwork: save your vet's number, the SASH Central Coast number and a photo of the dog's vaccination record on your phone.
Plan Your Dog-Friendly Stay At Daleys Point
If you want bay-side and ocean beaches within about 15 minutes, national park walks for the humans and a house where the dog is welcome, Daleys Point is a great base. See the full details, the pet house rules and availability on the Carinya Coastal Escapes listing. To compare dates and other properties, visit WTP Holiday Homes. For more on the area, including the Bouddi walks and this spring's events, browse our holiday home guides.
FAQs About Visiting The Central Coast With A Dog
Where can dogs go off-leash near Daleys Point?
The closest off-leash beaches are Ettalong (about five minutes), Umina (about eight minutes) and the Killcare stretch towards Putty Beach (about 11 minutes). There is also a fenced dog park at Ettalong, at the corner of Maitland Bay Drive and Pacific Parade. Council's list also includes reserves at Empire Bay, Pretty Beach and Woy Woy. Always check the signs and council's current off-leash page.
Are dogs allowed in Bouddi National Park?
No. NSW National Parks says pets and domestic animals, other than certified assistance animals, are not allowed in Bouddi National Park. That covers the Bouddi Coastal Walk, Maitland Bay, Box Head and the Daleys Point walking track. Brisbane Water National Park has the same rule.
How do you get onto the Killcare off-leash beach with a dog?
Council's revised draft action plan says the only access is from the north-east end of the Beach Drive car park in Killcare. The path from the Putty Beach Road car park runs through a national park buffer zone where dogs are prohibited.
Is Ettalong Beach dog-friendly?
Partly. Council's list includes an off-leash area at Ettalong Beach off The Esplanade, plus a separate fenced off-leash area. Part of the beach is signed as dog-prohibited, and the signs have changed in recent years, so follow the signs at each access point.
Are there time restrictions on Central Coast dog beaches in summer?
Council's 2022 draft plan proposed limiting summer beach access for dogs to early mornings and evenings. The revised draft plan dropped that proposal, and council's engagement page says off-leash beach access is not limited by time of day or season. Check council's current page before you go in case anything has changed.
Can dogs go on the Palm Beach ferry from Ettalong?
Yes, but Palm Beach Ferries' policy says they must be restrained in a suitable box, basket or other container for the whole trip. The crew can refuse an animal. Accredited assistance animals don't need to be contained.
When is paralysis tick season on the Central Coast?
Terrigal Vet says paralysis ticks occur year-round but peak from early spring to late summer when it is warm and wet. RSPCA NSW recommends tick prevention, a thorough daily check and contacting a vet immediately if you notice symptoms.
Where is the nearest 24-hour emergency vet?
SASH Central Coast at 2 Bounty Close, Tuggerah, lists itself as open 24 hours, 365 days a year, phone (02) 4311 1311. It is about 40 minutes' drive from Daleys Point.
How many pets can stay at Carinya Coastal Escapes?
The listing welcomes up to two pets, by approval. Guests are asked to keep pets off bedding and furniture, not to leave them locked up inside while the property is unattended, and to clean up after them before they leave.
Is the garden at Carinya Coastal Escapes fenced for dogs?
The listing does not say the grounds are fenced, so ask when you enquire. The house also backs onto Bouddi National Park bushland, where dogs are not allowed, so keep your dog on a lead outside unless the host has confirmed otherwise.
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