Norah Head Lighthouse Loop
On leash to the lighthouse and along the nature trail, with great winter whale spotting. Dogs cannot go down the stairs to the beach.
Good Architect · Bushwalks
Dog Bushwalks
The Central Coast has many dog beaches and a few reserves and State Forest areas where you can enjoy a beautiful walk with your dog. About every second beach is dog friendly, so we are pretty lucky.
The map above shows which beaches and reserves are dog friendly. Each walk also has its own map so you can check that you are in an off leash zone, since it is sometimes hard to tell at the beach.
The walks below mix off leash beaches and on leash trails. We have noted which is which on each walk.
We also have a guide to Wildflowers on the Central Coast because there are so many stunning flowers in the bush here.
The walks
Best dog walks on the Central Coast
- 1.5kmNorah Head Lighthouse Loop
- 1.2kmNorth Shelly Beach Dog Walk (1.2km) Return
- 1kmNorth Entrance Beach Dog Walk (1km) Return
- 0.6kmNorth Avoca Dog Walk (0.6km) Return
- 2.3kmStrickland Arboretum Loop
- 2.3kmStrickland Cabbage Tree Track
- 1kmSouth Umina Dog Walk (1km) Return
- 0.8kmPearl Beach Dog Walk (0.8km) Return
- 0.6kmPatonga Beach Dog Walk
- 1.6kmEttalong Beach Dog Walk (1.6km) Return
- 3kmWamberal Beach Dog Walk (3km) Return
- 0.6kmForresters Beach Dog Walk (0.6km) Return
- 3.5kmAvondale Dairy Boys Circuit
- 4kmTunnel Trail Dog Walk (4km) Return
- 1.6kmChittaway Bay Dog Walk
- 1.2kmHardys Bay Foreshore Dog Walk (1.2km) Return
- 8kmMt Alison Firetrail Dog Walk
- 2.2kmWyoming Dog Walk (2.2km) Return
1.2km
North Shelly Beach Dog Walk (1.2km) Return
Off leash beach walk along the surf at North Shelly.
1km
North Entrance Beach Dog Walk (1km) Return
Off leash stretch of beach at The Entrance North.
0.6km
North Avoca Dog Walk (0.6km) Return
Short off leash beach loop, easy for a quick walk.
2.3km
Strickland Arboretum Loop
On leash loop through cool rainforest at Strickland.
2.3km
Strickland Cabbage Tree Track
On leash track through the cabbage tree palms.
1km
South Umina Dog Walk (1km) Return
Off leash beach walk on the southern end of Umina.
0.8km
Pearl Beach Dog Walk (0.8km) Return
Off leash sheltered beach at Pearl Beach.
0.6km
Patonga Beach Dog Walk
Off leash beach with calm water at Patonga.
1.6km
Ettalong Beach Dog Walk (1.6km) Return
Off leash stretch at Ettalong, lovely at low tide.
3km
Wamberal Beach Dog Walk (3km) Return
Long off leash beach run along Wamberal.
0.6km
Forresters Beach Dog Walk (0.6km) Return
Quiet off leash cove at Forresters.
3.5km
Avondale Dairy Boys Circuit
On leash circuit through old dairy land at Avondale.
4km
Tunnel Trail Dog Walk (4km) Return
On leash trail to an old railway tunnel.
1.6km
Chittaway Bay Dog Walk
On leash flat foreshore walk at Chittaway.
1.2km
Hardys Bay Foreshore Dog Walk (1.2km) Return
On leash foreshore walk with bay views.
8km
Mt Alison Firetrail Dog Walk
On leash firetrail with a long ridgeline walk.
2.2km
Wyoming Dog Walk (2.2km) Return
On leash reserve walk near Wyoming.
More walks by distance
Under 1km
Under 4km
Norah Head Lighthouse Loop (1.5km)Mt Penang Parklands Dog Walk (1km Loop)Copacabana Beach Dog Walk (1.2km)Hardys Bay Foreshore Dog Walk (1.2km)North Shelly Beach Dog Walk (1.2km)Ettalong Beach Dog Walk (1.6km)Chittaway Point Dog Walk (1.6km)Wyoming Dog Walk (2.2km)Strickland Arboretum (2.3km)Budgewoi Beach Dog Walk (2.4km)Avondale Sandy Creek Circuit (2.4km)Avondale Dairy Girls Circuit (2.5km)Point Clare Water Walk (3km)North Avoca Lake Explorer (3.3km)Avondale Dairy Boys Circuit (3.5km)
These walks are on Darkinung country. Good Architect acknowledges the Darkinung people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and we pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging. Darkinjung Land Council.
The book
33 dog walks in the book
A Cornucopia of Central Coast Walks has a dog section with 33 walks your dog can come on, from the beaches at Forresters, Pearl Beach and Patonga to the trails at Strickland and Mt Alison. Each one has a map and numbered directions.
See the book
A picture book
A picture book for little walkers
The Bush Wee is my read aloud picture book for children aged 2 to 7. A little explorer sets off on a big walk in the Central Coast bush, then realises there is no toilet anywhere nearby. Along the way it teaches real bush skills, like which soft leaves make good toilet paper.
See the picture book