Dog friendly beaches in Kiama and 6 off-leash headlands

Check the dog rules before you head to the sand

Kiama Council's rule is simple: dogs are not allowed on beaches, sand or water, unless they are in a designated off-leash area. Three beaches have one (Bombo, Jones and Werri), and six headlands and reserves have grassy off-leash areas with sea views. Everywhere else, keep your dog on a leash.

Dogs must be registered, microchipped and wear a collar and tag with your current phone number. Signs mark the northern and southern limits of each beach zone, and the rules can change, so check the signs and the Council's off-leash page before you go.

Let your dog swim in the centre of Bombo Beach

Bombo is the long beach just north of Kiama, between Pheasant Point and Bombo Headland, and its centre section is the main off-leash beach in town. Kiama Council allows dogs off the leash and in the water there from sunrise to sunset every day. Signs on the sand mark where the zone starts and ends.

Council asks you to use the shortest route on and off the beach and to keep your dog leashed until you reach the zone. From the north, take the walking track beside the train tunnel entry at the northern car park. From the south, use the fenced walkway under the railway bridge from the Hothersal Street car park. There is a bin at the zone, plus bag dispensers.

Bombo is an open surf beach, so stay close to dogs that like to swim out past the shallows. Our Bombo Beach guide covers parking, patrols and the basalt quarry on the headland.

Swim off-leash at the southern end of Jones Beach

Jones Beach runs north from Cathedral Rocks at Kiama Downs, and Council has made its southern end an off-leash swimming area for dogs, from sunrise to sunset. Signs on the sand mark the northern and southern limits. The dunes and the rock platform are out of bounds, as is every other part of the beach.

You can only enter and leave through the beach access track about 70 metres south of 118 North Kiama Drive. Park in the southern Jones Beach car park, walk your dog on the leash to that track, then let them off once you are inside the zone. Council lists a dog watering station and bag dispensers here.

Council also asks that dogs do not bark constantly, bother other beach users or get left unattended. For more on the suburb and the sea stacks at this end of the beach, see Kiama Downs and Cathedral Rocks.

Head south to the off-leash centre of Werri Beach

Werri Beach at Gerringong is the third beach with an off-leash zone. Council's area runs roughly between Miller Street and Moore Street, off Pacific Avenue, and dogs can be off the leash there from sunrise to sunset. Dogs are not allowed anywhere else on Werri Beach, including the dunes.

There are four signed entrances between Moore Street and 63 Pacific Avenue, each marked with blue timber fencing. Keep your dog leashed on the way in and out. A bin and bag dispensers are provided.

Read our Werri Beach guide for patrols, parking and Werri Lagoon.

Try the agility park on Bombo Headland

Up on the headland above Bombo, the Bombo Headland off-leash and dog agility park is off Cliff Drive at Kiama Downs. It has agility equipment for dogs and views over Cathedral Rocks, Jones Beach, Minnamurra Headland and back to Kiama. Council lists a bin and bag dispensers, and dogs must be leashed outside the designated area.

It pairs well with a swim at Jones Beach, which is just below. Council does not publish set hours for the headland parks, so go in daylight and check the signs.

Walk to Kaleula Head above Kendalls Beach

Kaleula Head Reserve is one of two off-leash areas within walking distance of the apartments. Reach it from Gwinganna Avenue. It overlooks Kendalls Beach and has ocean views north to Kiama Lighthouse. There is a bin, plus bag dispensers.

Kendalls Beach itself is not an off-leash beach, so keep your dog up on the grass. Destination Kiama suggests walking the Kiama Coast Walk on a leash from Surf Beach to Kendalls, then giving your dog a run here at the end. Our Kiama Coast Walk guide has the route.

Start the day on Marsden Headland

Marsden Headland is the closest off-leash area to Kiama Ridge Waters, about a 20-minute walk (1.5 km). It sits between Easts Beach and the Little Blowhole, with access from Tingira Crescent, and looks over the length of Easts Beach. Council lists a bin and bag dispensers.

Easts Beach below is not an off-leash beach, so keep your dog on the headland. Time your walk with a north-east swell and you can see the Little Blowhole on the way. Dogs must be leashed on the walk from the apartments.

Give big dogs room on Minnamurra Headland

Minnamurra Headland sits between Jones Beach and the mouth of the Minnamurra River, at the end of Eureka Avenue, with Minnamurra Lookout to the north. Destination Kiama describes it as a large grassy area where dogs can roam. Council lists a bin and bag dispensers.

Do not let your dog wander down to the river. Council bans dogs from all Minnamurra River water areas and from the reserve between James Oates and Rangoon Reserves. Read more about the village in our Minnamurra guide.

Watch for whales from Gerringong Headland

Gerringong Headland is a large off-leash area off Tasman Drive, with Werri Beach Rock Pool to the north and Boat Harbour to the south. Council notes the whale watching platform here, and Destination Kiama says humpbacks with calves pass between May and November. It is a short drive or walk from the Werri Beach zone, so you can do both in one trip.

See our whale watching guide for the season, and Gerringong for the village.

Finish at Black Head Reserve in Gerroa

Black Head Reserve is on the headland at Gerroa, reached from Stafford Street or Headland Drive. Council promotes its views over Seven Mile Beach and the Pacific. Destination Kiama lists it as open 24 hours; Council's page does not state hours. There is a bin, plus bag dispensers.

This is the off-leash option if you are heading to Seven Mile Beach, because dogs are not allowed in Seven Mile Beach National Park. More on the town in our Gerroa guide.

Keep dogs off other beaches, rivers and national parks

Outside the zones above, Council's list of places where dogs are not allowed covers:

• All beaches, sand and water areas, unless signed as off-leash. That includes Kendalls, Easts, Surf Beach and the beaches by the harbour.
• Minnamurra River water areas, and the reserve between James Oates and Rangoon Reserves.
• Crooked River water and sand areas at Gerroa.
• Parks, apart from the footpaths around the outside edge.
• Within 10 metres of playground equipment, public barbecues and kiosks.
• Sports fields during organised games, public bathing areas, and shopping areas unless allowed.

NSW National Parks says dogs and other pets are not permitted in most NSW national parks and reserves. The two closest to Kiama, Seven Mile Beach National Park and Budderoo National Park (home of Minnamurra Rainforest), both say pets and domestic animals are not permitted, other than certified assistance animals. That includes the beach inside Seven Mile Beach National Park.

Council also finished a new fenced off-leash dog park in Jamberoo in April 2026, in the reserve between Churchill Street and Gibson Crescent. Council has not published opening hours for it yet, so check with Council if you plan a trip to Jamberoo.

Find a cafe that welcomes dogs

Destination Kiama says most cafes with outdoor seating welcome well-behaved dogs. Its dog-friendly itinerary names a few in Kiama:

• The Original Ice Creamery: serves a Doglato for dogs.
• Saltwater: fish and chips eaten outdoors with your dog beside you.
• KG on Terralong: outdoor seating with room for dogs.
• Slow Dough: dogs welcome outside.
• Stoic Brewery: dogs welcome in the outdoor beer garden.

Policies and hours change, so check with the venue before you go. For more places to eat, see our Kiama cafes guide.

Bring your dog to Kiama Ridge Waters

Your dog is welcome on request in every one of our three-bedroom apartments except 3-Bed Apartment with Study Nook, for a $200 cleaning fee. Each has a garage for two cars, so loading up sandy dogs and towels is easy. Marsden Headland is a 20-minute walk away, the Bombo Beach off-leash area is about 5 minutes by car (4.6 km), and Werri is about 8 minutes.

Read the details and book on our pet-friendly stay page, or check the house rules before you arrive.