NearMeDog-friendly places in Baulkham Hills
Last updatedIn Baulkham Hills, the best dog day out is a fenced run at Balcombe Heights Estate, then breakfast at Second Home Cafe, a 9-minute walk away, on a weekend. Second Home closes at 3pm, and dogs sit outside there, so arrive before lunchtime. Most other parks in Baulkham Hills are on-lead, so check the rules before letting a dog off.
A day with your dog in Baulkham Hills
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| Weekdays, 6am to 3pm | Second Home Cafe opens at 6am on weekdays and closes at 3pm, so an early coffee with a dog fits before lunch. |
| Saturdays and Sundays, 7am to 3pm | Second Home Cafe opens at 7am at weekends, so a run at Balcombe Heights Estate followed by breakfast fits the morning. |
| Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 10pm | Baulkham Hills Muffin Break is open from 10am and closes at 10pm, with dogs welcome outside only. |
| Friday and Saturday, 10am to 11pm | Baulkham Hills Muffin Break stays open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, so dinner after a late run is possible. |
| Every day, 4pm to 7pm | The unfenced off-leash area at Parraweena Reserve is open to dogs from 4pm to 7pm daily. |
Weekends in Baulkham Hills: a big run at Balcombe Heights Estate, then breakfast
Balcombe Heights Estate has a fully fenced off-leash dog area on a 16.55-hectare site, so start there and let the dog run before food. The park also has two large sporting fields, a skate park and walking paths, and dogs can be walked or ridden along the separate dog paths beyond the enclosure.
Plan around 1.5 hours for the visit. After a 9-minute walk, Second Home Cafe on Arthur Street is open from 7am at weekends and closes at 3pm. It is a cosy, homely neighbourhood cafe with outdoor seating, and dogs are welcome outside only. Regulars praise the friendly, attentive service, and the French toast and hash breakfast with chorizo are the dishes to order.
For a weekday with a dog, the next plan starts on the bush track instead.
Bush walks with a dog in Baulkham Hills: Excelsior Reserve, then lunch
Excelsior Reserve is the suburb's bush option. The Stevensons Creek track is a medium-grade return walk of 3.3 km, taking about two hours from the corner of Willow Drive and Cook Street. It passes creek valleys and sandstone heathland, so a dog gets different ground from the grassy parks elsewhere in Baulkham Hills. Dogs are permitted on the walk, and toilets are available.
Walk 12 minutes to Baulkham Hills Muffin Break on Windsor Road for lunch. It is a casual Lebanese-style bakehouse and pizza shop, known for manoosh and for pizza with the gluten-free base. Dogs are welcome outside only, so the dog waits outside with you.
The rules below set out which parks let a dog off the lead, and where it must stay on one.
Dog rules in Baulkham Hills: where dogs can't go
Most parks in Baulkham Hills are leashed. Christopher Street Reserve, Ted Horwood Reserve, Richill Park, Sirius Reserve and Harvey Murray Park all require dogs on a lead, and at Ted Horwood Reserve dogs must also stay clear of the playgrounds and sports fields. Under the Companion Animals Act, dogs must stay at least 10 metres from playground equipment, barbecues and food areas, as at Solar Avenue Reserve.
Off-leash runs are at Balcombe Heights Estate, Crestwood Reserve and Gallery Gardens, which are fenced, and at Parraweena Reserve, which is unfenced and open from 4pm to 7pm daily. Handlers must be over 16, control dogs by voice, and bring no more than four dogs. Restricted breeds and dogs declared dangerous are not permitted in any council area. Owners must pick up dog waste straight away.
A council resolution of 23 May 2023 proposed keeping the 4pm to 7pm window at Parraweena Reserve permanently. The area was closed while remediation works were underway, so check current access before going. Confirm with The Hills Shire Council before you go, and with City of Parramatta Council for the reserves it runs, such as Binalong Park, because third-party directories may not reflect current dog rules.
Where these are in Baulkham Hills
- Balcombe Heights Estate: A fenced run at Balcombe Heights Estate, leashed parks nearby, and both dog-friendly cafes within a short walk.
- Parraweena Reserve: The unfenced off-leash area from 4pm to 7pm, with the Excelsior Reserve bush track a short walk away.
- Gallery Gardens: A fully fenced off-leash area, with the shade and refillable water station at Binalong Park a 6-minute walk away.
Every dog-friendly place in Baulkham Hills
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Hill Park | Park | On lead |
| Solar Avenue Reserve | Park | On lead |
| John Hourigan Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Parabianga Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Crestwood Reserve | Park | Off-leash area, fenced |
| Excelsior Reserve | Park | Dogs allowed |
| Sierra Place Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Harry Carr Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Richill Park | Park | On lead |
| Jirramba Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Willsford Homes Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Binalong Park | Park | On lead |
| Mullane Avenue Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Sorlie Avenue Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Parsons Park | Park | On lead |
| Harvey Murray Park | Park | On lead |
| Balcombe Heights Estate | Park | Off-leash area, fenced |
| Sirius Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Ted Horwood Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Parraweena Reserve | Park | Off-leash area |
| Christopher Street Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Gallery Gardens | Park | Off-leash area, fenced |
| Second Home Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Baulkham Hills Muffin Break | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Baulkham Hills?
Baulkham Hills has three fenced off-leash dog areas and one unfenced area with set hours. Balcombe Heights Estate has a fenced off-leash area, two large sporting fields, a skate park and dog paths for riding or walking. Crestwood Reserve has a fully enclosed off-leash area split into a zone for small dogs and a zone for larger dogs, with water stations, waste bins and shade. Gallery Gardens has a fully fenced off-leash area, with a drinking fountain and BBQ facilities nearby. Parraweena Reserve is unfenced and open from 4pm to 7pm daily. A handler has to be over 16, keep the dog under voice control, and take no more than four dogs out at once. Check the rules section below before you go.
Is there a fenced dog park in Baulkham Hills?
Yes, Baulkham Hills has three fenced off-leash dog areas: Crestwood Reserve, Balcombe Heights Estate and Gallery Gardens. Crestwood Reserve is the largest, at about 18 hectares, and its fenced area is split into two fully enclosed zones so dogs can be matched by size. Double-gated entrances stop dogs leaving the zone. Balcombe Heights Estate covers about 16 hectares, and dogs can also use the dog paths beyond its enclosure. Gallery Gardens is smaller, under one hectare, and allows a maximum of four dogs under one person's control. Council rules bar restricted breeds and declared dangerous dogs from all three.
What can I do with my dog in Baulkham Hills this weekend?
Yes, a weekend suits a day out in Baulkham Hills. Start with the fenced off-leash area at Balcombe Heights Estate, then go to Second Home Cafe, a 9-minute walk away, which opens at 7am on Saturdays and Sundays. It closes at 3pm, so aim to sit down before then. If the day is hot, begin at Binalong Park, which has shade and a refillable water station, and walk 6 minutes to Gallery Gardens for its fully fenced off-leash area. The two stops are close enough to make one morning of it, and the dog waits outside at the cafe.
Which cafes in Baulkham Hills allow dogs?
Two cafes in Baulkham Hills allow dogs, and both do so outside only. Second Home Cafe is a cosy neighbourhood cafe on Arthur Street serving all-day breakfast and lunch from early morning to mid-afternoon. It opens at 6am on weekdays and closes at 3pm. Baulkham Hills Muffin Break is a casual Lebanese-style bakehouse and pizza shop on Windsor Road, known for manoosh and pizza with a gluten-free base. It is open until 10pm on most nights and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Both cafes are a short walk from a leashed park: Harry Carr Reserve is 10 minutes from Second Home, and Christopher Street Reserve is 8 minutes from Muffin Break.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Baulkham Hills?
Harry Carr Reserve is a 10-minute walk from Second Home Cafe, so a leashed walk and a coffee fit into one morning in Baulkham Hills. The park has a concrete walking track and open fields, and dogs stay on a lead there. Christopher Street Reserve is an 8-minute walk from Baulkham Hills Muffin Break, and dogs there must stay on a lead at all times. For an off-leash run first, Balcombe Heights Estate is 9 minutes from Second Home. Both cafes allow dogs outside only, so plan for the dog to wait outside while you order.
What can I do with my dog in Baulkham Hills?
Baulkham Hills has two day-out plans for dogs. A weekend morning run at Balcombe Heights Estate ends with breakfast nearby, while on weekdays the Excelsior Reserve bush track, which takes about two hours, is followed by lunch at Baulkham Hills Muffin Break. Outside those plans, the unfenced off-leash area at Parraweena Reserve runs from 4pm to 7pm each day, and Harry Carr Reserve is a leashed option for a small or nervous dog. Harry Carr Reserve has its own parking, and a 9-minute walk takes you from there to Baulkham Hills Muffin Break. The rules section below has the detail for each place.