Dog-friendly places in Taren Point

Early weekday walks in Taren Point: a shore walk on lead, then Noah's Cafe

Taren Point Shorebird Reserve, at 66 Woodlands Road, is a birdwatching reserve where dogs must be on a leash. Dogs are not allowed on the foreshore or in the protected shorebird areas, leashed or not, because the shorebird habitat there is sensitive. A viewing platform overlooks the sandy shoals and mudflats, and the signs explain birds such as the Bar-tailed Godwit and Eastern Curlew. Keep the walk on lead, and let the platform be the highlight.

Then head to Noah's Cafe, a 6-minute walk away on Alexander Ave. It opens at 5am on weekdays and closes at 2pm, so an 8am visit fits the walk with time to spare. Dogs sit with you at the outdoor tables under the awning. Regulars praise the coffee and the food quality, and the açai bowl is the order to try. Diners mention the seating and the relaxed vibe.

The weekend plan starts with Bud cafe instead.

Dog-friendly brunch in Taren Point, then a lead walk at Apsley Place Reserve

Bud cafe opens at 7am on Saturdays and Sundays, and its outdoor tables are the place for a dog, since dogs are allowed outside only. The cafe sits inside FlowerPower on Holt Road, bright and plant-filled, and the smoked salmon eggs Benedict on sourdough is the dish to order. Visitors praise how the dishes look and how fresh they taste.

After breakfast, walk 3 minutes to Apsley Place Reserve on lead. On Sundays and Wednesdays from 7am to 10am, the fenced off-leash area is reserved for greyhounds, Greyhounds Unleashed members only. Outside the fenced area, dogs must be on lead at all times, and the reserve provides bags and bins for dog waste. The rules that apply on every visit are below.

Dog rules in Taren Point: where dogs can't go

Taren Point Shorebird Reserve is leash-only. Dogs must be on a leash in the reserve and never go onto the foreshore or other protected shorebird areas, leashed or not, because the shorebird habitat there is sensitive. The reserve is not an off-leash dog area.

Apsley Place Reserve has a fully fenced off-leash dog area, reserved for greyhounds on Sunday and Wednesday mornings from 7am to 10am. Only Greyhounds Unleashed members may use it in those hours. Dogs must be on lead when they enter and leave the fenced area, and outside it dogs must be on lead at all times. Owners must keep control and clean up after their dog with the bags and bins provided.

Confirm the reserve's times with Sutherland Shire Council before you go. Dogs sit outside only at Bud cafe and Noah's Cafe, and neither cafe takes dogs inside.