Walks

Where's a good walk with my little dog in Manly, Brisbane (not Sydney)?

Our Manly is the one on Moreton Bay. The boat harbour, the foreshore path to Lota, and a council off-leash beach at the end of Davenport Drive. Ros's Manly walks.

Roslyn, runs Oodles of Paws from her home in Lota 21 September 2026 3 min read

Ros with one of the pack, at home in Lota

Type "walk in Manly" into your phone and you'll get a ferry from Circular Quay. Ours is the Manly on Moreton Bay, ten minutes from my place in Lota, and it has the best harbour walk on the Bayside plus a council off-leash beach.

Here's where I take the pack, and where the little ones can run.

The harbour and the foreshore path to Lota

Start at Manly Harbour Village. The path runs along the boat harbour, past the yacht club, and then south along the water to Lota. It's flat, sealed and wide, with the boats on one side and grass on the other.

Manly to Lota is the nicest stretch of the whole Wynnum-to-Lota foreshore for a small pup. Not too long, breeze off the bay, and a coffee at the harbour end when you turn around.

It's a shared path, so bikes come through. A short lead and the left-hand side keeps everyone happy.

Good for: a morning walk with a coffee at the end, a pup who likes to watch the boats.

Darling Point and the harbour parks

At the harbour itself there are a couple of grassy points with big trees and picnic tables. Not a walk on their own, but a good place to sit in the shade with your little one on the lead beside you while the boats go in and out.

Good for: a rest stop, a slow old pup, a picnic.

Ros with two of the little ones, at her place

Where can they run? The beach at the end of Davenport Drive

This is the one to know, and the one to get right. Brisbane City Council's off-leash list has one Manly entry: the foreshore off-leash area at the end of Davenport Drive, on the beach between the southern rock wall and the northern rock wall and fence.

Three things about it:

It's not fenced, and there's no small-dog side. It's a beach.
Hours are on the sign at the entrance. Council's foreshore areas have time rules, and I'm not going to quote one here in case it changes. Read the sign before you unclip.
Outside the marked stretch, back on the path, your pup is on the lead again.

For a little one, a beach with no fence is a different thing to a fenced yard. Mine only come off if they'll stay close.

I checked that on the council's own list this week. Rules change, so if you're reading this in a year, look it up again.

Good for: a pup who loves sand and salt water, early morning before the sun gets going.

Key takeaways

Our Manly is on Moreton Bay, not Sydney Harbour. Ten minutes from Lota.
The harbour-to-Lota foreshore path is the walk. Flat, by the water, coffee at the harbour end.
The beach at the end of Davenport Drive is Manly's council off-leash area. Unfenced, hours on the sign.
The harbour parks are for sitting in the shade with your little one beside you.
Everywhere else, your pup stays on the lead. That's just Brisbane.

Common questions

Is there an off-leash dog beach in Manly, Brisbane?

Yes. Brisbane City Council lists the beach at the end of Davenport Drive, between the southern rock wall and the northern rock wall and fence, as a foreshore off-leash area. It's not fenced and there's no small-dog side. Hours are on the sign at the entrance.

Can I walk my little dog around Manly Harbour?

Yes, on the lead. The sealed path runs along the boat harbour and then south along the water to Lota, or north to Wynnum if you want a long one. It's a shared path, so keep the lead short where the bikes come through.

Do you pick up from Manly for day care?

Yes. Manly's on my weekday round, which runs from Wynnum down to Birkdale. Your little one gets picked up from your door in the morning and dropped back in the afternoon, worn out from a day at my place in Lota.