Your review
Casuarina Beach Dog Off-Leash Area, Casuarina Coastal Reserve
Brinkin, NT 0810
A long Darwin beach inside a Territory reserve where dogs run leash free on marked sections.
The Guide's rating
The rules, in short
Before you go
Dogs are permitted throughout the signed dog areas of the reserve. Off lead and under effective control is allowed on the beach from Rapid Creek to Dripstone Point and from Sandy Creek to Lee Point Rocks, and at Rapid Creek Open Space. Dogs must be leashed on the beach between Dripstone Point and Sandy Creek and at the Dripstone Cliffs and Lee Point picnic areas. Rangers patrol and fines apply.
Off lead but under control on the beach between Rapid Creek and Dripstone Point, and again between Sandy Creek and Lee Point Rocks. Leads required on the beach from Dripstone Point to Sandy Creek and at both picnic areas. Signs and maps on site mark each zone, and if there is no sign, keep the lead on.
- When
- Any time
- Cost
- Free
Worth knowing before you arrive
- Saltwater crocodiles are present in Top End coastal waters. Do not let your dog swim, paddle or drink at the creek mouths, and follow the Be Crocwise advice that any Top End waterway may hold a large crocodile.
- Box jellyfish and Irukandji are in these waters from October to the end of May. NT Health advises staying out of the sea during stinger season.
- Sandy Creek, Rapid Creek and Buffalo Creek are tidal channels. Rising tides cut people off from the beach, so check the tide before a long walk.
- The reserve protects nesting sea turtles and migratory shorebirds, so keep dogs away from dune vegetation and roosting flocks even in the leash free zones.
- Rangers patrol the reserve and fines apply for dogs in the wrong zone or off lead where leads are required.
- Build up and wet season heat is brutal. Walk early or late, and carry water for your dog.
About Casuarina Beach Dog Off-Leash Area, Casuarina Coastal Reserve
Casuarina Coastal Reserve is a Territory reserve rather than a national park, which is exactly why dogs are welcome here when they are banned from most big NT parks. The reserve stretches roughly six kilometres of sand, dune and monsoon vine thicket from the Dripstone Cliffs in the south to Lee Point in the north, and the Parks and Wildlife Commission has divided it into clearly signed leash free, on lead and restricted zones. Most Darwin locals park at the Dripstone Cliffs picnic area at the end of Trower Road and walk down onto the beach, where dogs can be off lead but under control all the way south west to Rapid Creek. It is a low tide beach at heart, with enormous stretches of firm sand appearing twice a day and very little shade once you leave the tree line. Treat the water as off limits for both of you, because this is croc and stinger country, and stick to the sand.Which dogs it suits
Small
Medium
Large
Giant
What is there
- Off-lead area
- Parking
- Shade
Best for
long beach walks
dry season sunrise runs
recall training on open sand
dogs that love sand but should not swim
Getting around
Sealed car park and toilets at the Dripstone Cliffs picnic area, with the sealed Casuarina bike path running the length of the reserve. Beach access from the picnic area is down a sloped path and steps.
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