Redcliffe Dog Beach: Queens Beach North Rules

Where the Redcliffe dog beach is

The Redcliffe peninsula sticks out into Moreton Bay north of Brisbane, across the Houghton Highway bridge from Brighton and Sandgate. It is in the City of Moreton Bay, not Brisbane City Council, so a different council sets the dog rules. Scarborough is the suburb at the peninsula's northern tip, and Queens Beach runs along its eastern side on Flinders Parade.

“Redcliffe dog beach” is the name people search, but you will not find a beach with that name on any council sign. The City of Moreton Bay dog parks and beaches page lists thirteen dog beach areas across the city, and on the Redcliffe peninsula only one of them is off-lead: the Queens Beach North dog off-leash beach area. So if a friend says “meet you at the Redcliffe dog beach”, head for the northern end of Queens Beach in Scarborough.

There is a boat ramp on this beach too. The Queensland Government's boat ramp plan places a state-owned public boat ramp, managed by the council, on Queens Beach North at Flinders Parade, opposite Griffith Road. That is a useful landmark: the off-lead stretch is north of the beach access stairs, away from the ramp, and the beach between the steps and the ramp is on-lead.

The exact boundaries, as the council writes them

The council's Queens Beach North page is short and specific. Dogs “may be exercised off-leash on the beach area on sand and water only, along the Flinders Parade beach between the beach access stairs and the northern rock groyne.” Owners must keep effective control of their dogs while they are off-lead. Dogs must be on a lead “at all times on the grassed areas, footpath, car park and the beach area south of the steps (towards the boat ramp).”

Read that carefully and the off-lead area is the sand and the water only. The grass strip and the path along Flinders Parade, the parts that feel like part of the beach, are on-lead. So is the car park. In practice that means you clip the lead on at the car, walk to the stairs, and unclip once you are on the sand north of them.

Checked against each City of Moreton Bay page in November 2026. None of the four pages lists a time limit or a seasonal change.

The northern end. The off-lead area finishes at the northern rock groyne, a rock wall running out into the water. The foreshore beyond it, below the cliffs along Flinders Parade, is not on the council's dog beach list, so call your dog back before it rounds the rocks.

The southern end. The beach access stairs mark the switch. South of them, the Queens Beach on-lead area runs “between the beach access steps at the end of the off leash area south towards the end of the rock groin adjacent to Flinders Lane.” Dogs are welcome there, but only on a lead.

The on-lead beaches: Queens Beach, Jamieson Park and Clontarf

Besides the off-lead stretch, the council lists three on-lead dog beach areas on the peninsula. They are good for a calm beach walk with your dog beside you, and they are where a dog that is not ready to run free can still get sand under its paws.

• Queens Beach, south of the steps. The rest of Queens Beach from the stairs down to the groyne next to Flinders Lane. Behind it is Queens Beach Park, which the council describes as having a walking path along the beach, sheltered picnic tables and barbecues. Join the two and you get a longer walk: on-lead along the southern sand, then off-lead once you pass the stairs.
• Jamieson Park, Scarborough. The Jamieson Park dog on-leash area covers the beach “between the northern point of Reef Point Esplanade and the western end of the beach area heading towards Deception Bay adjacent to the car park.” It is on the northern, Deception Bay side of the peninsula, around the point from Queens Beach.
• Clontarf. The Clontarf dog on-leash beach area is the beach between Woody Point Jetty and the Houghton Highway bridge, on the side of the peninsula that faces Brisbane. If you are coming over the bridge from Brighton, this is the first dog beach you reach, but it is on-lead only.

What about Scarborough Beach Park, Suttons Beach or the Redcliffe Jetty? They are not on the council's dog beach list. The council's rule is that dogs are prohibited from conservation parks, reserves and foreshores unless designated as dog exercise areas. Scarborough Beach Park is a family park with a fenced playground and a jumping pillow, and the council's parks page asks owners to keep dogs out of playgrounds. Walk your dog on the footpath there on a lead if you like, but keep it off the sand unless a sign says otherwise.

Getting there and parking

Driving. Queens Beach North is on Flinders Parade, Scarborough. From Brisbane you cross the Houghton Highway bridge onto the peninsula and head north to Scarborough. The council's Queens Beach North page mentions a car park at the beach, where your dog must be on a lead, and the Queens Beach Park page lists a car park among its facilities, with the park itself addressed at Flinders Lane, Scarborough 4020. Beyond those, City of Moreton Bay does not publish parking for the dog beach; check local signs and plan for a short on-lead walk.

Public transport. None of the council's dog beach pages gives a bus stop or a public transport route for Queens Beach. If you are not driving, plan the trip in Translink's journey planner and check Translink's rules about travelling with a dog before you set out.

Facilities. The council's Queens Beach Park page lists toilets near the intersection of Griffith Road and Flinders Road, with accessible toilets opened with a Master Locksmith Access Key, plus rubbish bins, seating, shelters, electric barbecues and water fountains. Bring your own water and a bowl for your dog all the same, and at least two waste bags.

What Queens Beach North is like for a dog

Calm bay water. The Redcliffe peninsula faces Moreton Bay, not the open Pacific. The council's Queens Beach Park page talks about a family day out in “the gentle surf”, and that is the right picture: small waves at most, nothing like an ocean beach. That makes it a kind first swim for a dog that is unsure of water, and an easy one for older dogs and small breeds.

Unfenced and narrow. The off-lead area is the strip of sand and water between the stairs and the groyne, with grass, a footpath and Flinders Parade behind it. Nothing stops a dog running up off the sand and onto the road side, so this is a beach for dogs with a solid recall. It is a public foreshore next to two council parks, so expect people walking past, families and other dogs.

Tides. Moreton Bay is tidal, so the beach changes through the day. At high tide there is less sand to run on, and at low tide more. Check a tide chart before you drive over if your dog lives for the ball.

The boat ramp. The beach towards the boat ramp is on-lead for a reason. Boats and trailers come and go, and anglers leave line and hooks behind. Keep your dog north of the stairs while it is off-lead.

Rules on the day

City of Moreton Bay asks dog park and beach users to follow four points of etiquette on its dog parks and beaches page, and the Queens Beach North page adds its own. Put together:

• Effective control, all the time. Off-lead does not mean out of control. Your dog needs to come back when called, and you need to be close enough to act. The council's dog ownership page says dogs must be kept under effective control when using public spaces, and the effective control rules for dogs now sit in Queensland law (see the state's pet laws page).
• Lead on to and from the sand. On the grass, the footpath, the car park and the beach south of the steps.
• Pick it up. The council asks you to remove your dog's waste. Carry bags rather than counting on a dispenser.
• Be considerate. Not everyone on the beach wants a wet dog arriving at their towel. Call your dog away from people, picnics and children.
• Stay inside the designated areas. Dogs are prohibited from foreshores, reserves and conservation parks that are not designated dog exercise areas.
• Registration. Your dog should be registered with your local council and wearing its tag. Whichever council you live in, the City of Moreton Bay rules are the ones that apply on its beaches.

The council does not publish a fine on its Queens Beach pages, so we have not quoted one. The rule that matters on the day is the sign at the stairs.

Safety at the Redcliffe dog beach

Paralysis ticks, close to year-round. The Australian paralysis tick is an eastern-seaboard species, and South East Queensland sits squarely in its range. Mild winters mean the risk runs close to year-round, and coastal suburbs with vegetation are tick country. Tick paralysis is potentially fatal. Run your fingers over your dog after every visit, ask your vet about a registered tick-prevention product, and treat wobbly back legs, a changed bark, gagging or laboured breathing as an emergency. The RSPCA Knowledgebase lists the signs.

Heat, humidity and hot sand. South East Queensland summers regularly reach the low-to-mid 30s with high humidity, and humid heat is harder on a dog than dry heat. Press the back of your hand on the sand for a few seconds. If you cannot hold it there, it is too hot for paws. Go early or late in summer, bring fresh water and never leave a dog in a parked car. Flat-faced and heavy-coated breeds struggle most.

Water. Calm water is still water. Keep puppies, weak swimmers and flat-faced breeds in the shallows, and do not throw the ball far out. A dog that drinks a lot of seawater can get an upset stomach, so give it fresh water before it gets thirsty, and rinse salt and sand off afterwards.

Things on the sand. Keep your dog away from anything washed up, and away from fishing line and hooks near the boat ramp. Cane toads are common in South East Queensland and are toxic if a dog mouths one. If your dog seems unwell after a beach visit, call your vet. The Animal Emergency Service runs after-hours hospitals in Brisbane; save the closest one in your phone before you go.

Birds. Moreton Bay is important shorebird habitat, which is the main reason both councils keep dogs off most of the foreshore. Do not let your dog chase birds, even inside the off-lead area.

Other dog beaches and off-lead parks nearby

If Queens Beach North is crowded, or you want somewhere different, these are the nearest options. Our full Brisbane dog beaches guide covers every council-listed beach around Brisbane, with boundaries and times.

Kroll Gardens is worth knowing about. The council describes it as almost 20 acres and one of three off-leash dog parks on the Redcliffe peninsula, with a football-field-sized open space in the middle, plenty of shade, and waste bags at the entrance (“it's a long walk back”). For a dog that is still learning recall, a fenced park like Bellevue Park, or the small-dog section at Kroll Gardens, is a safer first off-lead outing than an open beach.

Is the Redcliffe dog beach right for a newly adopted rescue dog?

Eventually, yes, but not in the first weeks. Queens Beach North is unfenced, with water, birds, boats at one end, a road behind and plenty of other dogs. That is the hardest recall test there is for a dog that has just changed homes and does not yet know its new name well or trust that you are worth coming back to. Most newly adopted dogs need several weeks of on-lead walks and practice before off-lead freedom on sand is a fair ask.

1. Read the listing notes. Rescue profiles often say how a dog gets on with other dogs, and some say a dog is not suited to off-lead areas. The foster carer or shelter knows the dog better than you do in week one.
2. Start on the on-lead beaches. Queens Beach south of the steps, Jamieson Park and Clontarf let your dog meet sand, water and birds while you hold the lead.
3. Try a fenced park off-lead first. Bellevue Park or Kroll Gardens tests recall with a fence behind it.
4. Move to a long line at Queens Beach North. A long line at a quiet hour lets your dog paddle and sniff while you practise calling it back.
5. Know your breed. Scent hounds and sighthounds are the dogs most likely to ignore a recall on an open beach. Our Beagle recall and escape guide covers the training, and our greyhound adoption guide explains why a pet greyhound is safest on a lead in open spaces.
6. Check the chip and tag. A dog that bolts is far easier to get back when its microchip and registration details are current. If the worst happens, our Brisbane lost pets page shows what to do first.

Peninsula Animal Aid, a dog and cat shelter at Clontarf, is one of the Brisbane-area rescues whose listings we carry, so some of the dogs on our Brisbane page already live a short drive from Queens Beach. Across the shelters and rescues we list, many dog profiles say how the dog does with other dogs. If beach mornings are part of your plan, look for confident, dog-social adults and ask the rescue about recall before you meet.

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