Port Botany Foreshore

Not the prettiest beach in Sydney — it sits between the container port and the airport runways — but it's a genuine sleeper for dog owners close to the city. About 500 metres of sand on calm Botany Bay water, dogs welcome all day on-lead. A shared pathway behind the beach connects two carparks and makes for a nice loop walk. The plane-spotting is surprisingly entertaining, the water is cleaner than you'd expect, and the large carpark at the Foreshore Road boat ramp means parking is rarely an issue.

Managed by the Port Authority rather than local council, so you won't find it on most dog beach lists. Pedestrian bridge nearby connects to Sir Joseph Banks Park in Botany.