Tunks Park

This is the best dog walk park around. Lots of space to run around lots of other friendly dogs to play with and you can even go for a swim in the sea.

Our walk normally takes us from Primrose park (
), along the bush track and down the road to Tunks. There’s a cool playground for (big) kids before you roll down the hill to the massive open space where dogs are plentiful.
We walk to the Northbridge end and normally add few more pictures of sunsets and bridges to the interwebz while the dogs work out how they’re going to rescue the ball on the other side of the fence.
NB: At the moment (Nov ’12) the Northbridge end of the park is pretty much all fenced off apart from a path.
At the end of the park, there’s a bush track we’ve never ventured down and some rancid pools of water the dogs love to roll in. Dogs and owners are friendly here, there’s plenty of parking and nice water views (no swimming for 2 or 4 legged beings).

I have a child’s affinity for Tunks. I fondly remember being smashed up into the bush by opposing batsmen in school cricket matches here, and 6-​a-​side football tournaments against kids who I’m sure were at least two years older and three years bigger than my scrawny little team of knees-​and-​elbows runts was.
Much like my haircut, the park hasn’t changed much in the ensuing years. There’s a rad little sea part but its boats only unfortunately, swimming isn’t really a go there due to the sharp rocks and such, which is a rich shame.
These days Tunks is dog central, a place to let your 5-​foot high Afghan off the leash to run like the wind with seventy other breeds that congregate and sniff each others’ bums along the length and breadth of the park.
It’s brilliant for casual sports games too: pick-​up touch, cricket, soccer, whatever your pleasure — just not Badminton. You take your shuttlecock and you go play elsewhere ya bog nancy boy. And don’t come back, y’hear? We don’t like your type in these parts. Badminton. Pfft. Not even a real sport anyway.
BONUS: ever since the unsightly fence went up on the sandstone bridge way above the park you’re no longer in danger of getting flattened by jumpers. Bonus, right?

At the bottom of a valley and therefore surrounded by bush land and next to the sea, Tunks park is both a large and secluded park.
One of its most majestic features is its position under the antiquated North Bridge which you have to cross in order to reach the park. The construction provides a beautiful frame for the receding parkland.
The park was built by filling in the bottom of the valley and so provides a perfect platform for 3 pitches used for cricket and soccer throughout the year. There is also exercise equipment, BBQs, a boat ramp and a playground.
As well as human exercise, this is also a great dog-​walking spot. We brought a dog along and soon found ourselves swamped in passers-​by making jolly small-​talk while the dog in question had the time of its life eluding us in the dense bushes and making its own friends.
A very friendly and picturesque place!