A cemetery may not be the first place you think of when you ponder where to take your hound for a walk, but they nevertheless offer large open spaces often free from crowds. Rookwood Cemetery is one such space. Offering a tranquil setting with some beautiful and historically significant monuments, this designated on-leash location is a particularly good spot for the more timid of hounds.
Where: Located in Lidcombe, Rookwood Cemetery is 286 hectares and the largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere. Established in 1867, it is the final resting place for more than a million people. The old parts of the cemetery, sections A, B, C & D on this map, are the best areas to take your hound for a walk. You can park anywhere along the kerb of the internal roads.
Please remember where you are and be respectful of any mourners in your vicinity.
Length / Duration: There are no set walking tracks so you can meander through the various sections exploring for as long as you like. The terrain is easy, flat with no steps or tricky things to navigate for a hound.
Opening hours: Open 6am til 7pm in winter, 6am til 9pm in summer.
On lead / off leash: Dogs are permitted in the cemetery on the provision they are on-leash at all times. There are rabbits and foxes within the cemetery, and throughout the old section there is a lot of very long grass, however there are mowed pathways.
For the hounds: The Serpentine Canal built in 1874 is an open brick-lined drain that snakes along in Section B of the cemetery. It is flush to the ground and very deep in sections. Please be aware that your dog could easily fall in. There are no poo bags or water fountains.
For the humans: There are several entry points depending on what direction you are coming from. The main entrance is on Weerona Rd off Centenary Drive, turning left at the roundabout. Here you will also find a dog friendly café, Village Café. It is open 8am to 4pm weekdays and 7am to 4pm on weekends. It has an all-day menu. You will also find toilets here, and throughout the cemetery grounds.
Every year in early-to-mid-September, there is a sculptural exhibition called Hidden held with in the old sections of the cemetery. This lasts for one month, and during this time the weekends can get very busy with people and dogs.
You can find more information on Rookwood Cemetery here.