Depending on your planned council area, check out their websites, and you will find a section on dog control, or dog registration and this will tell you where you can exercise you dog, on or off leash, it also varies depending on season, ie in summer they cannot go on certain bits of beaches during the day, but in winter they can.
Also you do have to "scoop the poop" although like with everything else, there are people that dont, I have seen a couple of delightful presents on peoples front lawns, I am mortified if our dog does something in front of someones house, even though i do pick it up.
Remember you also need to register your furry friend with the council too, for a fee, and you get a collar tag for them.