Dog parks and beaches
Walking your Dog in Port Phillip
We understand that owners need spaces to let their dogs run and play without a leash. While all dogs must be kept on a leash while outside your property, we have designated off-leash areas at several local parks, reserves and beaches.
Some areas change at different times of the day or the year. Details are provided below of where you can walk your dog.
To find your nearest dog off-leash park, reserve or beach, visit Services Near Me.
Dog Off-Leash Areas
Designated Off Leash Areas
All DOLA are designated under the Local Law. The relevant section of the Local Law with detailed boundaries and designations can be found here - Dog Off Leash Areas - Delegations (PDF 146 KB)
For maps and times, please refer to:
Always check the signage at our beaches, parks and reserves.
All year restrictions
Dogs and cats are prohibited in the following environmentally sensitive areas all year round:
- Perce White Reserve, Port Melbourne
- West Beach St Kilda (not allowed on environmentally sensitive dune area)
Dogs are also prohibited both on and off-leash in these areas:
- Frank and Mary Crean Reserve, Richardson Street, Middle Park.
- Within five (5) metres of any children’s playground or public barbecue or exercise equipment areas.
- That part of any ground/playing surface/training space, whilst an organised sporting event or training is taking place. (and must be on lead within 20 metres of these spaces)
If you own a Greyhound, your dog is required to be on-leash even in off-leash areas.
Dogs must be walked on a lead in all public areas other than those signed as off-leash. This rule doesn't just refer to parks and reserves but to the streets, paths and walkways as well.
Albert Park Lake
Albert Park Lake Reserve is managed by Parks Victoria, even though it is located in the City of Port Phillip. The reserve is an on-leash park but has space for exercising your dog off a leash.
More information is available at Parks Victoria.
Dog beaches
From 1 April to 31 October, dogs are allowed on all beaches.
Off-leash areas and restrictions change during summer from 1 November to 31 March.
Always check the signs before taking your dog on to the beach.
Map - beach access restrictions (PDF 125 KB)
Dogs must always be on a leash on beach pathways and boardwalks.
Penalties apply for failing to adhere to restrictions.
Dog Off-Leash Parks
The parks below are off leash areas year round:
- Head Street Reserve, Elwood (garden area on corner Head Street and Ormond Esplanade only)
- Clarke Reserve, Elwood
- M.O. Moran Reserve, Elwood
- Marina Point Reserve, St Kilda
- Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda
- Alma Park East, St Kilda East (north of oval – south of Dandenong Road)
- Alma Park West, St Kilda
- Gasworks Park, Albert Park
- Lagoon Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Howe Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Page Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Smith Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Hester Reserve, Port Melbourne
- J.L Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Garden City Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Julier Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Eastern Reserve North, South Melbourne (Between 7.00am to 7.30pm.)
Map - off-leash park areas (PDF 115 KB)
Sports Grounds
The primary use of all sports grounds is for organised sport.
The following grounds can have dog off-leash year round when no organised sport is being played.
- Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda
- Lagoon Reserve, Port Melbourne
- JL Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne
- Julier Reserve, Port Melbourne
Dog Off-Leash Guidelines
We now have Guidelines which help us plan the best way for our community members and their dogs to safely spend time in our public open spaces and beaches to exercise and socialise with other dogs and their owners.
The Guidelines:
- outline Council’s position on the provision, distribution, design and management of dog off-leash areas across the municipality
- guide the future of all our dog off-leash restrictions across public open space, including parks, beaches and sports fields
- provide Council officers with an evidence-based process for assessing community requests and petitions in relation to dog off-leash areas.
You can view the Guidelines here - Dog Off-Leash Guidelines.
Dog litter
Dog owners are expected to play their part in preventing messy moments for the whole community by picking up after their pooches. On the spot fines apply to everyone who doesn’t.
Environmentally friendly products including biodegradable doggy poo bag are highly recommended.
Reminder to dog owners
- Dogs may be exercised off-leash in a designated off-leash area provided they are under effective control by their owner.
- Effective control means:
- the dog will return to its owner on command
- the dog does not bother, attack, worry or interfere with other people or animals
- the owner retains a clear and unobstructed view of the dog.
- Dog owners must still always carry a leash.
- Off-leash activities are restricted to specified areas or times in some reserves and beaches. Please read the signs carefully when entering the reserve.
Patrols and Penalties
Random proactive patrols are conducted in all of our public spaces seven days a week throughout the year. People found not complying will be fined. On the spot $192* 'Contravening Council Order' fines apply for:
- dogs wandering at large
- not having dogs on leashes when they must be
- failing to carry a bag and pick up after your dog
- failing to wear the blue registration tag.
*this fee is subject to penalty unit increases.
Nearby areas
For those people living close to the edges of the City of Port Phillip, their closest dog park may not be in our municipality. For:
- the St Kilda Road neighbourhood, your closest off-leash park may be Fawkner Park
- those on the edge of Elwood and Ripponlea, Elsternwick Park in the City of Bayside could be the closest.
Contact us
Our Animal Management team is here to help.
Send us a message on My Port Phillip.
Phone: 03 9209 6777