We have many designated off-leash areas which offer a great place to exercise your dog, remember these areas are shared spaces.
Dog walking and off leash areas
Dog walking is an important aspect of your dog’s life with many benefits arising from it such as:
- teaching your dog to play and socialise with people and animals
- improving the health and happiness of your dog
- helping you to keep fit.
Off-leash dog park rules
To use these off-leash parks, you must:
- carry a leash at all times
- not allow your dog to worry or threaten any person or animal
- bring your dog under control immediately if it threatens any person or animal
- put a leash on your dog within 20 metres of:
- playgrounds, BBQ’s, or picnic areas
- sportsgrounds during sporting events or event preparation
- sports facilities such as netball courts, outdoor fitness and active recreation facilities
- organised public meetings.
- pick up after your dog and place dog waste in a bin.
Dogs are not permitted within fenced playgrounds, the Duncan Mackinnon Reserve athletics track, Packer Park velodrome, cricket nets and multipurpose courts.
The above is part of section 26(2) of the Domestic Animals Act 1994, which requires owners to keep their dogs under effective control.
Do I need a leash?
Yes. Many of our parks and reserves have off-leash areas, but there are also areas and/or times when your dog must be on-leash.
Download a copy of Your guide to dog on and off-leash parks in Glen Eira (PDF, 1.3Mb) or visit, our online map dog on and off-leash parks.
From April to October the following sportsgrounds are lit up for night-time use outside of sports clubs allocations.
| Park | Oval location | Days and times |
| Caulfield Park | Oval 2 — Oval near the pavilion on Inkerman Road side | Monday to Friday, 5pm to 9pm Availability may be impacted by casual bookings. |
| EE Gunn Reserve | Eastern oval — baseball side | Monday to Thursday, 8pm to 9pm Friday, 5pm to 9pm |
| Hodgson Reserve | Higgins Road oval | Monday to Friday, 5pm to 9pm |
See below for parks that are on and off-leash, and on-leash only.
On and off-leash areas in Glen Eira
Parks with off-leash areas
Allnutt Park, McKinnon
The northern end of Allnutt Park is off-leash, while the southern end is on-leash (including the playground and barbecue area, as well the entrance from Beech Street).
Location: Wheatley Road, McKinnon
Bailey Reserve, Bentleigh East
The two sports grounds at the southern end of Bailey Reserve are off-leash (the playground side). While the northern end is on-leash (close to GESAC).
Please note: dogs should be on-leash within 20m of both the playground and skate park facilities.
Location: 200 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East
Boyd Park, Murrumbeena
The northern section from Gilsland Road to Dandenong Road and the southern section from Lawrance Street to Neerim Road are off-leash areas. The middle section, including the playground area, is on-leash.
Location: Neerim Road, Murrumbeena
Caulfield Park, Caulfield North
There is a large portion of Caulfield Park that is designated as an off-leash area. Specifically, this area encompasses the 6 sporting grounds in the centre of the park. The Hawthorn Road end and the Park Crescent end are both on-leash areas.
Please note, dogs should be on-leash within 20m of a sports activity, including both training and competition.
Location: Corner Hawthorn and Balaclava Roads, Caulfield North
Caulfield Racecourse Wedge — Pawfield Park, Caulfield East
Glen Eira’s first — and only — fully-fenced dog off-leash area is located at The Wedge — the western side of Caulfield Racecourse.
Location: Booran Road, Caulfield East
Find out more about Caulfield Racecourse Wedge — Pawfield Park
Centenary Park, Bentleigh East
The western side of Centenary Park is on-leash (closest to Brady Road, including the western sports ground). The eastern side of Centenary Park is off leash (closest to Bignell Road, including the eastern oval).
Location: Bignell Road, Bentleigh East
Duncan Mackinnon Reserve, Murrumbeena
The sportsgrounds at Duncan Mackinnon Reserve are designated dog off-leash areas. The netball courts, athletics track, car park and playground area are dog on-leash areas.
Location: Corner North and Murrumbeena Roads, Murrumbeena
East Caulfield Reserve, East Caulfield
The sorts grounds and surrounding grassed areas at East Caulfield Reserve are off-leash areas. The playground, multipurpose sports courts and car park areas are on-leash.
Location: Corner Dudley Street and Dandenong Road, Caulfield East
EE Gunn Reserve, Ormond
The eastern ovals (closest to the railway line) are off-leash areas. All other areas including the playground area and western oval (closest to Malane Street and Beatty Crescent) are on-leash.
Location: Corner Foch and Malane Streets, Ormond
Glen Huntly Park, Caulfield East
The western side of Glen Huntly Park, including the main sportsground, car-park, playground and picnic area, are all on-leash. The eastern side of the park next to the sportsground is an off-leash area.
Location: Corner Booran and Neerim Roads, Caulfield East
Greenmeadows Gardens, St Kilda East
The northern end of Greenmeadows Gardens (north of Melby Avenue) is off-leash between 6am and 9am. The park is on-leash at all other times.
Location: Green Street, St Kilda East
Halley Park, Bentleigh
The open grassed area at the western end of Halley Park (closest to Ethel Street) is off-leash. All other areas of Halley Park, including the playground and picnic areas, are on-leash.
Location: Jasper Road, Bentleigh
Harleston Park, Elsternwick
The outer area of Harleston Park, external to the playground and picnic shelters, is off-leash between 6am and 9am. Dogs must be on-leash at all other times within the park.
Location: Seymour Road or Allison Road, Elsternwick
Hodgson Reserve, Bentleigh
The open space sportsground area of Hodgson Reserve is off leash. However, it should be noted, that dogs must be on-leash within 20 metres of playgrounds and barbecues. The playground areas and upper level of Hodgson Reserve are on-leash at all times.
Location: Higgins Road, Bentleigh
Hopetoun Gardens, Elsternwick
The northern end of Hopetoun Gardens (Glenhuntly Road end) is off-leash between 6am and 9am, and on leash outside of these times. The southern end of park below the Bandstand is on-leash at all times.
Location: Corner Victoria Street and Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick
Joyce Park, Ormond
The playground area and western end of the Tyrone Street entrance is on-leash. The eastern side of the Tyrone Street entrance is off leash.
Location: Jasper Road, Ormond
King George VI Memorial Reserve, Bentleigh East
The western side of King George VI Memorial Reserve closest to East Boundary Road (including the playground and the western oval) is on-leash. The eastern oval closest to Chesterville Road is off-leash.
Location: East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East
Lord Reserve, Carnegie
All of Lord Reserve is an off-leash park. However, dogs should be on-leash within 20m of the picnic shelter and BBQ facilities.
Location: Munro Avenue, Carnegie
Mackie Road Reserve, Bentleigh East
The oval is an off-leash area. All other areas of this Reserve is on-leash.
Location: Mackie Road Reserve, Bentleigh East
Marlborough Street Reserve, Bentleigh
The western side of the park, on the sportsground, is an off-leash area. The eastern side of Marlborough Street Reserve (closest to Malborough Street) is an on-leash area. This on-leash area includes the playground.
Location: Marlborough Street, Bentleigh
McKinnon Reserve, McKinnon
The southern end of the park (oval two) is an off-leash area. The northern end of McKinnon Reserve, including the playground and main oval closest to McKinnon Road, is an on-leash area.
Location: McKinnon Road, McKinnon
Moorleigh Community Village, Bentleigh East
The area behind the sports pavilion, next to the golf course and tennis courts, is off-leash areas. The main sportsground and building areas at Moorleigh Community Village are on-leash areas.
Location: Bignell Road, Bentleigh East
Murrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena
There are two separate off-leash areas at Murrumbeena Park:
- the eastern sportsground and area to its north and east
- the open space area west of the playground along Kangaroo Road, not including the basketball area and picnic shelter
The western sportsground, playground area and the open space that links to Gerald Street are all on-leash areas.
Location: Kangaroo Road, Murrumbeena
Packer Park, Carnegie
The open space areas located north of the sports ground and east of the creek are both off-leash areas. The sport and recreation facilities are all on-leash areas. These areas include the pavilion, sports ground, velodrome, picnic areas, bocce and bowls area, playground and ball sport areas.
Location: Leila Road, Carnegie
Princes Park, Caulfield South
Oval 1 is a dog on-leash area at all times, all the other sportsgrounds at Princes Park are off-leash areas. Please respect the shared use of these sportsgrounds by ensuring that dogs are on-leash within 20m of a sporting activity. The western end of Princes Park is an on-leash area. This on-leash area includes the playground, rotunda, picnic area, car parks and open space along Hawthorn Road.
Location: Corner of Hawthorn and Bambra Roads, Caulfield South
Rosanna Street Reserve, Carnegie
The area between the playground and the sensory garden at Rosanna Street Reserve is off-leash between 6am and 9am, and on-leash outside of these times. All other areas are on-leash at all times.
Location: Rosanna Street, Carnegie
Springthorpe Gardens, Murrumbeena
Springthorpe Gardens is off-leash between 6am and 9am, and on-leash outside of these times.
Location: Corner Neerim Road and Tuckett Street, Murrumbeena
Victory Park, Bentleigh
The sportsgrounds at Victory Park are off-leash areas. The car park and playground are on-leash areas.
Location: Patterson Road, Bentleigh
Wattle Grove Reserve, McKinnon
The area 20m south of the hit-up wall at Wattle Grove Reserve is an off-leash area. All other areas are on-leash at all times.
Location: Wattle Grove, McKinnon
Any Glen Eira parks not listed above are exclusively on-leash.
Consider others
Off-leash areas are still public areas. They are open for all to enjoy, not just dog owners. Not everyone likes dogs and some people are intimidated by even small dogs, so never let your dog jump up on people.
If your dog doesn’t return when you call it or you have difficulty controlling your dog, you should never let it off its leash.
We regularly patrol our parks and open spaces to ensure owners are meeting their obligations. If you’re found doing the wrong thing, significant fines can apply.
