Looking for dog-friendly walks?
Photo: Keeley Aglinskas, Safety Beach
A comprehensive list of great places to walk with your dog both on-lead and off-lead in Melbourne and Victoria. Want more? Join the pack at our Facebook Dog Walks group for the best tips from other dog owners about great places for walking on and off-lead in Victoria.
Some great Melbourne dog walks we have mapped for you at our Walking Maps site:
- Jells Park walk (note: dogs not allowed in the conservation area)
- Yarra Bend Park walk
- Princes Park loop walk, Carlton North (includes two leash-free areas)
- Altona Dog beach walk (includes off-leash)
- Gloucester Reserve, Williamstown (dogs not permitted in Jawbone Marine Reserve section)
- Royal Park walk (includes numerous leash-free areas, but stay away from Nature Play playground)
- Lilydale Lake walk
- Darebin Parklands (note: has only one off-leash area and some areas where dogs not permitted)
- Wilson Botanic Park walk, Berwick (on-lead only but lovely!)
- Finns' Reserve, Yarra Bend, Templestowe (Note: dogs not permitted Wombat Bend playground)
- Mathias forest track and Olinda Golf Course dog-friendly walk (Olinda, The Dandenongs)
*Please note that dogs must be on-lead along Mathias Track as it runs adjacent to the Dandenong Ranges National Park.
Dog walks outside Melbourne:
- You Yangs East West walk
- Kurth Kiln walk, Gembrook
- Lake Elizabeth walk, the Otways (on-lead forest walk)
- Apollo Bay (includes off-leash beach)
- Airey's inlet cliff top walk (includes an off-leash beach)
- Shallow Inlet to Sandy Point (near the 'Prom) on-lead only
- Traralgon Railway Reserve
- Mansfield Botanic Park
- Hustler's Reef Reserve, Bendigo (short walk includes off leash area)
Mornington Peninsula Shire (thanks to star map-maker Keeley!)
- McCrae dog-friendly beach walk (includes an off-leash beach)
- Safety Beach dog walk, Mornington Peninsula (includes an off-leash beach)
- Tassels Cove, Safety Beach (includes off-leash beach)
- Hillview Reserve, Dromana, leash-free (new map, February 2019)
- Flinders' Beach dog-friendly walk Flinders
- Balcombe Estuary boardwalk circuit, Mount Martha (three off-leash areas!)
- Leash-free community forest walk, Mount Martha
- Mount Martha dog-lovers' beach walk
- Mornington dog-friendly walk
Do you prefer walks around your neighbourhood, or walks further afield?
You might find these sites helpful:
- Victoria Walks' dog walks Facebook group Join to get information about new dog-walking maps and to get tips from other Melbourne and Victorian dog-lovers.
- Walking Maps (tick the 'dog off-leash' option for dog-friendly walking maps)
- Dog-friendly walks in Victoria
- Dog-friendly walking trails in Victoria
- Dog-friendly hikes in Victoria
- Dog-friendly parks and walks in Melbourne
- Dog-friendly walking tracks in the Dandenongs
- Dog-friendly parks (Parks Victoria)
- Melbourne's 10 best dog parks and beaches
Etiquette
Of course, it goes without saying that you and your dog will need to share these spaces with other walkers. So please follow basic rules:
- Ensure your dog is on a lead, unless otherwise specified.
- Control your dog, especially around children and busy areas.
- Pick up your dog's poop.
- Check your local government website for information about off-leash areas.
Help us map more dog friendly walks
- Fill in the form below; or
- Map a walk on Walking Maps (this video shows you how).
- Meet Keeley, a 5-star dog walks map maker!
