Project background

With more than 8,500 registered dogs in Port Phillip and many more visitors enjoying our parks and foreshore every day, there is growing demand for more access to off-leash spaces.

To help address this demand, Council identified several locations as potential dog off‑leash areas and invited community feedback on their suitability between Monday 27 April and Sunday 31 May 2026. These locations include:

• Point Ormond Reserve, Elwood
• The beach north of Point Ormond rock groyne, Elwood
• Anzac Gardens, South Melbourne
• Kirrip Park, South Melbourne.

During this consultation we also asked the community whether they would support adding a fence to the existing dog off-leash area at Clarke Reserve in Elwood to create a safer environment for off-leash activity.

What did we ask?

During this engagement we asked:

• community views on making the following areas off‑leash:
  • Point Ormond Reserve, Elwood
  • The beach north of Point Ormond rock groyne, Elwood
  • Anzac Gardens, South Melbourne
  • Kirrip Park, South Melbourne
• community sentiment towards fencing part of the existing dog off-leash area at Clarke Reserve.

As part of this process, we aimed to gather feedback both from dog owners and local community members to understand impacts and support levels from both.

What did we hear?

Support by location

Levels of support varied across the proposed sites:

Point Ormond Reserve

Most respondents supported the proposal, particularly dog owners. Opposition focused on safety and shared use concerns.

Beach north of Point Ormond rock groyne

This location received the strongest level of support overall, with many respondents highlighting demand for year-round beach access for dogs. Concerns were primarily related to cleanliness and interactions with other beach users.

Anzac Gardens

Feedback was more mixed with a smaller majority in support. Nearby residents were more likely to oppose the proposal, particularly due to concerns about the existing character of the park and its use as a quiet local space.

Kirrip Park

A majority supported the proposal. However, there were notable concerns related to its proximity to South Melbourne Primary School, with many respondents emphasising child safety and school use of the space.

Clarke Reserve

This proposal was the only one where opposition outweighed support. While some respondents saw fencing as improving safety, many expressed concerns about loss of openness, changes to the park’s character and reduced shared use.

Overall patterns in feedback

Across all locations, feedback reflects a diverse range of views, with clear differences between dog owners and non-dog owners and between locations.

In general:

• Dog owners were more likely to support increased off leash access.
• Non dog owners were more likely to express concerns about safety, shared use and amenity.
• Views were often influenced by how people currently use each space and their proximity to it.

While support was strong in some locations, most proposals generated a mix of support and opposition, with recurring themes emerging across all sites.

Key themes in support

Across the four proposed new off leash locations, the most common reasons for support were:

• A perceived need for more off leash spaces particularly in areas with high dog ownership.
• The suitability of specific locations including their size, layout or existing informal use.
• The role of off leash access in supporting dog exercise, socialisation, and wellbeing.
• Many respondents also noted that dogs are already being exercised off leash in some of these areas and formalising access would provide clarity and consistency.

Key themes in opposition

Across all locations, common concerns included:

• Safety and comfort of other park users including children, families, and people who are fearful of dogs.
• Potential conflicts in shared spaces particularly where parks are used for multiple activities.
• Dog owner behaviour and compliance including concerns about uncontrolled dogs and waste management.
• Impacts on the character and amenity of parks including noise, cleanliness, and overall experience.
• Equitable access to public space with some respondents concerned that off leash areas may discourage broader community use.

Location specific issues were also raised. For example, safety concerns were more focused on children in areas near playgrounds or schools, such as Kirrip Park and Point Ormond Reserve.

What happens next?

Council is expected to consider the proposals for these areas later in 2026. This engagement report will be presented alongside recommendations from the Dog Off-Leash Guidelines to help inform Council’s decisions about these spaces.

If Council decides to designate or convert a site to an off‑leash area, an amendment to the Local Law will be required. This involves a formal process, including an independent legal review and a separate public consultation. The outcome of this process will determine whether a location can proceed.

For Clarke Reserve, if Council decides to proceed with fencing, an initial draft concept design will be developed and presented. If endorsed, the community will be invited to provide feedback on the design.