Ashburton Park Dog Off Leash Area

Ashburton Park is a big grassed oval and surrounds on Fakenham Road in Ashburton, beside the Ashburton Recreation Centre. Dogs can run off-leash on the open areas outside organised sport, which makes it one of three off-lead options in the suburb and the pick for dogs that want a genuine sprint.

The dog setup

The oval runs under standard City of Boroondara conditions: keep your dog in sight and under effective voice control, carry a lead at all times, and go back on-lead within 10 metres of playground equipment. The oval is out of bounds during matches and organised training, and dogs should stay well clear of picnic and barbecue areas while they are in use. Bins sit at the entrance and fines apply, so bag it every time.

Max: those fence gaps matter. If your dog is a bolter, keep them on a long line here and save the free running for a fully fenced park.

Worth knowing

Mature trees around the oval give decent natural shade and there is basic seating, plus parking off Fakenham Road beside the recreation centre. A water tap and dog bowl have been reported near the oval, but carry your own water to be safe. The park is only partially fenced, with gaps, so treat it as open ground rather than a secure yard.

Getting there

Drive in via Fakenham Road and park by the recreation centre. Alamein station on the Glen Waverley line is walkable, and local buses run along High Street if you are coming in on public transport.

When to go

Early mornings and club training evenings are the busy windows, and weekends bring families and local sport. Sunday and weekday afternoons are usually the calm option.

Close by with the dogs

If the oval is booked out for sport, Warner Reserve and Markham Reserve are both minutes away with their own off-lead space, and Camberwell Fenced Dog Park is the secure option for escape artists. For an on-lead walk, the Ferndale, Gardiners Creek and Anniversary Trails loop starts close by.

More off-lead ground is in the Victoria parks guide and the suburb page covers the rest of Ashburton.