Hodgson Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Hodgson Reserve is Bentleigh's workhorse off-leash park: a big sports oval in Glen Eira that doubles as the suburb's main dog paddock. It is not a destination with dramatic scenery, it is the dependable everyday run, and it comes with an unusual bonus. The Bayside Companion Dog Training School trains here, so on class days the sidelines fill with dogs doing homework. Open around the clock, well maintained, and busy enough that most dogs find a playmate.

The dog setup

The open sports ground is the off-leash area, but this is a shared-use park, so the boundaries matter. Glen Eira council rules keep dogs leashed within 20 metres of barbecues, picnic areas, playgrounds and any active sports facilities, and during public or sporting events including setup and pack-down. The upper level of the reserve and the playground zones are on-leash at all times. Even off-lead, dogs need to be under effective voice control, you must carry a leash, and a dog that will not recall when asked is on thin ice.

Max: Keep the lead handy near the playground and sports facilities, that 20 metre buffer is enforced and it is easy to drift into it without noticing.

The vibe

Sunday mornings and Thursday mornings are the busy windows; Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are noticeably quieter if your dog prefers a calm paddock. Because the oval is a working sports ground, check whether a fixture is on before you unclip. The trade-off for sharing space is a big flat run that is fully mowed and never overgrown.

Amenities are better than most off-leash parks manage: public toilets, water taps and a drinking fountain, shaded seating, picnic tables, electric barbecues, a playground, a half basketball court and a paved internal path, so the humans in the family have reasons to linger too.

Getting there and parking

The reserve sits at 14 Bolinda Street, off Higgins Road, Bentleigh. Street parking runs along the Higgins Road and Bolinda Street boundaries. Bentleigh Station on the Frankston line is a short walk away, which makes this one of the more train-friendly off-leash parks in the area.

Close by with the dogs

Victory Park and Halley Park are both in Bentleigh and both welcome dogs, handy fallbacks when a sports fixture has the oval booked. Allnutt Park in McKinnon is another nearby off-leash option. Browse more parks in VIC or the full Bentleigh dog guide to round out the suburb.