Gilpin Park Fenced Dog Park

The short version. Gilpin Park in Brunswick West holds one of the inner north's better fenced dog parks, fully enclosed and double-gated, with a separate section for small or timid dogs. That secure enclosure is the reason to come, especially if your dog's recall is still a work in progress.

The rules. Dogs run off-leash inside the fenced enclosure and must be on-leash everywhere else in the wider park. It is split into two areas, a smaller zone for little or nervous dogs and a larger one for everyone else, so match your dog to the right gate. This is a Merri-bek City Council site, so the standard effective-control and clean-up rules apply, and you must keep your dog in sight.

What's there. The enclosure has a dog-friendly drinking fountain, plenty of bench seating, and waste-bag stations on-site. Large rocks and climbing features give active dogs something to work with. The surface is grassed, which means it turns muddy after rain, so pack a towel in winter.

Getting there. The address is 3 Pearson Street, and the 58 tram along Melville Road stops a short walk away. Parking is street-only on Pearson Street and the surrounding residential streets, and it can be tight at peak times.

Nearby with the dogs. Cafes with outdoor seating line Melville Road and Sydney Road, so a coffee stop is easy once the dog has run. DALY'S on nearby Dawson Street keeps a water bowl out the front.

Busiest on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons; weekday afternoons and evenings are the quiet windows. Good for dogs who need a secure fence to run flat-out.

Sources

• Gilpin Park - Merri-bek City Council · merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.