Golden Square Bicentennial Park Dog Off Leash Area

Golden Square Bicentennial Park is a small, unfenced neighbourhood park on the corner of Madden Grove and Gibdon Street in Burnley, popular with locals for its open lawn, mature shade trees and easygoing off-leash layout. It is a quick leg-stretch park rather than a destination walk.

The dog setup

Dogs can run off-leash across most of the park under Yarra City Council rules, leashed within 10 metres of the playground, BBQ and picnic areas, and leashed again on the way in and out at the park boundary. Off-leash means under effective voice control, and waste goes bagged into the bins provided.

There is an open grassed area good for a run, shade from established trees, a public BBQ with picnic tables, and a water tap with a dog bowl. With no perimeter fence, it suits dogs with reliable recall rather than escape artists.

Max: keep new or nervous dogs on a long line here until you know they will come back when called. There is nothing between the lawn and a quiet Richmond street.

The vibe

Weekday mornings and quiet afternoons are the calmest times; weekend late mornings draw more of the local dog crowd. The park is compact enough that you will usually recognise regulars by the second visit, and the mature trees make summer mornings comfortable when the open ovals nearby are already heating up.

Getting there and parking

Street parking is available on the surrounding roads, though it fills with resident cars at peak times. Richmond and Burnley train stations are both an easy walk away, which makes the park a realistic option without a car.

Close by with the dogs

For a longer off-leash session, Kevin Bartlett Reserve wraps around the Yarra River in the same suburb, and Barkly Gardens is another generous off-leash space a short drive away. When the walk is done, the Richmond Reading Room is a dog-friendly spot to settle in for coffee on the way home.

More options are on the Victoria dog parks guide and the Burnley destination page.