Camberwell Fenced Dog Park

Camberwell Fenced Dog Park is the fenced off-leash play area within Gordon Barnard Reserve, near Aminya Place and Cookson Street, managed by the City of Boroondara. It gives local dogs a properly enclosed space to run without the recall worries of an open reserve, and the reserve itself sits on the Camberwell and Balwyn North edge with ovals, paths and a playground around it.

The dog setup

Keep your dog on-lead until you are both inside the fenced area, then supervise and respond promptly to voice or hand commands. Boroondara caps it at two dogs per person, requires you to fill in any holes your dog digs, bans human food inside the fenced area, and asks owners to keep dogs off the adjacent sporting oval whenever a match or training session is on. Commercial dog-walking businesses are not allowed to operate here. The park closes on Thursdays from 7am to 8.30am for maintenance, and it opens during daylight hours otherwise, so it is a daylight park rather than a lit night option.

Max: Thursday mornings are the trap. Maintenance runs 7 to 8.30am sharp, so make it a Friday-morning park if your routine starts early.

Worth knowing

The broader reserve adds paths and open space for a longer on-lead walk afterwards, and a children's playground and barbecues sit within the precinct, so it works for mixed family outings. Confirm current hours and any temporary closures on the Boroondara Council site before you go, since maintenance windows can shift.

Getting there and parking

Access is via Aminya Place or Cookson Street, off Barnsbury Road, Camberwell, with street parking available around the reserve. The council also maintains a small car park near the off-lead area and further parking off Balwyn Road, with accessible entry paths and designated bays.

While you're out there

If the fenced area is full or you fancy a change, Cooper Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is the local alternative, and Hislop Park and Macleay Park add more Boroondara off-lead options within a short drive.

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