Amaroo Drive Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Amaroo Drive Reserve is a long green strip in Chelsea Heights with a designated off-leash area running alongside a refurbished playground. It is a solid local option when you want established shade, a paved path and a proper off-lead run without driving to the coast, at 22 Amaroo Drive.

The rules

Dogs can run off-lead in the designated area under City of Kingston's dog ownership rules, which means effective voice control at all times, a leash carried with you, and waste picked up immediately. Leash up on the surrounding paths and keep at least 20 metres from the playground equipment. The important caveat is the fencing: the off-leash zone is only partially fenced, so this is not an escape-proof enclosure and dogs that are quick to chase or prone to wandering need watching near the open sections.

Max: mind the unfenced stretches if your dog bolts after other dogs or wildlife. This is a partial fence, not a full enclosure.

What's there

Drinking fountains with dog bowls, picnic tables under a shelter, park benches and a paved walking trail that runs the length of the reserve, with established trees for shade and fresh garden beds from the recent landscaping. Waste bags and bins are provided. The playground itself was refurbished with junior and senior play units on a soft rubberised surface, so expect family traffic on weekends and after school.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Amaroo Drive and the surrounding residential streets; there is no dedicated car park. Chelsea Station on the Frankston line is the closest train stop, about a five to ten minute drive or a 25 to 30 minute walk, and local buses run along Wells Road a short walk from the park.

When to go

Weekday mid-mornings and early evenings are quietest. Weekend mornings between 9am and 11am and weekday afternoons after school pick-up draw the biggest crowds. This suits dogs that are reliable off-lead near a playground; boundary-testers are better served by a fully fenced alternative.

Close by with the dogs

For a secure run, the Roy Dore Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Carrum and the Iluka Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Aspendale are both nearby, and the Carrum Dog Beach covers a sand session. Beanheads Coffee Shoppe is in the suburb itself.

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