Kimberley Drive Reserve Off Leash Dog Park

Kimberley Drive Reserve Off Leash Dog Park sits at the rear of the Kimberley Reserve sports complex in Chirnside Park, tucked behind the football ovals, and it is one of the few fenced, purpose-built dog spaces in the Yarra Ranges. Yarra Ranges Council added access gates to trial fully enclosing the agility space, so the dog area operates with real boundary protection.

The rules

Inside the fenced enclosure your dog can be off-lead, but council local laws still apply: carry a leash, stay within sight, and keep your dog out of the organised sports ovals whenever matches or official training are on. The playground areas in the wider reserve are no-go zones too.

Bags and bins are provided on site, though the dispensers have been a talking point locally, so carry spares. Standard etiquette rules here: no digging, no rushing at park users, and step in early if play between dogs turns one-sided.

Max: a single small enclosure needs better manners from everyone. If the space is crowded, I keep my dog moving rather than letting her plant herself at the gate watching every arrival.

What's there

The fenced area includes a dog agility setup with a tunnel, trial gates and logs to clamber over, plus log seating for humans. A drinking water tap serves both ends of the leash, which is rarer than it should be in outer-suburban parks.

Drainage is the practical catch: the space is compact and the ground can hold water after rain, so bring boots in winter and check the surface before letting your dog sprint. On the upside, the size keeps the crowd manageable and it suits dogs working on socialisation and training in a controlled space.

Getting there

The dog park is on Kimberley Drive in Chirnside Park VIC 3116, with parking around the sports complex. Follow the ovals towards the rear of the reserve; the dog area sits behind them rather than on the main frontage, which confuses first-timers.

Close by with the dogs

For a second Chirnside Park option, Sunset Drive Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is nearby, and Lillydale Lake North West Dog Off Leash Area adds a lakeside loop to the day. If you need a bigger fenced run, Bede Spillane Reserve Fenced Dog Park in Croydon is the closest alternative.

When to go

Weekday afternoons and early weekend mornings are the sociable windows, since the ovals next door are at their busiest on Saturday during junior sport. Skip it after heavy rain unless you enjoy clay paw prints, and summer evenings work well with the tap running.

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