Cash Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Cash Reserve on Livingstone Street in Coburg North is a large open grassy hill backing onto bushland and Edgars Creek, a tributary of the Merri Creek system. It has a wilder feel than a manicured dog park: creek trails, long views from the top of the rise, and space that changes with the seasons rather than a mown enclosure.

The dog setup

Dogs can run off-leash across the reserve under effective voice control, but there is no perimeter fence and the boundary runs along creek habitat and private homes, so this is a recall workout, not a set-and-forget. Merri-bek City Council's rules put dogs back on the lead within 15 metres of any active sporting ground, and dogs are prohibited within 15 metres of playgrounds. Keep dogs away from the neighbours' fences, including one with a sign asking that dogs stay off it, and give the native vegetation along the creek a wide berth.

Max: a grassy hill with a creek at the bottom is about as good as an unfenced run gets in the inner north.

Worth knowing

This is a bring-your-own reserve: water taps, bins and bags are limited or absent, so carry water and waste bags and be ready to take rubbish home. After rain the low ground near the creek can turn muddy, which is either the point or the dealbreaker depending on your dog. Early mornings suit the bushland feel best, when the birdlife is out and the sporting grounds next door are empty.

Getting there and parking

The reserve sits off Livingstone Street in Coburg North, with kerbside parking in the surrounding residential streets. Sydney Road and the Upfield line are within walking distance, and the creek trails connect through to the wider Merri Creek path network if you want to extend the walk on the lead.

Close by with the dogs

The Jackson Reserve Dog Off Leash Area and Hosken Reserve Dog Off Leash Area cover the same suburb if you want variety, and the Richards Reserve Fenced Dog Park is the fully enclosed option for dogs that need a fence.

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