Point Park Dog Off-leash Area

Point Park sits on River Esplanade in the Yarra's Edge precinct of Docklands, on a bend of the Yarra River with the Melbourne skyline across the water. It is one of the few off-leash options in inner Docklands, and the riverfront setting makes it a worthwhile trip even if you live a few suburbs over.

The dog setup

Off-leash here is timed rather than all day. Under City of Melbourne rules, dogs can be off-leash from 6pm to 8am during summer (1 November to 31 March) and from 5pm to 9am in winter (1 April to 31 October). Outside those windows the leash goes back on. Even during off-leash hours this is shared space: keep your dog under effective voice or hand-signal control, stay at least 20 metres from the playground and the cycling paths unless a fence at least 1.2 metres high separates you, carry a lead, and pick up after your dog.

The off-leash area is a grassy space with water bowls, benches and maintained lawn, but the enclosure is partial rather than complete. Walk the boundary with your dog first rather than assuming full containment, and remember the riverside boardwalk has no barrier to the water.

Max: the park sits right on the Yarra and the boardwalk is open to the water, so keep recall sharp near the edge instead of trusting the fence line.

The vibe

Weekday mornings and evenings, roughly 7 to 9am and 5 to 7pm, plus Saturday mornings are the busy windows. Mid-week middays are the quietest, and the timed off-leash hours mean early risers get the park almost to themselves in summer.

Getting there and parking

The park is on River Esplanade, Docklands VIC 3008. On-street parking along the esplanade is limited, so allow a short walk at peak times. By tram, the closest stops are along Flinders Street or Collins Street, followed by a walk across the Yarra pedestrian bridge. The Capital City Trail also runs nearby if you are walking or riding in.

Close by with the dogs

If you are making a weekend of it, 1 Hotel Melbourne is nearby and takes dogs for overnight stays, and The Sebel Melbourne Docklands is another pet-welcoming base in the precinct. Cafes along the NewQuay and Victoria Harbour promenades add outdoor seating options for after the park, though it is worth confirming current dog policies before you arrive.

More options are on the VIC dog parks guide and the Docklands destination page.