Pier Street Reserve Fenced Dog Park

Pier Street Reserve is a small, fully fenced off-leash park on Pier Street in Dromana, right beside the pedestrian bridge over the Mornington Peninsula Freeway. It is a functional, grassy square best used as a safe leg-stretch stop on a Peninsula trip rather than a destination in its own right.

The dog setup

The whole enclosure is off-leash under Mornington Peninsula Shire rules, with dogs needing effective voice control and a lead carried at all times. Entry goes through double gates, so close each one behind you before letting go of the lead, particularly if your dog is a bolter. The fenced area is roughly 50 by 50 metres of trimmed grass with basic seating and shade limited to a couple of trees in one corner. There is no water tap, so bring water and a bowl, and carry your own poo bags rather than relying on bins on site.

Worth knowing

Max: treat the double gates seriously. Get the first one shut before you touch the second, and keep the lead on until you are inside.

Traffic noise from the freeway bridge is constant, which can unsettle nervous or noise-sensitive dogs, so time a first visit for the quiet early-morning or evening stretches. It gets full sun across much of the square on summer days, and it is very dark at night, so an evening visit needs a torch for the bag pick-up. If your dog needs a bigger run, the Civic Reserve Fenced Dog Park in Mornington is the larger fenced option up the road.

Getting there and parking

The park sits at 77 Pier Street, Dromana, easily reached from the Nepean Highway or the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, with free street parking along Pier Street and around the Dromana Recreation Reserve precinct. Toilets and reserve facilities are a short walk away towards the recreation reserve pavilions. Local Dromana bus routes run along Point Nepean Road, but this is really a driving stop.

Close by with the dogs

Laneway Espresso on Point Nepean Road has dog-friendly laneway seating a short drive away, and Hillview Community Reserve Dog Off Leash Area gives Dromana a second off-leash option.

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