Poulter Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Poulter Reserve at 26 Poulter Avenue, Greensborough, is a bushland style Banyule reserve on the Plenty River where the open grass around the sports oval is the off leash area. There is no fencing, so this is a recall test before it is a dog park, backed by mature native trees and a river corridor on the boundary.

The dog setup

Banyule Council rules require a dog under immediate effective voice or hand control to go off leash here. On lead applies on surrounding paths, within 5 metres of the playground, near the BBQs, and on shared tracks, and the off leash status pauses whenever organised sport or council events take over the oval. Sensitive bushland and the river's waterway edges are out of bounds to protect wildlife.

Amenities are solid for a natural reserve: public toilets, BBQ and picnic areas, a community playground, and waste bins. The Diamond Valley Dog Obedience Club is based at the reserve, which tells you how the oval gets used between sports seasons.

Max: open reserve with a road and a rail line close by. I would keep a newer dog leashed until its recall has survived a few distractions out here.

The vibe

Weekday mornings and midweek lunchtimes are quietest, while weekend mornings and late weekday afternoons draw the locals. The bushland along the river is less trafficked than the oval if your dog prefers sniffing to sprinting, and birdlife is constant along the water. Shade is generous once you move off the open grass, a real advantage over most suburban ovals in summer.

Getting there and parking

Access is via Poulter Avenue with on street parking. The reserve sits near the Greensborough train line, and the Plenty River Trail connects directly into it for anyone arriving on foot or by bike, which makes a river walk plus oval run an easy combined loop.

Close by with the dogs

If the open reserve does not suit your dog, Malcolm Blair Reserve Fenced Dog Park is about 1.6 km away. For coffee, Prelude Coffee & Bagels and Roast 66 are both nearby.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly parks guide and the Greensborough destination page.