Fritsch Holzer Park Dog Off Leash Area

Fritsch Holzer Park in Hawthorn East is a fenced off-leash area set inside a larger bushland reserve, with hills, dirt walking tracks and open grass that let dogs actually run rather than shuffle around a flat oval. It sits in a sunken valley with native plantings, a rare pocket of quiet so close to Camberwell Junction.

The dog setup

Boroondara council lists the park as an off-lead space with day-round access, but the fenced section sits inside a broader reserve, so check the entry signage on arrival for exact boundaries. Dogs must be under effective voice or hand control even inside the fence, you need to carry a lead at all times, and gates should be pulled shut behind you. Council rules also keep dogs away from playgrounds, barbecues and organised events, and bins on site take the waste bags. Drinking water for dogs plus toilets, seating, picnic shelters and a barbecue cover the humans.

Max: watch the gate when other dogs are arriving or leaving, a fenced park still lets dogs slip out if two people prop it open at once.

Worth knowing

The terrain mixes grass and bushland and turns muddy quickly after rain, so skip it if your dog hates a wet coat. Weekends and the weekday morning and evening rush bring out the local dog crowd. If your dog is nervous around others, a weekday mid-morning or mid-afternoon visit buys a much quieter fenced space to work with.

Getting there and parking

The park sits just off Riversdale Road near the Camberwell Junction end of Hawthorn East, with street parking on Rose Street and the surrounding residential roads. Auburn and Camberwell stations on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines are both under 1.5 kilometres away, and the number 70 tram along Riversdale Road drops you close.

Close by with the dogs

Camberwell Junction, five to ten minutes on foot, has the area's best run of dog-friendly cafes, and The Other Ostrich Cafe in Hawthorn is a short hop. If the hills are booked out, Anderson Park off leash dog area is in the same suburb and the Camberwell Fenced Dog Park is a few minutes west. More dog parks in Victoria or browse Hawthorn East.