Wallen Road Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Wallen Road Reserve is a large open green space beside the Yarra in Hawthorn, and for dog owners its advantage over the riverside parks around it is simple: it has its own car park off Wallen Road. The grass is wide and open, it is a designated off-leash reserve, and the river setting makes it one of the better running spots in Boroondara for dogs that need real ground to cover.

The dog setup

Dogs may be off-lead within the designated area under effective voice or hand control, and they must stay leashed until they are inside it. Boroondara's spacing rules apply around the edges of the reserve: keep dogs at least 10 metres from playgrounds and 30 metres from BBQs, picnic areas and any sport in progress. Bring your own bags and clean up. Restricted-breed dogs must be muzzled and leashed, and greyhounds stay on lead at all times here, even inside the off-lead area. There is no fenced small-dog section, so this is an open, shared run.

Max: the greyhound rule catches people out. Even in an off-lead reserve, a greyhound stays on lead in Boroondara.

Getting there and parking

The car park sits directly off Wallen Road, which is the practical base for this stretch of the river. Trams 70 and 75 stop near the Power Street and Riversdale Road intersection if you are coming car-free, and the Yarra River trails connect into the reserve on foot, so a leash-on river walk can bracket the off-lead run.

When to go

The reserve is busiest before 10am and from about 4pm to dusk, with weekdays quieter than weekends. Midday midweek gives the most open space for dogs that would rather avoid a crowd. Public toilets on this stretch of the river are shared with the adjoining parkland.

Close by with the dogs

Fairview Park sits along the same river stretch, St James Park is the other off-leash option across the suburb, and The Other Ostrich Cafe covers the coffee afterwards. More runs are listed on the VIC dog parks guide and the Hawthorn destination page.