Roth Hetherington Gardens Fenced Dog Park

Roth Hetherington Gardens puts a fenced off-lead pen inside a quiet native botanical garden on Woollahra Avenue, Keysborough. It is a modest, scenic spot rather than a big-run park, better suited to smaller dogs and calm socialising than to hard exercise.

The dog setup

Dogs are off-lead inside the fenced enclosure and back on lead through the surrounding gardens and paths under Greater Dandenong council rules. The pen runs roughly 50 metres long, and the fence is on the lower side, so keep a close eye on any committed jumper.

The enclosure suits a steady game of fetch and quiet sniffing more than flat-out running, and the gardens give you a pleasant on-lead warm-up loop before or after. Dogs must wear their council registration tag and stay under effective control throughout.

Clean up after your dog and carry your own bags in case the dispensers are empty, and remove any dog that turns aggressive. A water tap sits near the playground for refills.

Max: this is a social park rather than a sprint track. Weekday mid-morning is the calmest window if your dog is nervous or small.

The vibe

The gardens are the draw: unsealed paths wander through native planting, with shaded undercover seating, an electric barbecue, picnic tables and modern public toilets with a change table. It stays quiet on weekdays and busy around midday on weekends, which shapes who your dog meets.

Getting there and parking

The native planting gives scattered shade but the pen itself is open, so summer visits are better early. Bring a portable bowl if the tap near the playground is not running on your visit.

The address is 6 Woollahra Avenue, Keysborough. There is no dedicated car park, so you rely on street parking on Woollahra Avenue and nearby residential streets, with bus stops a short walk away around Chapel Road.

More fenced runs nearby

For a bigger, more active session, Tatterson Park Fenced Dog Park splits into separate large and small dog areas a few minutes away, and Frederick Wachter Reserve adds another fenced option in the suburb. La Bella Pasticceria Cafe covers the coffee stop, while Lightwood Road in Noble Park is the nearest fenced pen to the north.

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