Tatterson Park Fenced Dog Park

Tatterson Park is a 48-hectare regional reserve in Keysborough, and the fully fenced off-leash area, often signed as Tatterson Park North, is what draws most dog owners in. It is one of the better-equipped dog parks in the City of Greater Dandenong, with separate zones for large and small dogs and a lot of open ground to burn off energy.

The dog setup

The enclosure has double-gate airlock entries for a safe buffer at the door, water fountains with built-in bowls, sheltered seating for handlers, and a scattering of agility obstacles. The ground is well-grassed open space with scattered trees for shade. A separate small-dog pen means quieter or littler dogs get their own space rather than being bowled over by the big runners.

Off lead applies inside the fence only, and dogs must stay under effective voice control the whole time. Everywhere else in the wider reserve, leads are on. Council asks owners to clean up straight away using the bins provided and to remove any dog showing aggression. The gates are open around the clock but the area is unlit, so stick to daylight.

Worth knowing

Weekend mornings from about 8am to 11am are the busiest and most social sessions; weekday evenings fill up from 4:30pm to 6pm with the after-work crowd. For a calmer run, aim for a weekday late morning or mid afternoon.

Getting there and parking

The park's address is Grevillea Street, Keysborough, and a large dedicated car park sits off Grevillea Street, so parking is rarely the problem it is at smaller reserves. Bus routes along Chapel Road and Cheltenham Road are the public transport options, and walking tracks thread through the reserve connecting the dog park to the wetlands and playgrounds.

While you're out there

Do a lap of the wetland walking tracks on lead before the off-leash session; they are one of the reserve's quiet pleasures. Afterwards, La Bella Pasticceria Cafe in Keysborough does a coffee stop, and the comparable Tirhatuan Park Fenced Dog Park in Dandenong North is a short drive north if you want to try a second venue.

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