Broadmeadows Valley Park (Northern Reach) Dog Off Leash Area

Broadmeadows Valley Park (Northern Reach) is an open, unfenced off-leash area entered off Shankland Boulevard in Meadow Heights, following the linear parkland north of the Broadmeadows Valley Trail. This is a valley space rather than a built dog park: big open grassed stretches where dogs run free under voice control, ringed partly by the back fences of neighbouring houses. It is a completely separate site from the fenced Broadmeadows Dog Park at John Ilhan Memorial Reserve, so do not confuse the two when you arrive.

The dog setup

There is no perimeter fencing here, so the area suits dogs with solid, reliable recall. Hume City Council rules require your dog to stay under effective voice control at all times off lead, and to be re-leashed within 50 metres of any playground, skate or BMX facility. Keep a leash per dog on you, pick up waste using the provided bags and bins, and make sure your dog leaves other park users and wildlife alone. Council caps the number of dogs at two per person, and dogs must wear a collar with current registration tags.

Bring your own water. Fountains and seating are patchy through this section of the valley, and shade comes from scattered trees rather than shelters. The upside is space: you can get a genuine long run into a dog here without fighting for a patch of grass.

Max: No fences, so this is recall territory. I loved it, but my human kept one eye on the path cyclists the whole time.

Getting there and parking

Drive in off Shankland Boulevard in Meadow Heights; the carpark sits right at the reserve edge, so leash up between car and grass. You can also arrive on foot or by bike along the Broadmeadows Valley Trail, which threads the whole valley. Buses service Meadow Heights if you are coming by public transport, and the Craigieburn line runs not far to the east for anyone combining a visit with a station walk.

While you're out there

If your dog needs a fully fenced space, the Craigieburn Fenced Dog Park is the nearest proper enclosure, and the Seabrook Reserve Dog Off Leash Area offers big oval grass a suburb over in Broadmeadows. The Gibb Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is another quiet local option. Afterwards, the Gate House Cafe in Dallas does a good coffee a short drive away.

More options are listed in our Victoria dog parks guide and on the Meadow Heights destination page.