Simpson Park Dog Off Leash Area

Simpson Park in Mitcham is a large, mostly flat reserve on Dudley Street with a 24-hour off-leash area across its northern and eastern sections, which puts it among the more convenient dog spaces in Whitehorse. There is no gate to wait at: wide open grass for fetch and long runs, with the reserve also holding a playground, toilets and a car park.

The dog setup

The off-leash designation runs around the clock, but it is an unfenced shared reserve, so Whitehorse City Council's control rules are the framework: your dog stays under effective voice control and returns immediately on command, within 25 metres and in clear view, and you carry a lead of 1.5 metres or less while off-leash. Dogs stay off the sports fields entirely, and out of playgrounds and picnic areas. When organised sport or training is underway, dogs are barred from the fields and a 2.5 metre buffer around them.

Pepsi: unfenced means your recall is the fence. If your dog is still proving its come-when-called record, work it on a long line near the edge first.

The vibe

Sunday mornings draw the biggest gathering of dogs and walkers, which is the social session if your dog enjoys company. Weekday afternoons and early mornings are much quieter and suit a dog that prefers space. The ground holds water through winter and turns damp and muddy, so a towel in the car is worth planning for. The reserve links to a walking trail if you want to add a leashed loop to the session.

Getting there and parking

Free on-site parking is off Dudley Street or Somers Street, and Mitcham station on the Lilydale line is a short walk away, which is unusual for a park this size in the eastern suburbs.

Close by with the dogs

Dark Horse on the Brit in Britannia Mall welcomes dogs at its outdoor seating, and the Mullum Mullum Trail passes nearby for a longer leashed walk. If you want a fully fenced alternative, the dedicated Mitcham Dog Park is in the same suburb, and the Blackburn Lake Whitehorse Heritage Trail is the bigger bush option a few suburbs over.

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