Bent Street Fenced Dog Park

Bent Street Fenced Dog Park is Moonee Valley's newest secure run, at Bent Street Reserve in Moonee Ponds. It began as a council trial in late 2024, drew strong local support, and is being rebuilt as a permanent facility with construction running through mid 2026. The fully fenced perimeter is the reason to choose it over the open riverside reserves nearby.

The dog setup

Dogs are off-leash only inside the fenced enclosure and on lead everywhere else in the reserve, including the paths and car park. Owners need to stay inside the fence with their dog in sight and under effective control. Bag and bin waste using the bins provided, and note that commercial dog training needs a council permit.

The design leans into texture rather than a plain lawn: sensory plantings, logs and boulders to climb and sit on, new drinking fountains for dogs and people, and fresh tree cover that will thicken as the plantings establish. There are no public toilets or barbecues on site. With works ongoing through 2026, expect the layout to shift a little as the permanent build finishes.

Pepsi: a park built from a trial that worked. Log fetch is elite, and the new fountains mean I arrive dusty and leave damp.

Trial-to-permanent is an unusual path for a suburban dog park, and it shows in the detail: the features that survived the trial are the ones residents actually used, while the wish-list items arrived with the rebuild. Locals who tested the temporary fence have been watching the works with unusual interest.

Worth knowing

Because the site was trialled before it was built, the rules are settled even while the works are not: the fenced area is the only off-leash zone and the surrounding reserve stays on lead. Weekday mornings are the quiet window; after work and weekend mornings bring the local regulars.

Getting there and parking

The reserve is reached via Mt Alexander Road or Pascoe Vale Road, with street parking on the surrounding streets. Trams along Mt Alexander Road and Pascoe Vale Road put you within walking distance if you would rather arrive without the car.

While you're out there

Aberfeldie Park Dog Off Leash Area is a short drive west for an open-oval change of pace. For a coffee stop, Darling Street Espresso has a small relaxed courtyard, and Holmes Hall pours in a pet-friendly beer garden nearby.

More runs are listed in the Victorian dog parks guide and on the Moonee Ponds destination page.