Mount Eliza Regional Park Dog Off Leash Area

Mount Eliza Regional Park keeps a wide, unfenced grass paddock for dogs, set back from the lake and picnic grounds at the corner of Moorooduc Highway and Two Bays Road on the Mornington Peninsula. It is one of the roomier off lead options in Mount Eliza and usually one of the quietest, but it asks for solid recall because nothing separates the field from the parkland around it.

The dog setup

The off lead zone is a single big, elevated grassy field with no fencing and no facilities in it. Everything else, including the lakeside paths, picnic area, playground surrounds and car parks, is on lead territory, so clip on for the walk in and unclip once you are in the paddock. Mornington Peninsula Shire expects effective voice or hand control at all times, and dogs are kept out of the nearby Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve to protect wildlife, so watch which way your dog drifts. There are no bins or taps in the field, so bring your own bags and water.

Worth knowing

The paddock is open and unshaded, and the lake is not a swimming option for dogs here, so in summer aim for early morning or evening rather than the middle of the day. The park is open around the clock and rarely crowded; weekend mornings draw the biggest turnout.

Getting there and parking

Access is off the corner of Moorooduc Highway and Two Bays Road, with a gravel parking area on the north side of the lake and a gravel track leading up to the off lead section. Toilets, barbecues and a playground sit near the lake if the family is tagging along. A car is the practical way in; public transport out this way is thin.

Max: Big sky, no fence, and a lake I am not allowed to swim in. Check my recall before you unclip.

Close by with the dogs

If your dog works better inside a fence, both John Butler Reserve Fenced Dog Park and Cobb Road Reserve Fenced Dog Park offer fully enclosed runs in Mount Eliza. For a saltwater change of scene, Half Moon Bay Beach Dog Off Leash Area is a short drive towards the bay. Afterwards, Ezra Next Door pours coffee near the village.

Plot more outings on our guide to dog friendly parks in Victoria or browse what else suits dogs around Mount Eliza.