Century Drive Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Century Drive Reserve is a designated leash-free area on Century Drive in Mount Martha, a large open grassed reserve that backs onto Balcombe Creek. It is a low-key local run rather than a kitted-out dog park, best understood as a big unfenced field with a creek edge and a handful of shire rules to work within.

The dog setup

Dogs may go off-leash in the designated open grassed section fronting Century Drive, but they must stay within sight and under effective voice or hand control, and they need to be on lead arriving at and leaving the reserve. Under shire-wide rules, dogs stay on lead within 20 metres of playgrounds, BBQ or picnic areas and any organised sport, even inside a leash-free zone. The reserve is unfenced where it borders the creek and bushland, so this is a recall test, not a containment play. Carry bags and use the bin near the entry.

Worth knowing

Amenities are basic: a bin and a picnic table near the entry, and no dedicated water tap, so bring your own water. The grass runs roughly 170 by 50 metres, which is genuine room to move, and the Balcombe Creek environment along the back gives the place a bit of bush interest. If your dog has a wobbly recall or a taste for water, keep the lead on near the creek line.

Getting there and parking

Turn off the Nepean Highway onto Century Drive. Off-street parking is limited, with nearby residential street parking as the backup, so arrive early on weekends if you want a close spot.

When to go

Weekday mornings are the quiet window. With no full fence, pick a calm time if your dog is still learning to stick close, and give the reserve a miss if a junior sport session is running along the edge.

Close by with the dogs

If you want a fence, Community Forest Fenced Dog Park near The Briars is the secure bushland alternative, and Hawker Beach covers the off-lead sand-and-water option. Via Battisti in the village takes dogs at the outdoor tables afterwards. More options are on the VIC listing and the Mount Martha guide.

Pepsi: a big unfenced field with the creek behind it, so recall has to hold. No water tap either, we pack a bottle every time.