The Strand Dog Off-Leash Park

The Strand is a purpose-built fenced off-leash park on The Strand near Boardwalk Boulevard, Point Cook, in the Sanctuary Lakes end of the suburb, opened under Wyndham's Dog Off-Leash Plan as a designed dog space rather than a leftover corner of a sports reserve.

The dog setup

The park is approved for 24/7 off-leash use and secured by a 1.2 metre fence with double-gated entries. Inside there is a large grassed run for proper exercise, an agility-equipped activity space for training days, and a separate quiet zone built for smaller, timid or senior dogs that want room without the rough play.

Concrete paths make the access easy in wet weather, seating gives owners somewhere to sit out a long session, and a drinking fountain covers the water. Carry your own bags as backup even though bins are provided, and keep to Wyndham's usual conditions: leash in hand, voice control, gates shut behind you.

Pepsi: the quiet zone only works if everyone treats it as one. If your dog is the boisterous type, do it a favour and keep it in the main run, because the timid regulars will simply leave otherwise and the zone loses its point.

Worth knowing

Weekend mornings are the busiest stretch, with weekday afternoons quieter for nervous dogs. Shade is limited to the mulched garden beds and whatever the new trees have managed, so summer middays are better skipped. Bring a ball for the main run and the session mostly runs itself, even on a quiet afternoon.

Getting there and parking

There is no dedicated car park, so parking is street-side on The Strand and the surrounding residential streets, usually easy to find outside weekend peaks. The park is a few minutes off the Point Cook road network and within walking distance for the Sanctuary Lakes estate.

Close by with the dogs

Saltwater Reserve Fenced Dog Park is the other fully fenced run in Point Cook, and Williams Landing Reserve adds a third option one suburb over. Bean Smuggler is the closest coffee for the drive home.

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