Orrong Romanis Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Orrong Romanis Reserve is a large open Stonnington reserve at 2A Selborne Road on the Prahran and Toorak edge, built around grassed sports ovals that double as an off-lead dog space. The draw is sheer room to run in an inner-city suburb, with shady trees around the edges for owners.

The rules

The reserve is on Stonnington's off-lead list, but it is not fenced, so dogs must be under effective voice or hand control and you must carry a lead. Off-lead access applies to the ovals only when they are not in use, and it stops completely during scheduled sport, training or school use, so check the ground is clear before unclipping.

Dogs stay out of the fenced playground and garden beds at all times, and waste must be picked up immediately, with bags and bins provided on site.

Max: the oval is unfenced and doubles as a sports ground. If a game or training is on, or your dog is timid, come back at a quieter weekday mid-morning instead.

What's there

A water fountain with a dog bowl, shaded seating, waste bag dispensers and bins, plus toilets, a playground and barbecue and picnic facilities. Paths loop the reserve for an on-lead warm-up, and the Orrong Romanis Recreation Centre sits alongside with accessible entrances and adjacent parking.

Getting there

Driving, the reserve is reached via Orrong Road or Beatty Avenue, with free and street parking on Selborne Road. It sits close to the tram lines on Orrong Road, and Toorak Station is the nearest train. On foot it connects easily to the surrounding residential streets.

Close by with the dogs

The Victoria Gardens off-lead area, Princess Gardens and Lumley Gardens give you three more Stonnington off-lead options within a short drive. The dog-friendly Mount Erica Hotel covers the afterwards beer, and Aura Espresso Bar is a coffee stop with the dog at heel.

When to go

Weekday evenings from about 4 to 7.30pm and weekend mornings draw the regular walkers and joggers, which is good for social dogs. For space and calm, aim for weekday mid-morning or early afternoon, avoiding any oval bookings.

More options are on the Victoria dog parks page, with other nearby spots in the Prahran guide.