L.E. Cotchin Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

L.E. Cotchin Reserve at 15 Amery Street, Reservoir, is a quiet neighbourhood reserve built around a large, flat, grassy oval. It runs off-leash 24 hours unless organised sport or a council event is on, and it stays low-key: a spot for a dog with solid recall to sprint and fetch, not a destination park with a crowd.

The dog setup

The rules here have two details worth catching before you visit. First, dogs must be on lead within 5 metres of a path even while the oval itself is off-leash, which is tighter than most Darebin reserves. Second, the fencing is only partial, cricket-ball style, with gaps toward the road, so a dog that wanders can wander a long way. Effective voice control is required at all times, and clean-up is expected immediately: bins are provided but bag dispensers are not, so bring your own.

Amenities are minimal. A covered shelter with tables sits near the playground in the southeast corner, and there is a small free car park on the east side plus street parking along Amery Street. There is no dog water tap and no public toilet, so pack water and a bowl.

Max: partial fencing is worse than none for some dogs. It looks contained until a ball rolls through the gap.

Getting there and parking

The east-side car park off Amery Street is small and free, and street parking runs along the reserve boundary. The reserve sits in Reservoir's residential grid, a few minutes' drive from the cafes along the main strips, and walks in from surrounding streets are the norm for locals.

Worth knowing

This is a working sports oval first, so check whether cricket or a council event is in progress before unsnapping the lead. The flat open surface is genuinely good for fetch and recall training, and the quiet setting means you often have it to yourselves on weekday mornings. Just respect the 5 metre path buffer; it catches people out.

Close by with the dogs

Other Darebin off-leash grounds nearby include J.C. Donath Reserve and C.T. Barling Reserve. For coffee afterward, Gellibrand Cafe and Felix Culpa are Reservoir favourites with outdoor tables.

The wider network is on the Victoria dog parks page, with suburb detail in the Reservoir destination guide.