Barkly Gardens Dog Off Leash Area

Barkly Gardens is a 19th-century residential garden square in Richmond, and the off-leash zone here is its northern half, roughly between Madden Grove and Rose Street. The catch worth knowing up front: it is unfenced, so this one is for dogs with reliable recall, not bolters.

The dog setup

Off-leash is limited to the northern section only. The southern half, the playground and the picnic areas are on-leash, and you must stay on lead within 10 metres of the playground and picnic spots. Carry a lead at all times and pick up after your dog. Yarra rangers patrol the local parks, so clip the lead back on the moment you cross the boundary.

Worth knowing

The park has big grassy lawns under mature shade trees, drinking fountains and scattered benches, with a playground and picnic shelters down in the on-leash section. Bring your own bags and a water bowl, since the council does not always stock them. Best early on weekday mornings when the regulars gather, or mid-afternoon on weekdays if your dog does better with fewer distractions. Weekend late mornings are the busiest.

Max: lush grass and shade trees turn to mud after heavy rain, and the unfenced edge sits close to residential streets. Fine for a solid recall, less so for a puppy still learning it.

Getting there and parking

The address is 144-154 Madden Grove. Street parking on Madden Grove and Rose Street is very limited, so allow time to circle. Trams 70 and 75 stop nearby on Bridge Road at Power Street, a short walk south, and Burnley Station is a 10 to 15 minute walk.

Close by with the dogs

The National Hotel on Victoria Street runs a dog-friendly beer garden if you want to make a day of it, Footlong Dogs is an easy footpath lunch stop, and the Golden Square Bicentennial Park off-leash area at Burnley is the neighbouring option if the gardens are crowded.

More off-leash options are in the Victoria dog parks guide, and the suburb's other entries are on the Richmond destination page.