Dame Nellie Melba Memorial Park Dog Off Leash Area

Dame Nellie Melba Memorial Park is a compact neighbourhood park at 104 Coppin Street, Richmond, hemmed in by Hoddle Street and North Terrace. It is not a destination park. It is the sort of place locals duck into for a fifteen minute runaround, and for that job it works well: two designated off leash triangles, mature trees and shade over the lawns, and a quiet feel that the bigger reserves around Richmond don't manage on a weekday.

The dog setup

Off leash access applies to two triangular sections: the larger one runs along the North Terrace side, with a second, smaller triangle along Hoddle Street. Dogs need to stay within voice or hand control the whole time. The leash goes back on within 20 metres of the playground and within 20 metres of the shared cycling paths, and if organised sport or an event is running, dogs stay on lead for the duration. Bags on, mess cleaned up straight away.

There is no fencing here, and the Hoddle Street edge is genuinely busy traffic. If your dog's recall is still a work in progress, treat the North Terrace triangle as the default and keep well clear of the boundary road. A drinking fountain, waste bins and several shaded seats cover the basics, though the space is small enough that a few large dogs arriving together makes it feel full.

Max: I stick to the North Terrace side and leave the Hoddle Street triangle to the dogs with bombproof recall. If the main lawn is crowded, the eastern triangle usually has more room.

Worth knowing

Timing matters more here than at a big reserve. Weekday mid morning and early afternoon are the calm windows; before 9am and the 4pm to 6pm after work run are the busy stretches. If the main lawn is packed, the eastern triangle generally has more space.

Getting there and parking

Street parking on Coppin Street is limited, so most locals arrive on foot. Trams run along Victoria Street and Church Street, and the park is a short walk from both Burnley and Richmond stations.

Close by with the dogs

For a longer session, the off leash area at Barkly Gardens is a short walk up Coppin Street, and Citizens Park Recreation Reserve adds a full oval to the mix. If you would rather have a fence between your dog and the traffic, Annettes Place Dog Off Leash Area is the enclosed option in Richmond. Afterwards, the footpath seating at Footlong Dogs welcomes dogs too.

See more dog friendly parks across Victoria on the PawScapes parks directory, or browse what else is open to dogs in Richmond.