Notlen Street Dog Off Leash Area

Notlen Street Dog Off Leash Area is a small, quiet pocket park off Notlen Street in Ringwood that plays like a neighbour's back paddock. Maroondah City Council designates it off-lead 24 hours a day, and its calm, contained feel makes it a gentle option for nervous or reactive dogs that find the bigger ovals too much.

The dog setup

Notlen Park is open green space rather than a perimeter-fenced enclosure. Some borders are unfenced, so dogs need reliable voice or visual control before the lead comes off. Maroondah's standard buffer rules apply: on-lead within 15 metres of playgrounds, barbecues and picnic facilities, and on any shared-use paths through or beside the park. Greyhounds must stay on-lead in all public spaces under the Domestic Animals Act. Bring your own waste bags, as none are supplied.

Pepsi: small and calm, so it is a good place to build a shy dog's confidence before trying the busier reserves.

What is on site

A tap with a dog bowl, a couple of benches, and a grassy slope with some shade. A fenced drainage pond sits nearby to the north and is generally locked away, and the park borders the Norwood family and children's centre to the east, so keep noise and off-lead play clear of that side at drop-off and pick-up times. Lighting is limited, so this is a daylight park, and there are no public toilets.

Getting there and parking

Just off the main road via Notlen Street, with free street parking out front. Ringwood and Heatherdale stations are the closest rail, a short drive or a decent walk away.

When to go

It rarely gets crowded. Mid-morning and early afternoon on weekdays are the most peaceful windows, and in summer it can get buggy with midges around the grass, so keep moving. If you need a fully fenced alternative, Maroondah's designated enclosed parks are Parkwood Fenced Dog Park in Ringwood North and Eastfield Fenced Dog Park in Croydon.

Close by with the dogs

Bean in the Woods on the Maroondah Highway and Leaf and Vine Cafe and Wine Bar on Panfield Avenue are both local coffee options nearby. More eastern suburbs grounds are in the Victoria dog parks guide and the Ringwood destination guide.