Matthews Hill Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Matthews Hill Reserve is Brimbank City Council's designated off-leash area at 41 Matthews Street, Sunshine, and it is not the usual flat suburban oval. The reserve is open parkland over hilly ground with native vegetation, shared paths and a playground on the west side, so it rewards a dog with reliable recall.

Off-leash rules and fencing

This is an open, unfenced reserve rather than a gated dog park, and off-leash status applies across the designated area. Council rules still bind: dogs must be under effective voice or hand control at all times, collared and on lead when entering and leaving the zone, and picked up after, with bins on site. Dogs that rush, jump or show aggression are supposed to be leashed and removed, and a dog that will not come when called has to stay on lead, which at an unfenced hillside is worth taking seriously.

Max: unfenced and hilly means the recall test is real here. If your dog treats a summons as optional, do the boundary walk on lead first.

The vibe

The reserve's draw is the terrain: open grassy slopes, scattered mature trees and a multi-use trail winding through, with a playground and picnic tables at the edges in the on-leash zone. Local dog walkers mention snakes in the warm months, which is worth remembering in the longer grass around summer. There is no fencing anywhere on the reserve, so the venue suits confident dogs and owners rather than flight risks.

Getting there and parking

The reserve sits on Matthews Street in Sunshine, a short drive off the Western Ring Road or Ballarat Road, with street parking along the reserve edge. Sunshine station is walkable for the determined, but most visitors arrive by car.

Close by with the dogs

If your dog needs a fence, Duke Street Reserve and Roussac Reserve in Sunshine North are minutes north, and Collenso St Fully Fenced Dog Park covers the west. Sunshine Social is the post-park lunch option in Sunshine West.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly parks guide and the Sunshine destination page.