Hansen Reserve Dog Off Leash Area

Hansen Reserve Dog Off Leash Area runs between Roberts Street and Bradman Walk in West Footscray, a large open reserve with grassy flats, mature tree-lined paths and a kids' playground, shared with sports ovals and the local tennis club. Most of the reserve is off-lead, which makes it one of the bigger running spaces in Melbourne's inner west.

The dog setup

Off-lead covers most of the reserve, with a few firm boundaries: the strip between the tennis courts and Roberts Street is on-lead at all times, dogs stay at least 30 metres clear of the playground, and ovals are off limits whenever training or a match is on. Voice or hand control is required, carry a lead even when your dog is off it, and clean up straight away.

Fenced, segmented sections let you separate dogs by size or energy, and there are water taps with bowls, picnic tables, four undercover barbecue areas, and bins with bag dispensers near the main entries. The reserve itself is open rather than fully fenced, so it suits dogs with reasonable recall.

The vibe

It is a genuine multi-use community reserve rather than a dedicated dog park, so the crowd shifts with the day. Weekend mornings between 9am and 11am are the busiest and best for social dogs, weekday mid-morning is quiet, and there is a reliable after-work surge from about 5pm to 6:30pm.

Pepsi: the segmented fenced sections earn their keep if your dog needs a calmer pocket away from the main field during the after-work rush.

Getting there and parking

Street parking is generally available around the reserve, especially along Roberts Street. West Footscray and Tottenham train stations are both a short walk away, and the 411, 412 and 414 bus routes stop nearby. In summer, go early or in the evening so the ground is not too hot on paws.

Close by with the dogs

If you need a fully fenced run, Martin Reserve Fenced Dog Park is about 900 metres away with double-gate entry, and Scovell Reserve Dog Off Leash Area in Maidstone is another nearby option. For an on-lead river walk, the Maribyrnong River Trail and Burndap Park loop is close by.

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