McIvor Reserve Fenced Dog Park

McIvor Reserve Fenced Dog Park is a fully fenced off-leash enclosure of roughly 9,100 square metres on Wattle Road in Yarraville, set inside the larger McIvor Reserve. Open grass, a rocky hill for dogs who like to climb and sniff, and mature trees for shade make it one of the bigger secure run spaces in Melbourne's inner west, and the wider reserve adds more off-leash room once your dog has earned some freedom outside the fence.

The dog setup

Inside the fence, dogs can run off-lead under effective control. The entrance works on double gates, so check both are closed behind you, they are the usual escape point. A water tap with bowls sits in the enclosure, there is a park seat near the rocky mound, and bins with bag dispensers stand near the entrances. Shade comes from established trees rather than built structures, so bring your own shelter on hot days.

Max: if the fenced section is packed at peak times, the unfenced parts of the wider reserve are usually quieter. Just remember it is voice control out there, not fences.

The rules

Keep dogs on-lead within 30 metres of the children's playground, and no off-lead play on the reserve's soccer, hockey or baseball fields, particularly while games or training are underway. The reserve also hosts cricket and lacrosse through the year, so the sporting grounds get busy in season.

Getting there and parking

The park sits on Wattle Road, Yarraville VIC 3013, reachable via Somerville Road or Williamstown Road, with street parking along Wattle Road and free public parking off Hawkhurst Street. Yarraville Station is a 20 to 30 minute walk, so this one is realistically a drive or cycle destination rather than a train trip.

Close by with the dogs

If McIvor is busy, the Francis St dog park is the suburb's other fully fenced option, and Newport Lakes adds a different bush-and-quarry landscape a few suburbs south. The Maribyrnong River Trail makes a good on-lead walk on the way home, and Moon Dog Wild West in Footscray ends the day with beer and dogs in the beer hall.

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