Dogs in public places

We all feel better with a bit of fresh air and spaces to roam. Our dogs too!

To help make sure we all get out and about safely, new local rules start 1 February 2025.

New rules

New rules for dogs in Banyule are summarised as:

  • can be off-lead in any of the specified off-lead locations if all criteria are met
  • not allowed in excluded locations
  • not allowed within 5m of playground and BBQ areas
  • only allowed within 5m of shared pathways when on-lead
  • when a Council event is occurring in any of the specified off-lead locations
  • need to be on-lead in all other public places.

On-lead locations

Dogs need to be kept on-lead in these locations and conditions:

  • on shared pathways and a surrounding 5 meter buffer
  • when a Council event is occurring in any of the specified off-lead locations
  • all other public places, including footpaths, nature strips 

Off-lead locations

Specified off-lead locations are a mix of reserves. Sporting fields, pocket parks and other open space reserves. They are all listed and we have also mapped each of them to help you plan your next dog adventure.  

For a dog to be off-lead all of these criteria need to be met:

Off-lead locations list

  • AK Lines Reserve
  • Albert Jones Reserve
  • Aminya Reserve
  • Anthony Beale Reserve
  • Banfield Terrace Reserve
  • Banyule Flats Reserve, some parts are excluded locations
  • Belmont Bush Reserve
  • Beverley Road Reserve
  • Binnak Park
  • Bolton Street Reserve
  • Briar Hill Hall
  • Briar Valley Play Park
  • Bryant Reserve
  • Buna Reserve
  • Burke Road North Reserve
  • Cartledge Reserve
  • Castleton Park
  • Central Park
  • Chelsworth Park
  • Cleveland Wetland Reserve
  • Clovelly Park
  • Coleen Street Reserve
  • Crana Reserve
  • Creek Bend Reserve
  • Cyril Cummins Reserve
  • De Winton Park
  • Donaldson's Creek Reserve
  • Dunvegan North Reserve, also known as Dunvegan Parklands
  • Edmond Rice Reserve
  • EJ Andrews Reserve
  • Elder Street Reserve
  • Elder Street River Reserve
  • Ford Park
  • Fotini Gardens
  • Fricker Hill Reserve
  • Gabonia Avenue Reserve
  • Gillingham Reserve
  • Gilmour Rise Reserve
  • Glenauburn Reserve
  • Glendale Reserve
  • Green Street Reserve
  • Greensborough Escarpment
  • Greensborough Park
  • Greensborough War Memorial
  • Greenwood Reserve
  • Hannah Reserve
  • Harborne Street Reserve
  • Hartlands Road Reserve
  • Haward Walkway
  • Heidelberg Park
  • Highview Crescent Reserve
  • Howe Court Reserve
  • Hughes Circuit Reserve
  • Ironbark Crescent Reserve
  • Ivanhoe Park
  • Ivanhoe Recreation Reserve
  • James Reserve
  • Jamieson Court Reserve
  • Jennifer Court Reserve
  • John McRobbie Reserve
  • Johnson Reserve
  • Kalista Park
  • Kalparrin Gardens
  • Karingal Drive Plantation Reserve
  • Kearney Court Reserve
  • Keswick Glen Reserve
  • Kirwana Bush Reserve
  • Kirwana Play Reserve
  • Kitchener Reserve
  • Kwinana Court Reserve
  • Lantana Close Reserve
  • Larool Avenue Reserve
  • Lawson Court Reserve
  • Leslie Court River Reserve
  • Liddesdale Bushland Reserve
  • Lightwood Walk Reserve
  • Lions Reserve
  • Longacres Road Reserve
  • Longacres/Smike Walkway Reserve
  • Looker Road Reserve
  • Lower Plenty Road Plantation Reserve (East of Arthur Streeton)
  • Loyola Reserve
  • Luton Way Reserve
  • Macdhui Reserve (North)
  • Macdhui Reserve (South)
  • Macleod Park
  • Macorna Street Walkway Reserve
  • Main Road River Reserve
  • Malahang Reserve
  • Malcolm Blair Reserve
  • Maleela Reserve
  • Manton Street Reserve
  • Margaret Avenue Reserve
  • Margaret Heathorn Park
  • Marigolds Road Reserve
  • May Street Reserve
  • Mayona Road Reserve
  • Medbury Avenue Reserve
  • Memorial Reserve
  • Mercedes Court Reserve
  • Midway/Morobe Walkway
  • Miles Reserve
  • Milford Reserve
  • Milne Place Drainage Reserve
  • Milne Place Reserve
  • Mogg Court Reserve
  • Molloy Court Reserve
  • Monagle Avenue Reserve
  • Montmorency Park
  • Moodie Street Reserve
  • Morwell Avenue Reserve
  • Motts Paddock
  • N J Telfer Reserve
  • Napier Waller Reserve
  • Narvik Reserve
  • Nash Court Reserve
  • Nellie Ibbott Reserve
  • Nimary Court Plantation Reserve (East)
  • Nimary Court Plantation Reserve (West)
  • Nolan Close Reserve
  • Noorong Avenue Reserve
  • Old Lower Plenty Road Reserve
  • Olympic Avenue Reserve
  • Olympic Park
  • Olympic Village Reserve
  • Ovata Close Reserve
  • Palamino Court Reserve
  • Para Road Island Reserve
  • Paulette Close Reserve
  • Paulette/Tamboon Walkway Reserve
  • Pecks Dam Reserve
  • Pedersen Way Reserve
  • Petrie Park
  • Piccadilly Close Reserve
  • Pindari Reserve
  • Pioneer Reserve
  • Plenty River Bicycle Trail Reserve
  • Plenty River Drive Reserve
  • Plenty River Reserve (Bicton Street East Side)
  • Plenty River Reserve (Bicton Street West Side)
  • Plenty River Reserve (George Court)
  • Plenty River Reserve (Main Street West)
  • Plenty River Reserve (Main to Pope)
  • Plenty River Reserve (Nell to Para)
  • Plenty River Reserve (Simms Road)
  • Poulter Reserve
  • Price Park
  • Progress/Weidlich Walkway Reserve
  • Radio Park
  • Rahill Walk Reserve
  • Ramu Reserve
  • Rand Street Reserve
  • Rattray Reserve
  • Red Gum Reserve
  • Redmond Court Wetlands Reserve
  • Redmond/Bowler Walkway Reserve
  • Reichelt/Mitchell Reserve
  • Reichelt/Sackville Walkway (East)
  • Reichelt/Sackville Walkway (West)
  • Remembrance Park
  • Rise Reserve
  • River Gum Walk
  • Rosanna Parklands
  • Rosanna Road Reserve
  • Rosehill Road Reserve
  • Rossi Park
  • Ryans Road Plantation Reserve
  • Sackville Reserve
  • Sackville/Orr Walkway Reserve
  • Scenic Rise Plantation Reserve
  • Seddon Reserve
  • Selwood Court Reserve
  • Service Reserve
  • Settlers Park
  • Shelley Park
  • Sherbourne Road Reserve
  • Sherlowe Crescent Reserve
  • Silver Wattle Street Reserve
  • Simla Close Reserve
  • Simms Road Reserve
  • Simonelli Reserve
  • Somers Avenue Reserve
  • Sparks Reserve
  • St Clems Reserve
  • St Helena Road Plantation Reserve
  • St Helena Road Reserve
  • St Marys Reserve
  • Stanton Crescent Reserve
  • Station Road Reserve
  • Stornoway Glen Reserve
  • Streamline Reserve
  • Studley/Sherwood Walkway
  • Sweetwater Creek Reserve
  • Sylvan Play Park
  • Tara Court Reserve
  • Tathra Reserve
  • The Boulevard Reserve
  • The Glade Reserve
  • The Grange SEC Reserve
  • The Righi Reserve
  • Tyrone Court Reserve
  • Ungara Close Walkway
  • V C Estate Reserve
  • V C Henderson Reserve
  • Vanessa Court Reserve
  • Viewbank Reserve
  • Vin Heffernan Reserve
  • Vine Street Reserve
  • Warralong Avenue Reserve
  • Warrawee Park
  • Warringal Parklands
  • Watsonia Drain Reserve
  • Watsonia Road Reserve
  • Weidlich Road Reserve
  • Wendover Place Reserve
  • Were Street Reserve
  • West Mayling Reserve
  • Westmere Place Reserve
  • Whatmough Park
  • Willinda Park
  • Willowbank Grove Reserve
  • Winsor Reserve
  • Wooded Way Reserve
  • Woodlands Park
  • Wungan Street Reserve
  • Yallambie Park
  • Yallambie Road Reserve
  • Yallambie SEC Reserve
  • Yando Street River Reserve
  • Yulong Reserve

Excluded locations

Excluded locations are areas where dogs are not allowed at any time.

Excluded locations have been selected to help protect environmentally sensitive areas. Typically native bushland areas and water bodies and their surrounds. They are all listed and we have also mapped each of them to help you plan your visits.

Although not individually listed, exclusion areas also include:

Excluded locations list

  • Andrew Yandell Habitat Reserve, specifically the fenced areas
  • Brown’s Nature Reserve, also known as Alma Brown Reserve
  • Banyule Flats, specifically the wetland and Banyule Billabong
  • Rockbeare Park, also referred to as a part of Darebin Parklands
  • St Helena Bush Reserve, specifically the fenced areas
  • Wilson Reserve, specifically the Horseshoe, Reedy and Bailey billabongs
  • Warringal swamplands

Map

Specified off-lead areas and excluded locations represented on a map.

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Current rules

The full original text of the rules can be found in the Order of Council made in 1997 for cats and dogs in public places(PDF, 31KB), effective until 31 January 2025.