Project Background

The City of Melton is home to more than 50,000 registered dogs, and we know pets are an important part of life for many people in our community. We also understand there is strong interest in having more dog off-lead areas across the city.

In 2022, we undertook community consultation to better understand how residents and their dogs used open spaces in the City of Melton, what was working well, and where improvements or additional dog off-lead areas may be needed. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their feedback. A summary of the consultation findings is available below.

Using this feedback, we will write a four-year Dog Off-Leash Action Plan (DOLAP) to guide the future planning and development of dog off-leash areas across the City of Melton.

    The Action Plan aims to:

  • Improve access to dog off-leash spaces across the City of Melton
  • Identify gaps in the current network
  • Plan for future growth and demand
  • Upgrade existing dog off-lead areas
  • Investigate new locations for future spaces
  • Set clear and consistent service standards

Council is continuing to invest in open spaces that support recreation and wellbeing for both people and their pets.

The sites identified on the map below have been informed by:

  • Community feedback received during the 2022 consultation, customer requests
  • A city-wide gap analysis
  • Dog and human population data based on the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-2029
  • Site size, location and suitability for dog off-lead use

Community Consultation Summary

A short survey was open from August to September 2022 to allow the community to provide thoughts about dogs in parks and public spaces. We received 238 responses in total. Below is a short summary from the consultation.

What we asked included:

  • How often do you use dog off-lead areas?
  • Do you have any concerns about dog off-lead areas?
  • What do you see as the benefits of using off-leads areas?
  • Suggestions for suitable locations for future dog off-lead areas

We received valuable feedback from the community which highlighted a strong desire for:

  • More spaces where dogs can safely exercise off-lead
  • Increased education on responsible dog ownership
  • Improved signage and user information
  • Better connected and accessible walking paths for exercising dogs

What we are working towards:

  • Consulting on potential locations, supported by an interactive map and community survey (see below)
  • Developing a clear and practical 4-year Dog Off-Lead Action Plan (DOLAP)
  • Completing the staged delivery of existing dog off-lead projects already planned

The interactive map below shows:

Upgrades & upcoming dog off‑lead areas

Existing dog off-lead areas

Potential future sites currently being investigated


✍️We invite you to share your feedback on potential future sites (shown as orange pins on the map).
You can provide your input by rating these locations at the bottom of this page.
Your feedback will help inform Council’s planning and decision-making.

Further community consultation will be undertaken for both the upcoming dog off‑lead areas and the sites being upgraded.