Correction (3 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 3 October 2026.
Council decides where a dog can run off-lead, and whatever the sign at the gate says overrides any other claim. This page lists six council parks and reserves in and around Boronia, with the council’s dog rule for each first, then what the council says the place provides.
Three are in Boronia: Boronia Park, Tormore Reserve and Penrith Street Reserve. Kings Park dog play park is in Upper Ferntree Gully, and Tim Neville Arboretum and Koolunga Native Reserve are in Ferntree Gully, so those three are a drive away rather than a local walk. Every rule below comes from the Knox council pages we read. None of the pages gave opening hours for the local reserves, so none are printed. Bring bags.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| A local park where dogs may be off-lead under control | Boronia Park | Park Crescent, Boronia |
| A reserve with toilets and an outdoor gym listed | Tormore Reserve | Tormore Road, Boronia |
| A small reserve west of Knox Leisureworks | Penrith Street Reserve | 11 Penrith Street, Boronia |
| A fully fenced off-leash park, outside Boronia | Kings Park dog play park | 11 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully |
| A garden park where dogs are welcome on lead | Tim Neville Arboretum | 100 Dorset Road, Ferntree Gully |
| Bush walking tracks, dogs on lead | Koolunga Native Reserve | Forest Road, Ferntree Gully |
Boronia Park — Park Crescent, Boronia VIC 3155
Status: Knox says “Dogs may be off-lead but under effective control in a public park or recreation reserve.” The same council rule puts dogs on lead on footpaths, bike tracks, walking tracks and children’s playgrounds. Council lists Boronia Park at Park Crescent with a playground, so the lead stays on near it. The council page gives a location, not a street number, and no opening hours or entry fee.
Off-leash status: Off-lead only under effective control, and on lead on paths and at the playground, per council.
Tormore Reserve — Tormore Road, Boronia VIC 3155
Status: the same Knox rule applies, with dogs off-lead only under effective control, and on lead on footpaths, bike tracks, walking tracks and children’s playgrounds. The council lists a playground here, and Tormore Reserve is also on its list of public toilets and outdoor gym equipment sites. Tormore is the only Boronia site on the council’s list of four playground public toilets, so the dunny is a council listing, not a guess. Again, the council gives a location rather than a street number.
Off-leash status: Off-lead only under effective control, on lead near the playground, per council.
Penrith Street Reserve — 11 Penrith Street, Boronia VIC 3155
Status: the council lists Penrith Street Reserve at 11 Penrith Street, west of Knox Leisureworks, with a playground. The general Knox dog rule is off-lead only under effective control, and on lead at playgrounds and on tracks. The council also lists “Penrith Reserve - Penrith Street” among its Boronia bushland reserves. We did not confirm which dog rule applies to that bushland listing, so check the council page and the sign before you unclip the lead.
Off-leash status: General council rule applies; the bushland listing needs a council check.
Kings Park dog play park — 11 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Status: fully fenced, per council. Knox says it “has several fully fenced off-leash dog parks” and Kings Park is the one it lists in Upper Ferntree Gully. It is not in Boronia. The council headings say Upper Ferntree Gully and its address line says Ferntree Gully, both with postcode 3156.
The council says Kings Park has a main large dog area for general play and a smaller area for small and shy dogs. Its dog play parks page lists inclusions like hurdles, a tunnel, weave poles, walking circuits, a water fountain, shade and seating for the parks as a group. The council’s rules for its dog play parks say dogs must be on lead before entering or exiting, and also set rules on children being accompanied by an adult, on alcohol, and against professional dog training, so read the council’s page before you go.
Off-leash status: Fully fenced off-leash, with the lead on until you are through the gate, per council.
Tim Neville Arboretum — 100 Dorset Road, Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Status: on lead at all times. The council says “Dogs are welcome in the Arboretum, but they must be on a lead at all times.” It describes an 11-acre multipurpose recreation reserve on Dorset Road, Ferntree Gully, open every day during daylight hours. It is in Ferntree Gully, not Boronia.
The council lists public toilets, free BBQs, a pavilion for shelter and a lake and wetlands system. It says there is plenty of off-road parking on Dorset Road and on-street parking on Frances Crescent.
Bring: A lead and bags, because the council rule is on lead at all times.
Koolunga Native Reserve — Forest Road, Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Status: on lead everywhere except the lawn areas, per council. The Knox page describes a 6-hectare reserve on the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, with two kilometres of walking tracks and picnic tables. It says over 60% of the reserve is remnant bushland, home to native plants and animals, including threatened species, which is one reason the lead rule matters.
The council also lists works to remove non-native pines, and says “The reserve will remain open with safety measures in place.” Check the council page for current works before you go. The reserve is in Ferntree Gully, not Boronia.
Bring: A lead, and keep it on outside the lawn areas.
Quick answers
Can dogs go off-lead in Boronia parks?
Per council, dogs may be off-lead but under effective control in a public park or recreation reserve, and must be on lead on footpaths, bike tracks, walking tracks and children’s playgrounds. That is the general Knox rule for Boronia Park, Tormore Reserve and Penrith Street Reserve. We found no off-lead hours, so check the council order and the sign.
Is there a fenced dog park near Boronia?
Kings Park dog play park, 11 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully, is fully fenced and off-leash, per council. It is outside Boronia.
Are dogs allowed at Tim Neville Arboretum?
Yes, on a lead at all times, per council. The Arboretum is in Ferntree Gully and open every day during daylight hours.
Can dogs go to Koolunga Native Reserve?
Yes, on a lead, except in the lawn areas, per council. The reserve is in Ferntree Gully, and the council lists tree removal works there while saying the reserve remains open.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 2 October 2026 and 3 October 2026: OpenStreetMap and council pages. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Boronia Park: openstreetmap.org/1021829498, knox.vic.gov.au/playgrounds-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/keeping-dog-knox
- Tormore Reserve: openstreetmap.org/28517620, knox.vic.gov.au/playgrounds-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/keeping-dog-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/outdoor-gym-equipment-knox
- Penrith Street Reserve: openstreetmap.org/1221647761, knox.vic.gov.au/playgrounds-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/keeping-dog-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/bushland-reserves-knox
- Kings Park dog play park: openstreetmap.org/28118855, knox.vic.gov.au/dog-play-parks, knox.vic.gov.au/playgrounds-knox
- Tim Neville Arboretum: openstreetmap.org/10844610, knox.vic.gov.au/tim-neville-arboretum, knox.vic.gov.au/playgrounds-knox
- Koolunga Native Reserve: openstreetmap.org/30411234, knox.vic.gov.au/koolunga-native-reserve, knox.vic.gov.au/bushland-reserves-knox, knox.vic.gov.au/keeping-dog-knox
