Correction (10 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 9 October 2026 and 10 October 2026.
An off-leash area is only off-leash where the official page says so, and the sign at the gate wins. This page covers five parks in and around Lower Plenty: two in Templestowe, one in Templestowe Lower and two in Eltham.
Each park is checked against its managing body, Parks Victoria for Westerfolds Park, Manningham Council for Finns Reserve and Templestowe Reserve, and Nillumbik Council for the two Eltham parks. Where our checked facts do not say which part of a park is off lead or when, we say so and send you to the council page or map.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| On-lead loop walk | Westerfolds Park | Fitzsimons Lane, Templestowe |
| Listed off-lead areas by the Yarra | Finns Reserve | Corner Union Street, Templestowe Lower |
| Local dog-walking reserve | Templestowe Reserve | Hawtin Street, Templestowe |
| Fenced off-leash dog park | Eltham Lower Park | Main Road, Eltham |
| Creek trails, map-checked rules | Barak Bushlands | Falkiner Street, Eltham |
Westerfolds Park — Fitzsimons Lane, Templestowe VIC 3106
Status: on lead. Parks Victoria says dogs are permitted in the park but must be kept on a leash at all times, so this is not an off-lead park. The park page lists the Westerfolds Loop Track at 4.8km, a 1.5 hours circuit past the old manor, woodlands and native shrublands, and describes over 120 hectares of parkland. Parks Victoria’s page also carried a general bird flu alert when we read it, so check it before you go.
Off-leash status: None, per Parks Victoria; the lead stays on for the whole park.
Finns Reserve — Corner Union Street, Templestowe Lower VIC 3107
Status: off-lead areas listed, location not in our checked facts. Manningham Council’s feature list for Finns Reserve includes Off Lead Areas, drinking water, toilets, shared trails and bushland. Our checked facts do not say which part of the reserve is off lead or at what times, so read the council page before you unclip. The council also says the swing bridge connects the reserve to the Main Yarra Trail.
Bring: A lead for the trail sections and the council page on your phone, because our checked facts do not map the off-lead areas.
Templestowe Reserve — Hawtin Street, Templestowe VIC 3106
Status: off-lead areas tagged, location not in our checked facts. Manningham Council lists Off Lead Areas among the reserve’s features and says it is popular with local residents for dog walking, among other things. Our checked facts do not say where the off-lead area sits or when it applies, so read the council page before you unclip. The council also lists two sportsgrounds, a playground and a barbecue with a shade sail.
Inside or outside only: Outdoors only; this is an open reserve with sportsgrounds, so keep the lead handy until you have checked the council page’s dog rules.
Eltham Lower Park — Main Road, Eltham VIC 3095
Status: off leash in named areas. Nillumbik Council says dogs are permitted off leash at Lenister Farm and in the Eltham Lower Park Dog Park. It describes the back oval, also called oval number two or South oval, as a fenced off-leash dog area. The council is just as clear about exclusions: dogs are not permitted in the Pines Picnic Site, Hohnes Hill Reserve, Eltham Lower Park Playground and Eltham Copper Butterfly Playground at any time.
Inside or outside only: Outdoors only, and the council bans dogs from both playgrounds in the park at any time.
Barak Bushlands — Falkiner Street, Eltham VIC 3095
Status: mixed, check the council map. Nillumbik Council says your dog must be on a leash within five metres of shared paths and in the Barak Bushlands Reserve area, and refers readers to its map for off-leash and on-leash areas. Its feature list includes a dogs off-leash area, a lake, river or wetland, and a shared trail. The council describes creek-side views and access to the Diamond Creek Trail.
Bring: A lead you can clip on fast, plus the council map, because the page gives the rules but not which areas are which.
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed off lead at Westerfolds Park?
No. Parks Victoria says dogs are permitted at Westerfolds Park but must be kept on a leash at all times, so it is an on-lead park.
Where can dogs go off lead near Lower Plenty?
Nillumbik Council says dogs are permitted off leash at Lenister Farm and in the Eltham Lower Park Dog Park, and describes the back oval there as a fenced off-leash dog area. Manningham Council lists Off Lead Areas for both Finns Reserve and Templestowe Reserve; our checked facts do not say where, so read each council page before you unclip. Barak Bushlands has off-leash and on-leash areas that the council shows on its map.
Where are dogs banned at Eltham Lower Park?
Nillumbik Council says dogs are not permitted in the Pines Picnic Site, Hohnes Hill Reserve, Eltham Lower Park Playground and Eltham Copper Butterfly Playground at any time.
Which of these parks have trails for a longer lead walk?
Parks Victoria lists the Westerfolds Loop Track at 4.8km for Westerfolds Park, with dogs on lead. Manningham Council says a swing bridge links Finns Reserve to the Main Yarra Trail. Nillumbik Council lists access to the Diamond Creek Trail at Barak Bushlands, where dogs must be on a leash within five metres of shared paths.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources between 9 October 2026 and 10 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, government pages 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
- Westerfolds Park: openstreetmap.org/156129701, parks.vic.gov.au/westerfolds-park, parks.vic.gov.au/yarra-valley-parklands
- Finns Reserve: openstreetmap.org/28045703, manningham.vic.gov.au/finns-reserve
- Templestowe Reserve: openstreetmap.org/29123410, manningham.vic.gov.au/templestowe-reserve
- Eltham Lower Park: openstreetmap.org/28242413, nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Eltham-Lower-Park
- Barak Bushlands: openstreetmap.org/17372071, nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Barak-Bushlands
