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.
Nothing here is secret because we say so. These five are on the record, in council pages and the places’ own websites, and they are simply less talked about than the main strips.
One is in McKinnon, Wattle Grove Reserve. The other four are in Bentleigh: a second reserve, an artist’s studio, a bookshop and a bakery. That is why the page says in and around.
Each was checked against two sources, such as the council, OpenStreetMap or the place’s own site. Where a source is silent, we say so.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Playground, rock wall, picnic shelter | Wattle Grove Reserve | Wattle Grove, McKinnon |
| A quiet on-leash picnic | Leckie Street Reserve | Leckie Street, Bentleigh |
| An artist’s studio address | Pamela Irving Studio + Gallery | 68 Patterson Road, Bentleigh |
| Independent bookshop, listed hours | Benn’s Books | 437 Centre Road, Bentleigh |
| Patisserie on Centre Road | Dana Patisserie | 347 Centre Road, Bentleigh |
Wattle Grove Reserve — Wattle Grove, McKinnon VIC 3204
Wattle Grove Reserve is a council park, and the council says it has a tall climbing cube with rock wall feature and a picnic shelter with two picnic tables. Its page also notes it is especially beautiful in spring and summer when the rose garden comes to life. On dogs, the council’s dog section limits off-leash to the area 20m south of the hit-up wall.
On the record: the council names entrances from Wattle Grove and Wheatley Road, and the dog rules sit in its own dog section.
Leckie Street Reserve — Leckie Street, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Leckie Street Reserve is small, and the council says the playground is great for younger children. It also says a shelter with a picnic table and benches provides cover from the elements. The council says the reserve is an on-leash area.
The tell: the council’s own invitation is to pack a picnic and enjoy the tranquility, and its page says the shelter cannot be booked.
Pamela Irving Studio + Gallery — 68 Patterson Road, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Pamela Irving Studio + Gallery is an artist’s own studio. Her site gives a studio address on Patterson Road and mentions a new large scale mosaic for the Luna Palace Building. It prints no public opening hours and no walk-in invitation, so this is a place to read about, not to turn up at.
Find it: the studio address on her site is 68 Patterson Road, Bentleigh, but there are no listed visiting hours.
Benn’s Books — 437 Centre Road, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Benn’s Books is an independent bookshop on Centre Road. Its site lists Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, and Sundays and public holidays 10am to 4pm. It also lists Gifts & Stationery, Kids New Releases and a Local Author section. A shop with proper hours is not a mystery, just an easy one to miss.
On the record: the site also lists gift cards, a Regular Readers Program and a bookclub.
Dana Patisserie — 347 Centre Road, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Dana Patisserie sits on Centre Road, the same street as the bookshop. Its own site lists Monday to Friday and weekends all as 7 am to 4:30 pm. We found no prices, and the site is undated, so check before you go.
Find it: 347 Centre Road, Bentleigh, per its own site.
Quick answers
What lesser-known places are there near Mckinnon?
This page lists five: Wattle Grove Reserve in McKinnon, then Leckie Street Reserve, Pamela Irving Studio + Gallery, Benn’s Books and Dana Patisserie in Bentleigh.
Can you visit Pamela Irving’s studio in Bentleigh?
Her site gives a studio address on Patterson Road but prints no public opening hours or walk-in invitation, so do not assume you can drop in.
Where can dogs go off-leash in Wattle Grove Reserve?
The council’s dog section says the area 20m south of the hit-up wall at Wattle Grove Reserve is an off-leash area. It says Leckie Street Reserve is an on-leash area.
Is there an independent bookshop near Mckinnon?
Benn’s Books is on Centre Road in Bentleigh, and its site lists Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm, with shorter hours on Sundays.
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, council pages and the places’ own websites. We copied no menu prices from these places’ own pages, so this page prints none. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue 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
- Wattle Grove Reserve: openstreetmap.org/70658860, gleneira.vic.gov.au/wattle-grove-reserve
- Leckie Street Reserve: openstreetmap.org/253574673, gleneira.vic.gov.au/leckie-street-reserve
- Pamela Irving Studio + Gallery: openstreetmap.org/157321894, pamelairving.com.au/contact, pamelairving.com.au, pamelairving.com.au/about
- Benn’s Books: openstreetmap.org/1127660996, bennsbooks.com.au
- Dana Patisserie: openstreetmap.org/11896137569, danapatisserie.com
