Correction (5 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 on 5 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
This is the rules-first list for walking a dog in and around Mernda. Three places had enough on the public record for us to stand behind them: a council off-leash park and a cafe, both with Mernda addresses, and Plenty Gorge Parklands, whose listed address is in South Morang.
The order matters. A walk is only legal if you know whether the dog can be off the lead, so each entry gives the official status first. Where a source does not give a time, a facility or a policy, we write “check” instead of guessing.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A council-listed off-leash park | Mernda Off-lead Dog Park (Creek Park dog park) | see below | not printed here |
| A cafe stop that AGFG lists as pet friendly | Split Bean Cafe | Toast or Raisin Toast | $9 |
| A Parks Victoria walk with the dog kept on lead | Plenty Gorge Parklands (Plenty Gorge Park) | see below | not printed here |
Mernda Off-lead Dog Park (Creek Park dog park) — Corner of Plenty Road and Mernda Village Drive, Mernda VIC 3754
City of Whittlesea lists this park, which it calls Creek Park dog park, on its dog parks page, and it is the only Mernda entry on the council’s off-leash list as we read it. The council says its off-leash parks in general “contain dog training, exercise and agility equipment”; its Creek Park entry does not list what this park has. Its page places the park on the corner of Plenty Road and Mernda Village Drive, with an access gate off Mernda Village Drive and 2 access gates off Perry Street.
The council’s rule is short: “Dog owners must keep all dogs under effective control and clean up after them.” We did not record off-leash times, water, bins or shade for this park from the council page, so check the council’s dog parks page and the signage at the gate before you go.
Off-leash status: listed by City of Whittlesea as an off-leash park; check the council’s dog parks page and the gate signage for any times or conditions.
Split Bean Cafe — Shop 1/59 Mernda Village Drive, Mernda VIC 3754
AGFG lists Split Bean Cafe with the flags “Pet Friendly” and “Alfresco Dining”. The cafe’s own website does not say either, so we cannot tell you whether a dog is allowed inside or only at an outdoor table. Ring the cafe before you bring a dog, and treat AGFG’s flags as a listing, not a policy.
It is on this page as the walk’s coffee stop; hours, prices and the cafe-only angle are on our dog-friendly cafes page. The cafe’s own site, AGFG and the Mernda Village centre page print different hours, so confirm before you go.
Inside or outside only: not stated by the cafe; AGFG lists “Pet Friendly” and “Alfresco Dining”, so ask about the outdoor tables first.
Plenty Gorge Parklands (Plenty Gorge Park) — Red Gum Car Park, Gordons Rd (off Plenty Rd), South Morang VIC 3752
This one is not in Mernda. Parks Victoria lists the Red Gum Car Park on Gordons Rd, off Plenty Rd in South Morang, as a starting point for walking tracks; the park has other picnic areas and entry points too. The status for dogs is plain: Parks Victoria says “Dogs must be on lead in these areas”, and its map shows which areas that covers.
Parks Victoria gives gate hours of 7:00am to 5:00pm in standard time and 7:00am to 7:00pm in daylight savings time; as we read it, that is the Hawkstowe Picnic Area gate. The page lists a BBQ, carpark, lookout, picnic area, playscape and toilets among the park facilities, and says the Hawkstowe Picnic Area has an accessible toilet. We did not record where water or bins sit, so check the park map.
Off-leash status: on lead only, per Parks Victoria; there is no off-leash area in what we read.
Quick answers
Where is the off-leash dog park in Mernda?
City of Whittlesea lists Creek Park dog park, mapped as Mernda Off-lead Dog Park, on the corner of Plenty Road and Mernda Village Drive. Check the council’s dog parks page for any times or conditions.
Can dogs go off the lead at Plenty Gorge Parklands?
Not in anything we read. Parks Victoria says “Dogs must be on lead in these areas”, and the areas are shown on its map. Check the signage at the entrance you use.
Is Split Bean Cafe dog friendly?
AGFG lists it as “Pet Friendly” and “Alfresco Dining”, but the cafe’s own website does not say so, so ring ahead and ask whether dogs are allowed inside or only outside.
What do I have to do at the Mernda dog park?
The council says owners “must keep all dogs under effective control and clean up after them”, so bring bags and a lead for the walk to the gate.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 5 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages, the places’ own websites, the Australian Good Food Guide, merndavillage.com.au and government pages. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 5 October 2026. 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
- Mernda Off-lead Dog Park (Creek Park dog park): openstreetmap.org/237080167, whittlesea.vic.gov.au/Dog-parks
- Split Bean Cafe: openstreetmap.org/5872679560, splitbeancafe.com.au, agfg.com.au/spilt-bean-cafe-54274, merndavillage.com.au/split-bean-cafe
- Plenty Gorge Parklands (Plenty Gorge Park): openstreetmap.org/9278364, parks.vic.gov.au/plenty-gorge-parklands
