Correction (4 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 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Free first: this page lists six weekend outings in and around Ormond, starting with the one where the council says the barbecues are free. The rest are a pool in Carnegie, a bookshop in Bentleigh, a doughnut shop in Carnegie, a gelato bar in McKinnon and a Turkish restaurant in McKinnon.
Two or more sources were used to check each place. Prices are copied as printed, and hours are quoted from the listing that names them, so check the source before you head out.
Where a plan has a get-there line it points you to the PTV journey planner, and the pool gets a rain backup because its listing gives us one.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water play and a climbing net | Booran Reserve | see below | not printed here |
| Outdoor swim and splash pad | Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool | Adult swim | $10.75 |
| Sunday-open bookshop | Benn’s Books | The German Ward - Pip Wiliiams | $34.99 |
| Doughnut dessert run | Lukumades Carnegie | see below | not printed here |
| Gelato and a dessert bar | Dolce House | Gelato Cake - Basic | from $59.00 |
| Turkish restaurant outing | Asena Melbourne | see below | not printed here |
Booran Reserve — Corner Booran and Glenhuntly Road, Glen Huntly VIC 3163
Booran Reserve in Glen Huntly comes first because the council says the two picnic shelters have access to free BBQ and toilet facilities. We could not find an entry price. According to the council, the water play feature runs 9am to 7.30pm from October to March and 9am to 5pm from April to September. It also says the play space features a giant, 10-metre-high double dome rope climbing net with slide, and that no glass, sharp objects or pets are allowed in the water play area.
Free first: the council page lists free BBQ and toilet facilities, but it also says water play is unsupervised and not guaranteed to be running, so check the page on the day.
Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool — Koornang Park, Moira Avenue, Carnegie VIC 3163
Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool is operated by Glen Eira Leisure and sits in Koornang Park. Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool lists adult swim at $10.75. Its site lists a splash pad, an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, diving boards, shaded seating areas and outdoor BBQs. Its hours page lists the outdoor pool at 7am - 7pm on Saturday and 8am - 7pm on Sunday, with holiday hours listed separately. The page also says there is no gym, only group exercise classes, and that the dive pool is closed for the cooler months.
Listed prices (copied from geleisure.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Adult swim: $10.75
- Concession/child swim (3–15 years): $8.60
- Group swim (five people, two adults maximum): $35.80
Rain backup: the site lists an indoor pool and a wellness zone with a warm water pool, spa, steam room and sauna, so a wet forecast does not have to cancel the plan.
Benn’s Books — 437 Centre Road, Bentleigh VIC 3204
Benn’s Books is an independent bookshop on Centre Road, Bentleigh. Its site lists Sundays 10am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 5pm. It also lists Gifts and Stationery and an October 2026 Kids New Releases section. Benn’s Books lists The German Ward - Pip Wiliiams at $34.99. Benn’s Books lists Gabi Makes Room (Your Next Read Gold) at $14.99.
Listed prices (copied from bennsbooks.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- The German Ward - Pip Wiliiams: $34.99
- Gabi Makes Room (Your Next Read Gold): $14.99
- Fierceland: Winner of the 2026 Miles Franklin Award: $34.99
Plan it: the shop’s site lists Sundays 10am - 4pm, so a Sunday browse fits before the afternoon.
Lukumades Carnegie — Shop 3/89 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC 3163
Lukumades Carnegie is a doughnut and dessert shop at Shop 3/89 Koornang Road. The Lukumades site lists 3/89 Koornang Road, Carnegie VIC, Monday - Sunday, 12pm - 11pm daily. That listing comes from the brand-wide Australia locations page, not a Carnegie-only page. The site describes the brand as Lukumades HQ, the world’s most unique doughnuts, and its FAQ says the doughnuts are vegan. We could not find a published price.
Get there: use the PTV journey planner for Shop 3/89 Koornang Road, Carnegie, and check the shop’s own page for hours on the day.
Dolce House — 225 Tucker Road, McKinnon VIC 3204
Dolce House is a gelato and dessert shop at 225 Tucker Road, McKinnon. Its site says you will find at least 24 gelato flavours at all times in its stores, and that its dessert bar is what sets it apart from other gelaterias. The site also lists a litre take-home tub of gelato. Dolce House lists New York Baked Cheesecake at $69.00 on its order page. We could not find a per-scoop price.
On the menu (copied from dolcehouse.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Gelato Cake - Basic: from $59.00
- New York Baked Cheesecake: $69.00
- Lemon Tart: $79.00
Time needed: its site lists Saturday and Sunday 2pm - 10pm, so a dessert stop fits after an afternoon at the pool or the park.
Asena Melbourne — 266 McKinnon Road, McKinnon VIC 3204
Asena Melbourne is a Turkish restaurant at 266 McKinnon Road. Its own site lists Friday 6.00pm - 11.30pm, Saturday 6.00pm - 11.30pm and Sunday 9.00am - 1.00pm. AGFG tags it with Live Music and Vegan Options. The site describes Modern Dining in a warm and stylish space designed for relaxed evenings. We could not find prices on its menu pages.
Plan it: the site lists Friday and Saturday evenings plus Sunday 9.00am - 1.00pm, so pick the slot first and the rest of the weekend around it.
Quick answers
What is free to do in Ormond this weekend?
The council says Booran Reserve in Glen Huntly has two picnic shelters with access to free BBQ and toilet facilities, and it also lists a water play feature and a rope climbing net. We could not find an entry price for the park. The council says the water play feature is unsupervised and not guaranteed to be running, so check its page on the day.
How much is a swim at Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool?
Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool lists adult swim at $10.75 on its casual pricing page. Concession/child swim (3–15 years) is listed there at $8.60. It also lists group swim (five people, two adults maximum) at $35.80. Prices were copied on the check date, so confirm on the pool’s page before you go.
What is open on Sundays near Ormond?
Benn’s Books in Bentleigh lists Sundays 10am - 4pm on its site. Lukumades Carnegie’s brand site lists Monday - Sunday, 12pm - 11pm daily. Dolce House lists Saturday and Sunday 2pm - 10pm. Asena Melbourne lists Sunday 9.00am - 1.00pm on its own site.
Where can I get dessert near Ormond on a weekend?
Dolce House in McKinnon lists a dessert bar and at least 24 gelato flavours on its site, and its order page lists Lemon Tart at $79.00. Lukumades Carnegie sells doughnuts, and its site says they are vegan. We could not find a published price for Lukumades, so check with the shop.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages, the places’ own websites and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 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
- Booran Reserve: openstreetmap.org/60434996, gleneira.vic.gov.au/booran-reserve
- Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool: openstreetmap.org/62641736, openstreetmap.org/1362745882, geleisure.com.au/carnegie-memorial-swimming-pool, geleisure.com.au/casual-pricing, geleisure.com.au/cmsp-opening-hours
- Benn’s Books: openstreetmap.org/1127660996, bennsbooks.com.au
- Lukumades Carnegie: lukumades.co/australia, agfg.com.au/lukumades-carnegie-93929, lukumades.co/faq, lukumades.co
- Dolce House: openstreetmap.org/1249262847, dolcehouse.com.au/contact, agfg.com.au/dolce-house-53918, dolcehouse.com.au/order, dolcehouse.com.au/gelato, dolcehouse.com.au/dessert-bar
- Asena Melbourne: asenamelbourne.com.au, agfg.com.au/asena-melbourne-148683
