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.
An off-leash area is only useful if you know the rules that go with it. This page lists six parks with a dog off-leash area on the City of Yarra’s own park pages: five in Richmond and one in Abbotsford.
Each entry gives the council’s status first, then the facilities it lists. Where a park has time limits on off-leash use, we send you to the council order and the sign at the gate rather than print times. Cafes are not covered here.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Marked off-leash and on-leash zones | Barkly Gardens | Coppin and Mary Streets, Richmond |
| Off-leash on an unfenced oval | Citizens Park | Corner of Church and Highett Streets, Richmond |
| Off-leash with time limits | Williams Reserve | 11 Coles Terrace, Richmond |
| Off-lead area with a barbecue | Burnley Park | 150 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond |
| Small riverside off-leash park | McConchie Reserve | 320 Mary St, Richmond |
| Abbotsford off-leash reserve | Flockhart Reserve | 52 Flockhart St, Abbotsford |
Barkly Gardens — Coppin and Mary Streets, Richmond VIC 3121
Status as listed: the council says this park has dog on-leash and dog off-leash zones, with the off-leash zone marked in purple. The council lists a drinking fountain, public toilets, a playground, a barbecue and a sports oval. The page we read gives no off-leash times, so check the council order.
Off-leash status: split zones per council, which marks the off-leash zone in purple, so check where that zone is before you unclip.
Citizens Park — Corner of Church and Highett Streets, Richmond VIC 3121
Status as listed: the council lists a dog off-leash area and a sports oval. Its dog rule for unfenced sporting grounds says dogs may be off-leash only when the grounds are not in use for approved sporting events, including training. The council calls it Richmond’s largest park.
Off-leash status: conditional per council, so look for a game or training session before letting a dog off.
Williams Reserve — 11 Coles Terrace, Richmond VIC 3121
Status as listed: the council lists a dog off-leash area, but its page ties off-leash exercise to set times of day. We have not reproduced them here, so check the council order and the sign at the gate. Facilities as listed include a drinking fountain, playground, barbecue, picnic area and seating. The council places it on Victoria Street, close to Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre.
Bring: a lead, since the council limits off-leash use to set times and the sign at the gate is the final word.
Burnley Park — 150 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond VIC 3121
Status as listed: the council says a dog-off-lead area is available to exercise your dog. The council page describes more than 6 hectares overlooking the Yarra River, with a barbecue area, a sporting oval and public toilets. It gives no off-leash times in what we read, so check the council order.
Off-leash status: an off-lead area exists per council, but the boundary and times are not on the page we read.
McConchie Reserve — 320 Mary St, Richmond VIC 3121
Status as listed: the council lists a dog off-leash area, with set times of day and an exclusion for Burnley Harbour Wetlands. Check the council order for the times. It describes a small park beside the Yarra River, next to Burnley Harbour. Listed facilities include a drinking fountain, playground, basketball court and seating.
Bring: a lead for the wetlands edge, because the council excludes Burnley Harbour Wetlands from off-leash use.
Flockhart Reserve — 52 Flockhart St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Status as listed: the council lists a dog off-leash area at this Abbotsford reserve, which it describes as a small open space on the banks of the Yarra River. Facilities as listed are a barbecue, drinking fountain, picnic area, and tables and chairs. The page gives no off-leash times, so check the council order.
Off-leash status: listed as an off-leash area per council, with times unstated on the page we read.
Quick answers
Where are the off-leash dog areas in Richmond?
The City of Yarra lists a dog off-leash area at Barkly Gardens, Citizens Park, Williams Reserve, Burnley Park and McConchie Reserve in Richmond, and at Flockhart Reserve in Abbotsford. Rules differ by park, so read each entry above and the sign at the gate.
Can my dog be off the lead at any time in Richmond parks?
Not necessarily. The council ties off-leash use at Williams Reserve and McConchie Reserve to set times of day, so check the council order for them. At Citizens Park, off-leash use in unfenced sporting grounds applies only when the grounds are not in use for approved sporting events. For the other parks, check the council order.
Which Richmond dog parks have drinking fountains?
The council lists a drinking fountain at Barkly Gardens, Williams Reserve, McConchie Reserve and Flockhart Reserve. Its Citizens Park and Burnley Park facility lists do not include one, so bring water for those two.
Is there an off-leash park near Richmond but outside the suburb?
Flockhart Reserve, at 52 Flockhart St in Abbotsford, is listed by the council with a dog off-leash area, a barbecue, a drinking fountain, a picnic area, and tables and chairs. The council describes it as a small open space on the banks of the Yarra River.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 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
- Barkly Gardens: openstreetmap.org/23023673, yarracity.vic.gov.au/barkly-gardens
- Citizens Park: openstreetmap.org/29058720, yarracity.vic.gov.au/citizens-park
- Williams Reserve: openstreetmap.org/48029046, yarracity.vic.gov.au/williams-reserve
- Burnley Park: openstreetmap.org/27630008, yarracity.vic.gov.au/burnley-park
- McConchie Reserve: openstreetmap.org/48566677, yarracity.vic.gov.au/mcconchie-reserve
- Flockhart Reserve: openstreetmap.org/222254709, yarracity.vic.gov.au/flockhart-reserve
