top 7 all year round offleash beaches near Melbourne

A top notch offleash beach, to me, has to be:

* not far from Melbourne, 2-hour-drive one way is my comfortable limit.

* Car Park must be near the beach.  I wouldn't want to "hike" to the beach with my forever baby in the scotching sun, carrying beach gear.

* "relatively" easy to find a parking spot.

* Toilets (for human) are nearby.  To maximize the time and enjoyment on the beach, it is necessary for me to visit the toilets before and after.

* A good beach size that can "host" many people and pups without feeling too crowded.  I'm quite sure if I wanted to spend some time at a beach on a good day, there would be other people and pups having the same idea.

* all year round offleash.  There are beaches that pups have to "time share" with other beachgoers.  That means, unless I'm local, my baby wouldn't be able to go to the beach summer time because the time allocated to pups are in the early mornings and evenings.

So........ having those in mind, here are the beaches I love the most:

My most favourite beach:

  Torquay Whites Beach 

click the beach above to see it on google map. 

This is one of several carparks: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ji1NsLdK5iMdPrNg9

I can't think of any ocean beach better than this.  White, fine, soft sand, long and wide stretch off leash beach all year round.  Without hotels or buildings right next to the beach, and without any commercial hotel beach lounges on the beach, it actually feels like we are in the nature.  A short walk from carpark takes you right onto the beach.  3 minutes drive from the carpark will take you to several beachside cafes.

Here is my dedicated page for this special offleash beach: https://dayoutwithdog-vic.blogspot.com/2013/07/whites-beachtorquay-my-rating-a.html

I definitely have a soft spot for Torquay in my heart.  There is another offleash beach in Torquay (near golf course), I will have to go back and check it out see if there are toilet facilities there.

But here is the page for that beach: https://dayoutwithdog-vic.blogspot.com/2013/02/torquay-offleash-beach-near-golf-course.html

2. Seaford Offleash Beach in Seaford, 40 minutes from Melbourne CBD

click the beach above to see it on google map. 

The offleash beach is on the left of the foot ramp (the right side of the ramp is on-leash). It is reasonably good size, but given it is also the only all year round offleash beach in Frankston, it can get busy at times, but still a good sandy beach.

3. Altona Offleash Beach in Altona

click the beach above to see it on google map.   It's about 30-minute drive from Melbourne if you go against the traffic. 

You'd need a bit of walk "on trail" before meeting the sand and water.  Once there, oh my, such a paradise!

4. Ventor Offleash Beach on Phillip Island

Click the beach above to see it on google map.  Located about 2-hour-ish drive from Melbourne CBD, this is probably the furthest beach on the south/east side of Victoria that I go for a day.

There are 2 carparks for this offleash beach, one at each end. Here is one of them: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PYMZ34W2kq72Rbif7

I have a dedicated page for this nice beach: https://dayoutwithdog-vic.blogspot.com/2022/03/ventnor-beach-on-phillip-island-my.html

5. Urquhart Bluff Beach on Great Ocean Road

yes, it is offleash!

This beach is a 2-hour drive from Melbourne CBD, a bit further than Torquay,

But it is so charming, that I opt to this beach if I feel like to drive.

Here's my dedicate page for this hidden germ:

https://dayoutwithdog-vic.blogspot.com/2013/04/urquhart-bluff-beachgreat-ocean-road.html

6.  Ocean Grove Beach in Geelong, between 8W and 13W, 1 hour drive from Melbourne CBD

Click on the Beach to see the google location.

This section of beach is offleash, car park is right next to the beach, as are the toilets.

  

It might be quite windy, but the sounds of the ocean and the smell of the salt water make the visit worthwhile. 

7.  Kilcunda Offleash Beach (next to Oceanview Holiday Retreat)

This is a rather rock beach, 2-hour and a bit one way,  pretty much the same distance as to Phillip Island.  My baby doesn't really find it fun as he likes to wade into the sandy water,  but there are some shallow rockpools for him to dip his feet wet.  

Although the carpark is right next to the beach, the offleash section is quite a walk on beach.  During hot summer when the sand hurts the feet, pups on leash and without shoes might feel putting off.    My baby and I traverse on wet sand.

See the map below (the offleash section is in dark green).

(credit to Bass city council)

But, the view is extremely camera worthy:

 

When you and your pup are on the beach, please be cautious, the waves, the swells, the current, sandflies, or even jellyfish, all these are part of nature and can be deadly.  offleash beaches do not have lifesavers or watchers.   They are less busy than dog-free or dog-on-leash beaches.  

Some beaches probably should make to the list, I haven't checked them out yet, like: 

Thirteenth Beach in Barwon Heads between 30W and 34W

Royal Beach in Mornington

and a few others......  Hopefully I'll get to see them all and update the list here.