Hardy Gallagher Reserve@Princes Hill (my rating C)

Hardy Gallagher Rerserve is located near Princes Park and is on the Capital City Trail and within the Inner Circle Railway Linear Park.  It is an offleash park with a few unusual play equipments.

There's no toilet facilities on site, guess you may use the one in Neighbourhood Centre (next to the park).

This makes a nice rest spot if you ride a bike along Capital City Trail.

Malahang Reserve@Heidelberg West (My Rating A)

Banyule is the most dog friendly city council in Inner Melbourne, from what I've researched so far!  All the parks are dog offleash (there're some common rules to apply, like consideration to sport games, wetlands, and playgrounds, etc).

Malahang Reserve is a big recreation park in Heidelberg West, the park features: Playground with wide range play equipments, basketball hoop, netball hoop, skate park, BMX dirt track, large Ovals, paved path, toilets, BBQ, carpark and OFFLEASH, of course!

It is a popular park, especially during school holidays and weekends.  But when we were there on a sunny Saturday, though the park was busy, the kids had great fun!

The only regret was the toilet wasn't clean enough, guess it was because too many visitors using the toilets......

Conner Street Reserve@Kew East (my rating B)

Conner Street Reserve in Kew East, adjacent to Hyde Park,  is a leafy shady and grassy area shared among joggers, bikes and dogs.  The path joins the Outer Circle Trail.

Bald Hill Park@Clarinda (my rating A)

Bald Hill Park is a big park in Clarinda (Clayton South), 40min away from Melbourne City (via M1).  The bike path is very nice.  The adventure playground is awesome!  It has on-leash and off-leash areas.  There're dog exercise equipments in the off-leash area!

The offleash area and the dog exercise equipments is near Eulinga Road (closer to Bunney Road End).

The playground (and the toilets) is near Inverness St (car park  is off Inverness St).

 

(dog exercise equipments)

 

(adventure playground)

 

(adventure playground)

 

(adventure playground)

 (overlooking from the hilltop)

(map downloaded from Kingston City Council website)

******* Extracted from Kingston City Council Website:
This 13 hectare park has walking paths, abundant natives and waterholes for birds. Included are picnic shelters, 4 BBQs, a playground and public toilets (with access for people with a disability). Dog off leash area
********************

Raffey Lake Park@Doncaster (my rating A)

Raffey Lake Park at Doncaster (or Doncaster East?) is definitely on my A list.  It's a huge park with on-leash and off-leash areas, 2 fantastic adventure playgrounds.  The path is suitable for bikes/scooters.  There are several entrances and car parks. 

I were amazed with this park / playground that I forgot to take any photos.

We'll visit this park again for sure!  And I'll take lots of photos......... :-)

 

(map from Manningham City Council website)

Hastings Foreshore Reserve@Mornington Peninsular (my rating A)

The Hastings Foreshore Reserve is in Hastings Mornington Peninsular, only 1hr drive from Melbourne via M3 freeway / Eastlink.  There're 2 carparks within offleash areas, 1 small 1 big, enter via Marine Parade.

The Hastings Foreshore Reserve is a gem!  It's huge and neat!  When we were there today (late morning Saturday), there were only 3 cars parked including Amy, our car, guess probably because it's in the popular tourist area.

There's a bike track (must be long, judging from the google map and other bike riding books) running through the reserve.

The reserve overlooks the bay.

I was totally relaxed on the picnic rug while the kids were riding bikes and my Jessica was sniffing and exploring, thus I didn't really take photos.  And the photos below can't describe the beauty of this park at all.

Outer Circle Linear Park F @ Kew East (My Rating A)

Love this park and playground!  It is on the Outer Circle Bike Track,  near the cnr of Normanby Road and Campbell St.

I guess this playground is for the local, because there's no toilet facilities.

The area is offleash, green and peaceful.  The play equipments look new and fun.

Quarrie Park@Clifton Hill (my rating C)

Quarrie Park at Clifton Hill is a big park, part of the park (Wright Street) is offleash.  It has an adventure playground and toilet facilities.

My kids didn't enjoy the playground much,  but they did inline staking on the shared path, they had some fun.

There's a bmx track next to the playground.

There's no much shade though there are trees.

 

(On the little hill overlooking the playground)

 

(On-leash area)

 

(Off-leash area)

Albert Park Reserve (my rating A)

Albert Park Reserve is located in Albert Park, and managed by Park Victoria,

We parked the car in the car park on Aughtie Drive, and set the base camp under a tree in the offleash area.

Then we rode the bike round the lake. 

The lake is the home for black swans and some other birds.  The track round the lake is about 5km.  Dogs need to be on-lead on the track.



 You may go to Park Victoria website to download the map of the park.

Track along the Lake

Raising Young

(Map from Park Victoria Website)

Lillydale Lake Park (my rating: A)

After a few rainy weekends, the sun finally decided to come out to greet Melbourne for a day.  There were so many parks I wanted to explore,  Lillydale Lake Park was one of them.

Packed picnic rugs, fold-able food table, bikes, off we set the journey to the park.

Lillydale Park has a very nice shared track, and 2 offleash areas, and a nice playground.

We set the base camp on a little hill in an offleash area. So we had a lovely green view in front of us.

Jessica was busy running up and down the hill in the offleash area.

See the map below, downloaded from Yarra Ranges Council website (www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Things_To_Do/Lillydale_Lake).

Bike Riding: botanic garden <> steeles creek reserve (my rating B)

From end to end, it's about 40km return, we did it in 4.5hrs, excluding big afternoon tea at dockland.  We parked the car at botanic garden st. kilda.  Since it's saturday, it's free after 12.30pm. 

Rode past alexander garden, along the yarra river, till south wharf, crossed the bridge, entering docklands, along harbour esp, climbed over the bridge to footscray.  Got onto maribynong river trail.  At raleigh rd, turn into chifley drive.  At tune end of the drive, cross the bridge, into riverside park.  Very step dirt road, we had to dismount & push thie bikes.  As we went higher & higher, the view got better & better.  Our plan was to finish at brimbank park, but when we were in the middle of the steeles creek reserve, it was 2.15pm already.  Didn't want to take the risk riding in the dark, we u-turned & back to dockland to enjoy our well earned big afternoon tea.

Dogs are allowed on leash on the entire route, so take you dog with you if s/he can/willing to run alongside.  How far you ride shall depend how much you & your dog can manage.
 
Jessica refuses to run with bikes, so she stayed at home this afternoon.  I'll take her somewhere tomorrow.
But Gleda (8) & keefer (6) did it!

If anyone want to do the maribynong trail, I would suggest to park the car on maribynong st near parker st.  there are a few playgrounds along the trail, to view the landscape from a high point/lookout, make sure you go past riverside park, & go least til lily st.

Picture shows the view from between prospect st & lily st.

Victoria Park @ Ballarat (My Rating: D)

Victoria Park in Ballarat is an offleash park, the bike track is shared with vehicles and that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable to let kids ride on the track.

All Nations Park @ Northcote (my rating A)

Offleash park with nice bike/shared path, a rocky 'mountain' to climb.  Bike track is complex enough to be interesting.  There are 2 playgrounds and 1 skate park in the park.  The park is near shopping centre.  We rode bike to a cafe and sat outdoor for our afternoon tea.

Details:
All Nations Park (link to Darebin City Council webpage)

The Map is from Darebin City Council website.

Bike riding at royal park (my rating A)

Royal park near gatehouse street & royal parade is a nice area to ride bike, the path is nicely paved, flat & smooth, is good for roller blading as well.  it's big, too.  Besides, it's an offleash area, see the map below.  Yellow means offleash.  Map obtained from Local Council website.