Hill n dale park@glen iris (my rating C)

This is a very nice offleash park with bmx tracks for beginners to experienced kids, except it has no toilet facilities.
The tracks are fun for the kids, the park layout is pleasant & enjoyable, but, *big big big sign* no toilets.....
I would rate it A if toilets were available.

 

(one of the BMX tracks)

 

Torquay Offleash Beach - Whites Beach (my rating A)

Torquay is on Great Ocean Road (the beginning of the Great Ocean Road?), it's a lovely town, the visitor centre is very friendly and helpful.  I love the slogan in particular: I love Torquay, Salt in the air, Sand in the hair!

The offleash beach (offleash all year round) is long and big with plenty of car parks,  the view to open sea is just magnificent!  The sand is fine,  the large amount of seaweed made me feel less relaxed when I was in the water.  The water near the beach was too shallow at the time we visited, and made me impossible to float / swim.  We had to walk quite a distance to be able to stand in the water up to the waist. But the waves are good for surfing.

 (image extracted from council website: surfcoast.vic.gov.au)

Looks like the people on the beach are all dog lovers, and they seem don't mind a bit to have any dog running into them for a pat or to say "hi".

p.s.: Mum thinks this is the best beach she's been to.  But I still love the Offleash Beach@Queenscliff better.
 But definitely, parking is much easier here than at Queenscliff.

 

(the water is too shallow for a swim)

 

(The view is just awesome!)

(The sand, the sea, the atmosphere, what a place for an afternoon nap!)

Overport park@frankston (my rating B)

Overport park at frankston is a big offleash park with a playground, tennis wall & toilet facilities.
We had a very relaxing afternoon there.  The playground is suitable for toddlers & primary school aged kids. 
The toilets are just basic but were clean when we visited.
All the people we met were so friendly, looks like it's a great place to live too.

 

(tennis wall)

(playground for older kids, there are play equipments for young kids)

 

(Paths to the other part of the park, we were too relaxed to explore those parts)

Dandenong Police Paddocks (my rating: D)

Dandenong Police Paddocks, we went to this park hoping to have a relaxing Sunday in the sun, in the offleash area, and ride bike in the park.  But what we saw was very much different from what I pictured in my head based on the descriptions and the map downloaded from park victoria website.

Guess this is just not the right park for the activities I wanted to do on a sunny Sunday like this.

I checked the offleash areas and the "new" picnic ground, then we drove for another 45 mins to Hays Paddock in Kew East, and spent a few hours there.


I didn't even take a photo of this park. :(

Kooyoora State Park (my rating A)

Kooyoora State Park is located 220KM NW of Melbourne,  it took us about 3 hrs to get there.

We went to Melville Caves, parked at Melville Caves Picnic Area.   Picnic tables, benches and toilet facilities are available there.

We did the Melville Caves Walking Track.  It took us 75mins to finish the track (loop), including 20mins admiring / resting on the summit.

Part of the track is very steep,  Mum's bushwalking stick helped her a lot!  But the view is super rewarding.

(Mum and her bushwalking stick)

There're big rocks to climb.  My kids loved it!  They both said they wanted to come back again!

Before you go, please check bushfire risk rating, have a print-out of park map (you may download it from parkvic website: http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/kooyoora-state-park), a pair of proper walking boots is always a good choice.

 

(Seal Rock, you would easily spot it out)

(Lookout@Summit)

 

(Lookout@Summit)

 

 

 

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)

Queenscliff Dog Beach (my rating A)

Queenscliff Dog Beach is an off-leash beach all year round.   The off-leash beach is long, you won't feel packed even in the hottest days.

The beach is clean, the waves are not strong, so it's relatively safe for the kids to play in the water.  There's a car park nearby.

4 mins drive from the Queenscliff town centre,  a treat after beach would be pleasant.

This is my favourite off-leash beach in Victoria.  We come to this beach on weekends whenever we get a chance.

We went there today, 29'C, and glad we got wetsuits on.