Top 7 Dog-Friendly Beaches In Melbourne

Melbourne is home to some amazing dog-friendly beaches. If you’re a dog owner who loves beaches, it’s fantastic to be able to bring your dog along. These dog-friendly beaches in Melbourne provide the perfect opportunity for dog owners to create wonderful memories with their furry friends. What’s great about these beaches is that they offer something for everyone. While your dog plays on these spacious beaches, you can enjoy the sun, sea, and sand with your pups. This guide aims to provide you with information about these beaches so that you can choose the best spot to enjoy and make memories with your furry friends.

Whether you want to take a scenic walk with your dog on a leash or play with them off-leash, this blog will make it easier for you to find the perfect beach for your dog and you. The listed beaches below offer an amazing place for dogs and their owners to play, exercise, and socialise. So get ready for a memorable beach trip with your furry friend. But before you head off to the beach, don’t forget to bring your beach essentials such as towels, shades, and dog food. Now, let’s take a look at the top 7 dog-friendly beaches in Melbourne.

Sandridge Dog Beach in Melbourne is a perfect dog-friendly beach if you are looking for a suitable beach to go on with your four-legged companion. Sandridge Dog Beach is a 500m long beach that’s very easy to get to, with lots of free parking, a cafe, a playground, and picnic facilities. This beach has areas where dogs are allowed to be off-leash all year round. From April 1 to October 31, dogs are allowed to roam freely on the sandy area of the beach. From November 1 to March 31, dogs are allowed on the sand between specific points.

You can additionally find plenty of picnic tables, shades, and unshaded seats where you can relax after a great enjoyment with your furry friend. Whether your dog is a fan of Frisbee play, enjoys a peaceful scenic walk, or loves playing with sand, this beach offers a large area to experience all of it with freedom. Also, make sure that you and your dog stay at a safe distance from the deep water level while playing. Overall, this beach in Melbourne is a perfect outing for you to keep your dog entertained and make beautiful memories with your lovely furry family member.

Google Review: “Beach is so spacious and clean. A great sandy beach for letting your dog off leash plenty of bins for disposing dogs business. Community is very open and friendly.”. – Rhys Gleeson

St Kilda Beach in Melbourne offers a variety of famous attractions. The famous attraction includes a historic pier, sporting and music events, popular cafes and restaurants etc. St Kilda Beach is also one of the well-known dog-friendly beaches in Melbourne. Here, you will have access to three off-leash areas to enjoy with your dog that is St Kilda Harbour Dog Beach, St Kilda Foreshore Dog Beach and St Kilda West. At St Kilda Beach, there are areas where dogs can go off-leash all the time and areas where there are seasonal restrictions. Between Brooks Jetty and the northern end of the car park towards St Kilda Marina, dogs are allowed off-leash at all times.

This area is known as Beach G and extends from the sea wall to the low water mark. North of Brooks Jetty, there are seasonal restrictions. From 1 November to 31 March, dogs are not allowed, but from 1 April to 31 October, dogs are permitted in this area. Additionally, West Beach offers a large area of shallow water and sand, making it ideal for dogs to play in the water. The water facility on the beach is limited so make sure to pack plenty of water for you and your dog. However, just in case you run low on water, Catani Garden located near can be your hydration centre, you can also find toilets here.

Google Review: “Great facilities! Lovely people! Good walks. Dog-friendliness: The dog off leash areas are great for the dogs! We went on the Puppy-Pub-Crawl which was very enjoyable despite the heat.”. – Sandra Valimberti

Mentone Dog Beach, which is approximately 25 km at the distance from Melbourne CBD, is a perfect one-day trip for you and your furry friend. The western section of the beach offers 24-hour off-leash dog access (only in the sand area, not on the path). For the rest of the beach area, there are different regulations. From November 1 to March 31, dogs are allowed off-leash on the beach only between sunrise and 10 a.m.; dogs are not allowed on the sand between 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and dogs must be leashed on the sand between 7:30 p.m. to sunrise.

From April 1 to October 31, dogs must be leashed between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; the rest of the time, dogs are permitted to be off-leash only on sand. If all these restrictions are making your head spin, don’t worry, the western end offers plenty of space to enjoy with your dog on the beach. You can easily find basic facilities like drinking water, toilets and dustbins etc. In general, taking your dog to the beach offers great benefits such as keeping them active, and improving their health all while bonding with their owner. So if you are looking for a memorable beach day with your pet dog, you can consider Mentone Beach.

Google Review: “A wide beach with small waves which is ideal for dogs. Being down the bottom of a hill means there’s little chance the dogs can run on the road too. Sometimes there’s conical seashell egg sacks on the beach, which are unattractive but safe around dogs. Local community of dog lovers are supportive and there’s never any issues with out of control canines in my experience.”. – Morry Morgan

South Melbourne Beach is a fantastic spot for both locals and visitors. This beach is a beautiful straight stretch of smooth sand, which provides the perfect setting for your dog to run around, play, and splash in the water. The waves are gentle, and there’s plenty of space for your furry friend to have a great time and get some exercise. After a fun day at the beach, you can treat yourself to a coffee or a refreshing gelato from one of the many excellent cafes nearby.

One thing to keep in mind is that the rules for bringing dogs to South Melbourne Beach change depending on the time of year. From 1 April to 31 October, dogs are allowed off-leash at all times, giving them plenty of freedom to roam and play. However, from 1 November to 31 March, dogs aren’t allowed on the beach to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone during the busier summer months. It’s good to keep these rules in mind when planning a visit.

Google Review: “Fantastic beach to get suntan on a sunny day in Melbourne! There’s a tidy public bathroom and also good cafes and restaurants are nearby if you wanna have something to eat or drink.”. – Mehdi Sharifi

Royal Beach is a hidden gem in Mornington, offering a small but dedicated dog-friendly off-leash beach. The beach is just 190 metres long and is situated between stunning red sandstone bluffs backed by grassy bluffs and the Esplanade. It provides various areas for dogs to explore, including rock pools, grassland, and cliff-sides, while also ensuring their safety from the busy road above with cliffs at the back of the beach.

This spot also offers breathtaking views and is an ideal place for a relaxing day out with your dog. Additionally, with nearby parks and reserves, you can extend your outing with a pleasant walk or a picnic. Although parking availability at the top of the cliff along the Esplanade is limited, there is ample parking available about 150 metres south at the picturesque Mornington Park, from where you can conveniently start your dog-friendly beach trip.

Google Review: “A nice dog beach. Plenty of other dogs for socialisation, rock pools and shallow swimming areas for our pup! A few rocks for climbing around the side of the beach with our dog. Only minor issue is that some of the water is a little stagnant in places.”. – Kerbray

Brighton Dog Beach is a popular destination for dog owners in Melbourne, offering a safe and enjoyable environment for dogs to play and swim. Spanning 1 km along the foreshore, this accessible beach provides basic facilities such as drinking water and washrooms. The generally calm waters make it a safe spot for bathing. However, there are no nearby cafes, so it’s advisable to pack food for both you and your dog before heading out.

Dogs are allowed off-leash from 7:30 pm to 10 am, but not on the beach between 10 am and 7:30 pm during the busy season, which runs from November 1 to March 31. Dogs are always permitted to be off-leash from 1 April to 31 October, which is considered the off-peak period. For an enjoyable and relaxing day out with your pet, Brighton Dog Beach is the perfect location.

Google Review: “It’s great that only people with dogs who get along with others come here. I’ve had experiences elsewhere with dogs who aren’t “dog friendly” in an off leash area.”. – Judy Gemstone

This beach is known for its shallow waters that extend a long way when the tide goes out. Many dog owners bring their pet dogs to this off-leash area, especially during low tide, to let them socialise and play around. The wide tidal flat provides ample space for dogs to frolic in the shallow water and sand, making it a favourite spot for many pups. One great aspect of this beach is that it is well-protected from the road, ensuring the safety of dogs even if they roam around.

Dogs are allowed on this beach all year round, but there are certain restrictions during the warmer months, with designated on-lead areas that need to be respected. The beach is located just north of the Altona Sports Club and south of the Pines Scout Camp, offering plenty of parking. Additionally, there is a fenced dog off-leash area at the P A Burns Reserve, which is next to the beach. This makes it convenient for dog owners to let their pets roam freely in a safe and enclosed space.

Google Review: “Perfect for all pooches. Shallow waters and a mini sandy beach. There’s a small shipwreck that is cute. But a relatively new ‘ship’ in comparison to actual shipwrecks 😆. Take your dogs and paddle in the warm water, meet friends, and take a deck chair. A large gated area at the back of the beach to walk your dog, also with water taps for drinking and taking dams off paws 🐾”. – Annette Darwick

Beaches offer the perfect place for dog owners to have fun with their furry friends while bonding. There are multiple benefits of taking your dog to the beach, from relieving stress and anxiety to freely enjoying time together. The listed beaches provide ideal spots for dog owners to go on a day trip with their pets. Remember to bring essential items such as sunscreen, bags for cleanup, food, treats, and toys for your dog. It’s important to keep the beach clean, follow leash restrictions and rules, and be mindful of the safety of your dog and others around them. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the fun and goofy pictures of your dog to preserve beautiful memories. These beach spots in Melbourne will surely make your day trip with your dog worth it.