Port Phillip Bay gives Melbourne calm, shallow, wave-free water and a string of council beaches that admit dogs, which is a genuine luxury compared with the surf-coast cities. The catch is seasonal: from 1 November to 31 March the City of Port Phillip restricts most of its sand to narrow stretches or to the hours between 7.30pm and 10am, while from 1 April to 31 October the same beaches open up. Bayside runs its own calendar, and the fenced dog beach at Sandown Street in Brighton sidesteps the whole question by staying off-leash all year.
A fenced and gated stretch of Bayside sand where dogs run off-leash all year round, with no seasonal closure and no time window to work around. The self-closing gate makes it the one Melbourne beach that is genuinely secure for a dog with an unreliable recall, and the shallow bay water suits nervous swimmers.
Rules: Off-leash all year inside the fenced area. Owners must keep the dog under effective control and pick up waste.
The closest real dog beach to central Melbourne, a wide flat bay frontage with the container ships of Station Pier as a backdrop. From 1 April to 31 October dogs are allowed on the sand, and through the summer months the stretch between the Port Melbourne Yacht Club and Lagoon Pier stays open when the rest is restricted.
Rules: From 1 November to 31 March dogs are allowed on the sand between the Port Melbourne Yacht Club and Lagoon Pier, and from 7.30pm to 10am between the Yacht Club and Station Pier. Dogs must be leashed on pathways and boardwalks, and you must carry a lead even in off-leash areas.
The sheltered sand on the western side of St Kilda pier, where the City of Port Phillip allows dogs on the beach at all times of the year, unlike the main St Kilda strip a few hundred metres south. It pairs a swim with the pier walk and the Sunday Esplanade market, which makes it the best combination of dog time and sightseeing in Melbourne.
Rules: Dogs welcome on the sand at all times of year. Leashed on pathways and boardwalks, and a lead must be carried at all times.
Our top-rated pet-friendly hotels, handpicked and verified.
1 Hotel Melbourne
★★★★★ · 9.4/10
€120/night
The StandardX, Melbourne
★★★★★ · 9.2/10
€120/night
Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street
★★★★★ · 9.1/10
€120/night
