Thank you to the Glen Eira community for your engagement on the new off-leash dog area within the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. Council approved the proposal at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday 23 July.

Historically, the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve has been an on-leash space, though many residents have used it for off-leash recreation with their dogs. In response to the need for a dedicated off-leash area, the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust proposed that Council formalise an off-leash area. This aims to support broader community use of the space while ensuring it remains a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.

The decision was shaped by community engagement over a four-week period, with feedback from nearly 400 community members. Nearly two thirds of the community supported the proposal.

We also received feedback on the need for extra features to create a better off-leash area. We will work with the Trust to improve the space by requesting the installation of more dog waste bag dispensers, more bins, proper signage, and other enhancements.

The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve dog off-leash area Engagement Summary Report below, details the engagement data and findings in full.

The new dog off-leash area is now official, starting from Sunday 1 September 2024.

Council will monitor compliance, ensuring that dogs are exercised off-leash only in the designated area, just as it does across all public open spaces in Glen Eira. The Trust will continue managing the Reserve and ensuring ongoing maintenance.

Did you know that the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve is open for everyone to use?

The Reserve is owned by the Victorian Government and looked after by the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust (the Trust). The Trust is proposing a designated area where dogs can run around off-leash. This would give dog owners a great place to exercise their pets and make the Reserve more enjoyable for everyone.

Here in Glen Eira, we love dogs. In fact, we have more than 8,800 dogs registered across our City and they love to get out and about for walks.

Right now, officially the whole Reserve is a dog on-leash area because no areas within the Reserve have been declared off-leash (although some people currently use small areas of the Reserve as unofficial off-leash areas).

The proposal:

Have your say

The proposal closed to community feedback on Wednesday 19 June 2024.

Feedback was accepted:

• Online through the survey below
• Via email at engagement@gleneira.vic.gov.au
• Via post to our Engagement and Insights team, Glen Eira City Council, PO Box 42 Caulfield South, 3162

Following the community engagement process, the proposal will be considered for adoption at a Council Meeting on Tuesday 23 July at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers at Glen Eira Town Hall, corner of Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads, Caulfield.