Sun glinting off Port Phillip Bay, a salty breeze, and your four-legged bestie practically bouncing off the back seat. Your dog's nose is already working overtime: every smell investigated, every new friend greeted, every metre of shoreline claimed at full speed. It's the kind of Melbourne day with 'beach' written all over it.
Melbourne's coastline is a playground for dogs, dotted with sandy stretches where yours can run wild. Chasing the best dog beaches? Brighton Dog Beach is perfect for splashy paddles, Altona Dog Beach turns into a sandy wonderland at low tide, and St Kilda West is the pick for a quick seaside fix close to the city.
Getting there is the easy part. Sit. Stay. GoGet! Join GoGet, switch on the pet-friendly filter in the app and book a car from a pod near you (a pod is the home spot each GoGet car lives in and returns to after every trip). Then clip in your beach buddy, queue up a playlist and go.
Ten minutes in and the guest list is already growing.
Best dog beaches in Melbourne: your off-leash hit list
Brighton Dog Beach (Sandown Street Beach)
1. Brighton Dog Beach: the fenced favourite
This sheltered, completely fenced-off beach is a dream for first-time paddlers and social butterflies. Sandown Street Beach is a year-round off-leash haven, so your dog can splash about with harbour views and plenty of new friends. Ticketed parking is available in front of the Middle Brighton Baths. Bring water, shut the gate behind you, and get ready for a sandy passenger on the way home.
Off-leash all year round, and the flats are at their best at low tide.
2. Altona Dog Beach: low-tide heaven
Altona Dog Beach, right next to PA Burns Reserve, is a paradise for pups who love to sprint and splash across tidal flats. Low tide reveals a huge sand playground for off-leash zoomies, all year long. Just don't mix it up with the main Altona Beach, where the rules are a bit stricter. Snag a good parking spot at Pines Scout Camp!
💡 Pro tip: When your dog has had their fill of salt water, PA Burns Reserve next door has a fully fenced off-leash area for a cool-down run. Keep the lead on through the rest of the reserve, and stay off the cricket oval.
One paw in, one paw out. Deciding takes as long as it takes.
3. St Kilda West Beach: a city-side classic
St Kilda West Beach is the pick for those spur-of-the-moment afternoon escapes. Right by St Kilda Harbour, this pretty patch of sand is open to off-leash dogs all year. Steer clear of the protected dune habitat, then clip the lead back on for a wander past the boats around the harbour. The main St Kilda Beach has smaller off-leash zones and stricter summer rules, so check the signs before you unclip.
Ships waiting, cranes busy, one retriever with nowhere else to be.
4. Port Melbourne and Sandridge Beach: double the fun
The Port Melbourne Dog Beach, tucked between the Port Melbourne Yacht Club and Lagoon Pier, is off-leash all year round. North of the yacht club towards Station Pier, summer rules apply from 1 November to 31 March, when dogs can only use the sand off-leash from 7.30pm to 10am.
Nearby, Sandridge Beach has its own year-round off-leash zone between the rock groynes opposite Barak Road and Cumberland Road. Outside these areas, check the signs before you let your dog loose. It's a classic Port Phillip Bay outing, with city skyline views for you and a long run of sand for your dog.
💡 Pro tip: At Port Melbourne, the yacht club is your landmark. South towards Lagoon Pier, the lead can come off any time; north towards Station Pier, summer hours kick in from 1 November.
Sunset swim, no reservation required. The best views in the harbour.
5. Sandringham Harbour: yacht-spotting for two
Calm water, bobbing yachts and a 750m off-leash stretch between Hampton Pier and the groyne south of Small Street make Sandringham Harbour a year-round favourite, even in summer, when neighbouring Sandringham Beach switches to seasonal rules. Paid parking is available off Jetty Road near Hampton Pier, but you can find free spots if you're willing to walk a bit. If you want a dog beach with a touch of class and a coffee stop by the pier, this is your spot. For more places that welcome four paws at the table, see our guide to the best dog-friendly cafes in Melbourne.
💡 Pro tip: When Bayside's summer restrictions start on 1 November, Sandringham Harbour stays off-leash all day, along with Sandown Street in Brighton and Ricketts Point in Beaumaris.
No rules to this game. Just keep it on the sand and off the path.
6. Mentone Dog Beach: space to stretch
Mentone Beach is a local legend for off-leash adventures. Between Charman Road and Plummer Road, your dog can gallivant across the sand 24 hours a day, all year round. The off-leash zone is the sand only, so clip the lead back on for an easy stroll along the Bay Trail. Stick to the boundaries, especially near swimmers.
Early starts are easier when someone’s been waiting at the door since five.
7. Carrum Beach: bring the beach-day energy
Carrum Beach brings the big beach-day energy, with a generous stretch of sand and plenty of room to roam. The off-leash zone runs from the southern end of the Old Post Office Lane car park down to Osprey Lane, and the rules change with the seasons.
From 1 April to 31 October, dogs can run free on the sand 24 hours a day. From 1 November to 31 March, the zone is off-leash from 7.30pm to 10am only, and dogs aren't allowed there at all in between, so early-morning strolls and sunset zoomies are the way to go. Keep your dog on the lead along paths and boardwalks until you reach the sand.
Eyes on the ball, paws off the ground. Fetch is a serious sport here.
8. Keast Park, Seaford: the southern speedway
If your pup has energy to burn, Keast Park Beach in Seaford is calling! As the only year-round off-leash dog beach in the Frankston Council area, this scenic spot offers a 200-metre stretch of sand where dogs can run, play and splash to their heart's content. It also has a small playground and a fenced walkway connecting the car park to the beach. There's plenty of parking, so you can spend less time searching for a spot and more time playing fetch!
💡 Pro tip: Keast Park and Carrum's off-leash zone sit side by side, either side of the council boundary. When Carrum's summer daytime ban is on, Keast Park stays open to off-leash dogs 24/7, with the fenced walkway taking you from the car park straight to the sand.
Worth the drive down the Peninsula. Ask anyone with a tail.
9. Tassells Cove, Safety Beach: peninsula hideaway
Down the Mornington Peninsula, Tassells Cove at Safety Beach is a small, sheltered cove where dogs can go leash-free all year round. The beach runs about 180 metres between the canal's rock wall and a headland of tall cliffs, with calm, shallow water made for paddling. At low tide, rock pools appear along the base of the cliffs, perfect for a slow sniff. Rules change elsewhere on Safety Beach, so stick to the signs, even if your dog's nose has other ideas.
💡 Pro tip: The cliff-top track above the cove has big views over Safety Beach, but it's an on-leash area. The caves at the foot of the clay cliffs are best admired from a distance, as this stretch of coast has a long history of erosion.
Pet-friendly GoGet filter on, beach bag packed. The lead comes off at the sand.
Ready, set, GoGet! Dog-friendly beaches in Melbourne
Before your dog makes a beeline for the waves, a little planning goes a long way. Some Melbourne beaches have seasonal off-leash hours (several councils switch to summer rules on 1 November), while others let dogs roam freely year-round within designated areas. Wherever you go, keep a leash handy, make sure your dog comes back when called, and always clean up after them. A bit of beach etiquette keeps these sandy spots enjoyable for everyone.
H5 bird flu has been found in wild birds across Victoria. If you spot a sick or dead bird, keep your dog well away, don't touch it yourself, and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Think of GoGet as your dog's trusty sidekick, turning those longing looks at the front door into sandy paws and salty afternoons. Switch on the pet-friendly filter, book a car from your local pod and head for the bay, then bring it back to the same pod when the zoomies run out. With GoGet handling the wheels, your dog only has to decide which wave to chase first.
Heading to Sydney with your dog? Our guide to dog-friendly beaches near Sydney sniffs out the best of the harbour city.
Shore Thing: The Bay Is Calling Your Dog
Not having a car was the perfect excuse to skip the dog beach, and that excuse just expired. Find a pet-friendly GoGet near you, clip in the pet hammock and follow the coastline. A flat-out sprint across Altona's sand flats, a gated gallop at Sandown Street, a sunset wade at Sandringham Harbour. No fuel bill, no insurance renewals, no parking permit for a car that only sees sand on Sundays.
