Robinvale Dog Park Project
Following on from the huge success of Swan Hill’s Dog Park located at Barry Steggall Park, Council has successfully received funding under Round 2 of the Victorian State Governments New and Upgraded Dog Parks Program to support a new dog park in Robinvale.
A dog park has been identified within the Domestic Animal Management Plan and the Robinvale Riverfront Masterplan which has led to a commitment in Council’s 10 year Major Projects Plan for 2025-2027 for its design and installation.
Council are seeking feedback from the Robinvale Community, especially dog owners, on where they would like to see the dog park, what design elements should be included and any other relevant comments that would help Council in the planning and delivery of a dog park within Robinvale.
To help shape the final design, Council will host a community feedback session on Thursday, 18 September 2025, where residents - along with their furry companions - can share their ideas. Feedback sessions will be held from 12pm to 2pm on the lawns of the Robinvale Community Arts Centre, opposite the river.
Consultation will remain open until 5pm on Friday, 3 October 2025.
Funding
Details on Funding Opportunity
New and Upgraded Dog Parks Program (Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action)
The Victorian Government’s New and Upgraded Dog Parks program seeks to improve the state's open space network by committing $13.4 million to ensure that Victorians have easy access to much needed green open space to exercise, relax or enjoy the outdoors with their dogs.
This program also supports the continued implementation of the Victorian Government’s Open Space for Everyone Strategy 2021.
Benefits
Benefits of Dog Parks
Dog parks offer plenty of benefits for both pups and their owners, including:
- Socialisation for dogs – A safe space for dogs to interact, helping them build social skills and reducing anxiety or aggression.
- Exercise and stimulation – Off-leash play lets dogs burn energy, stay fit, and engage in natural behaviours like running and chasing.
- Community engagement – They bring dog owners together, fostering connections and encouraging responsible pet ownership.
- Behaviour improvement – Regular visits can help curb destructive habits at home by giving dogs an outlet for their energy.
- Safe environment – A controlled space where dogs can play without the risks of traffic or unfriendly encounters with other dogs and members of the public.
- Mental enrichment – Exploring new sights, smells, and interactions enhances a dog's cognitive development and overall well being.
Constraints and Opportunities
Constraints and Opportunities for Identified Dog Park sites
Three sites for a dog park were identified within the Robinvale Riverfront Masterplan:
- Option 1 - Centenary
Park
- Option 2 - Centenary
Park
- Option 3 - Riverfront East Reserve, Corner of Higgins Road and McLennan Drive
Following community feedback, a further two options have been added:
- Option 4 - The former Basketball Courts (behind the Leisure
Centre)
- Option 5 - Do not build a dog park and return grant funding
to the State Government
Each of these locations have varying constraints and opportunities, and these have been listed for consideration.
Please see below Figure 1, for map of locations.
Figure 1 - Map showing Dog Park locations within the Robinvale Riverfront Masterplan
Option 1 - Centenary Park Site
- Adjacent to carparking
- Council owned and managed site
- Toilets, concrete access paths and BBQ shelter at nearby playground (Dogs must be on a leash to access these facilities)
- Greater buffer zone would exist between residential housing (135m) and playground (20m) from the fenced off leash Dog Park
- Creates a recreational precinct for all members of the community
- Encourages greater use of the precinct by all members of the public that contribute to creating a strong sense of community
- Centrally located that facilitates greater access by the general public who wish to walk their dog to the park
- Site facilitates greater opportunities for the inclusion of additional supportive infrastructure such as grassed areas, shade shelters, park furniture, control of weeds and other elements
- Greater use of the site by the public increases the visibility of the precinct, this will discourage anti-social behaviour and reduce opportunities for the facilities to be damaged through vandalism
- Provides an alternative site that better suits dog owners need to exercise their dog instead of using recreational areas such as sporting fields and other public parks for that purpose
- Is located 130m from nearest Residential Area
- Increased activity in this zone will mean more maintenance is required
- Proximity to the adjacent Caravan Park and Community Centre may decrease the amenity of these areas by the public using them
- May increase the occurrence of dog conflict within the park due to increase usage by dog owners
- Site will require additional patrolling by Local Laws staff to regulate behaviour and enforce Local Law requirements
- Will require additional work in obtaining a Cultural Heritage Management Plan as part of the proposed dog park sits outside the existing management plan area
- Will require additional soil testing for contaminates
Figure 2 - Centenary Park Dog Park Site
Option 2 - Centenary Park Site
- Short distance (50m) from car parking
- Council owned and managed site
- Toilets, concrete access paths and BBQ shelter at nearby playground (Dogs must be on a leash to access these facilities)
- Site is located within the Cultural Heritage Management Plan assessment area and site is clear of soil contamination as determined by soil testing work already undertaken
- A smaller buffer zone would exist between residential housing (80m) and playground (25m) from the eastern edge of the fenced off leash Dog Park
- Creates a recreational precinct for all members of the community
- Encourages greater use of the precinct by all members of the public that contributes to creating a strong sense of community
- Centrally located that facilitates greater access by the general public who wish to walk their dog to the park
- Site facilitates greater opportunities for the inclusion of additional supportive infrastructure such as grassed areas, shade shelters, park furniture, control of weeds and other elements
- Greater use of the site by the public increases the visibility of the precinct that will discourage anti-social behaviour and reduce opportunities for the facilities to be damaged through vandalism
- Provides an alternative site that better suits dog owners need to exercise their dog instead of using recreational areas such as sporting fields and other public parks for that purpose
- Increased activity in this zone will mean more maintenance is required
- Proximity to the adjacent Residential Area (85m), Playground (20m) and Community Centre (50m) may decrease the amenity of these areas
- May increase the occurrence of dog conflict within the park due to increase usage by dog owners
- Site will require additional patrolling by Local Laws staff to regulate behaviour and enforce Local Law requirements
Figure 3 - Option 2 Centenary Park Dog Park Site
Option 3 – Riverfront East Reserve Site
- Large area of natural open space
- May stimulate more projects for the area
- Will reduce opportunities for dog on human conflict as it remote from other uses by the general public
- Significantly closer to residential housing (35m)
- Not Council owned or managed land and will therefore require consent from relevant landowners and land managers.
- No access to toilets, BBQ shelter or playground area
- Site will incur greater costs in obtaining the required permits than alternative sites due to its environmental significance and cultural sensitivity
- Site zoning as a Public Conservation Recreation means the proposed activity may not be compatible or permissible by landowners and/or land managers
- Site experiences greater localised flooding and holds standing water for longer periods due to the site topography and soil type that will impact the installation and maintenance of infrastructure
- Location is not centrally located and will increase the walking distance for dog owners to access the site
- Due to sites remote location, it will encourage increase vehicle traffic to the area by dog owners for which the site is not currently designed or catered for
- Due to greater setup costs the dog park will have a restricted budget that will limit Councils capacity to implement additional facilities and therefore this site will ultimately be less resourced than other sites
- Requirements include Cultural Heritage Management Plan, soil investigations for contaminants, native vegetation offsets and potentially flora and fauna permits
Figure 4 – Option 3 Riverfront East Reserve Dog Park Site
Option 4 - The former Basketball Courts (behind the Leisure Centre)
- Adjacent to carparking
- Council owned and managed site
- Opportunity to create a walking loop for dog owners between the CBD, residential areas and the Riverfront
- Excellent buffer zone would exist between residential housing (180m) and the dog park
- Centrally located that facilitates greater access by the general public who wish to walk their dog to the park
- Opportunity to re-purpose the site that is no longer used extensively
- Provides an alternative site that better suits dog owners who need to exercise their dog instead of using recreational areas such as sporting fields and other public parks for that purpose
- Proposed activity is compatible with the zoning of the area being Public Park Recreation Zone
- Removal of hardcourt surface required
- Will require a linking pathway from the riverfront
- Will require a Cultural Heritage Management Plan
Figure 5 – Option 4 - The former Basketball Courts (behind the Leisure Centre)
Option 5 - Do not build a dog park and return grant funding to the State Government
- Avoid ongoing maintenance costs: No requirement for Council to budget for cleaning, mowing, repairs, or future upgrades of a dog park.
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