While it’s easy to focus on the wineries and beaches when visiting the Mornington Peninsula, it’s also home to some great dog-friendly walks, perfect for relaxing after a tasting or a meal, or just admiring the magnificent scenery. From bushwalks to coastal walks, these are my pick of the best dog-friendly walks on the Mornington Peninsula.
#1 Balcombe Estuary Nature Trail
Distance: 2.5km one-way
Difficulty: Easy-Medium (Mix of boardwalk and dirt track)
One of my favourite dog-friendly walks on the Mornington Peninsula is the Balcombe Estuary Nature Trail. This walk starts in Mount Martha – head to the picnic area with a carpark at the end of Mirang Avenue, not far from the beach.
The 2.5km long walking track starts on the eastern side of the picnic area. After a few hundred metres the path changes from a dirt track to a long stretch of boardwalk, meandering alongside Balcombe Creek and through saltmarsh.
The full walking track extends all the way up to the Nepean Highway, near the Briars Community Forest (see more below). The majority of the track is boardwalk – handy on wet days like when we visited! It’s also known as the Balcombe Estuary Boardwalk.
Allow about an hour to complete the walk in each direction. If you’re not up for a 5km walk or don’t have time for the full walk, just turn around early and retrace your footsteps.
Note that dogs need to be kept leashed at all times in the Balcombe Estuary Reserve. However, at the far end of the nature trail is Uralla Reserve, on the corner of Uralla Road and the Nepean Highway, where dogs are allowed off-leash.
#2 Mt Martha Foreshore Walk
Distance: 5km one-way
Difficulty: Easy-Medium (Unpaved but main path is mainly flat)
Mount Martha is also the starting point (or end point) of another great dog-friendly walk. The Mount Martha Foreshore Walk, also known as Nunns Walk, follows the clifftop foreshore between Mount Martha and Mornington.
At Mount Martha, the walking track starts just north of the Balcombe Creek mouth, at Helena Street. It then continues north to Linley Point Lookout, at the southern end of Fishermans Beach in Mornington. However, there’s also plenty of entry ways and little side paths along the way – take your pick.
Best of all for dogs joining you on this walk, you’ll pass four dog-friendly beaches along the way – Hawker Beach, Birdrock Beach, Dava Beach and Fossil Beach. Note that while the first and last are leash-free all day long, year-round, both Birdrock Beach and its extension to Dava Beach only allow dogs off-leash before 9am or after 7pm during daylight savings time, or all day long during the winter months.
When I visited Hawker Beach, there wasn’t much sand left on the beach, with a sand replenishing program about to take place – I’m not sure if this is an ongoing issue. Also be aware the access to the beaches can be steep! Outside of the off-leash beaches, make sure you keep your dog leashed.
#3 Millionaire’s Walk
Distance: 1km return
Difficulty: Easy-Medium (Fairly flat, mixture of surfaces)
Another popular clifftop walk on the Mornington Peninsula where dogs can also join you is the Millionaire’s Walk. But rather than mere coastal scrub and views of the bay, this walk also offers close-up glimpses of cliff-top mansions, along with their million dollar views. Some of the vantage points have also been the inspiration for well-known paintings.
This walk is located at the far end of the peninsula, in between the posh enclaves of Sorrento and Portsea. The walk starts at the end of Point King Road and extends for about 500m to Lentell Avenue.
Parking can be tricky – if nothing is available on Point King Road (likely only on quiet weekdays), park by the boat ramp in Sorrento and access the walk via Point Nepean Road.
If you didn’t know the walk existed you wouldn’t discover it, with a number of gates passed through along the way – it feels like private property, but there is a public right of way. Naturally, dogs should be kept leashed.
#4 Briars Community Forest Off-Leash Walk
Distance: 2.45km loop
Difficulty: Easy-Medium (Unpaved, may be muddy)
Unlike the other walks listed here, if you walk with your dog around the Briars Community Forest, there’s no need to keep your dog leashed – the forest is an entirely fenced area where dogs are allowed off-leash!
The community forest is quite large, probably the largest fenced off-leash dog park that I’ve come across in Australia. You can wander and explore wherever your dog wants to go, but you can also follow this 2.45km trail, that loops around the main dirt tracks in the forest.
Be prepared with old towels in your car for after the walk. Along the way you’ll pass the creek – a popular swimming spot for local dogs. The dirt tracks also tend to be muddy after any rain, like when we visited.
Search for the “The Briars Community Forest” pin on Google Maps – the main entrance is opposite the Balcombe Grammar School. There’s a rough car park plus rubbish bin outside of the double-fenced entrance to the park.
Note that the community forest has been temporarily closed until mid-July 2024 due to the “Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience” – but hopefully after this it’s back to being a doggie paradise.
#5 Bay Trail
Distance: 30km one-way
Difficulty: Easy to Easy-Medium (Mix of paved, gravel and dirt surfaces)
By far the longest trail on the Mornington Peninsula is the Bay Trail. This flat shared path runs for 30km between Safety Beach in the east and Portsea in the west. Much of it is paved, but there are also some gravel and dirt sections.
Pick and choose what section of the trail that you walk along with your dog – the return route along the entire trail is usually only completed by keen cyclists.
As far as I’m aware, dogs are allowed along the full length of the trail. Follow the signs along the route, including keeping your dog on a leash, unless otherwise signposted in some of the parks. There’s plenty of picnic areas, facilities and cafes along the way.
#6 Red Hill Rail Trail
Distance: 6.5km one-way
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Rail trails are another great easy walking route that you know in advance will be relatively flat, without any annoying steps! On the Mornington Peninsula, the Red Hill Rail Trail is located in between Red Hill and Merricks, also known as Merricks Trail.
Dogs are allowed on the rail trail, as long as they stay on a leash. Be aware that this trail is also used by cyclists and horse-riders, as well as walkers. The walk is simple and straightforward, meandering through lowland forest, but often muddy at the Red Hill end.
In Red Hill, the trail starts at Red Hill Bushland Reserve, next to Point Leo Road. In Merricks, it terminates at Merricks Station Reserve. The popular Merricks Store is nearby – a great spot for lunch (the tables on the deck are dog-friendly) or just to grab a coffee.
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About the Author
Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.