Published on 27 May 2025

Mackie Road Reserve

We have plans to upgrade Mackie Road Reserve in Bentleigh East to make sure it continues to meet the growing needs of our community.

Open spaces like Mackie Road Reserve in Bentleigh East are important places for our community to be connected and active. They’re a big part of our great quality of life here in Glen Eira.

Guided by our Mackie Road Reserve Masterplan, there are plans to make upgrades to the Reserve so that it continues to meet the growing needs of our community — now and into the future.

Masterplan

The Mackie Road Reserve Masterplan is our long-term blueprint that guides future upgrades of the Reserve. It includes a range of upgrades, such as:

  • A new dog park
  • Redeveloping the pavilion and car park
  • Upgrades to lighting, pedestrian connections and gardens

It was developed in 2022 in collaboration with the community and was endorsed by Council in late 2022.

Pavilion

We’re replacing the pavilion. This is because the existing building is one of the sports pavilions in Glen Eira and it no longer serves the growing needs of our sporting clubs.

We worked closely with pavilion users and wider Glen Eira community to develop a design that meets everyone’s needs. It was endorsed by Council in late 2024.

We’ll start construction in the second half of 2025, with funding coming from our Budget for 2025–26 and a commitment of $3 million from the Victorian Government.

Find out more information about the engagement process for the Mackie Road Reserve pavilion.

Dog park

In July 2025, we asked for your feedback on the draft design for our new, dedicated off-leash dog park at Mackie Road Reserve in Bentleigh East.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. We received 296 responses — 285 via the survey and 11 by email.

We've reviewed your feedback and are making changes to the design, including:

  • planting more trees and garden beds for shade and sniffing
  • moving the agility equipment to create more space for running and playing
  • moving the gate to make the park easier to access
  • adding screening between the dog park and tennis club.

We heard that shelter, water and bins are important to you, so these will remain key features in the design.

We’ve chosen equestrian sand for the dog park. It reduces the risk of injury for dogs because it’s softer and less slippery. It’s also easier to maintain and drains well — making it a better choice than grass in busy spaces like this. We know some people would prefer grass and we carefully considered that feedback. Based on our research and experience, sand is the safest and most practical option.

What's next?

Thanks to your input, the new dog park will be a welcoming space where dogs and people can socialise and play. The existing off-leash oval in the Reserve will continue to give dogs more room to exercise and run.

We're moving into the detailed design phase, so we won't be seeking further feedback. We'll share the final design with you by the end of the year.

Construction is planned to begin early next year. We'll keep you updated as the project progresses.

For more information about the community engagement process, visit www.haveyoursaygleneira.com.au/mackie-road-reserve-dog-park

Published 1 December 2025.

Playground

We’ve made space for the future playground by purchasing and demolishing the properties at 64 and 66 Mackie Road.

With your help, we’ve also finalised the plans for the space. Highlights include:

  • an all-ages and all-abilities play space
  • opportunities for unstructured natural play
  • a public toilet
  • barbecue facilities
  • a picnic shelter and seating area
  • pathways with solar lighting.

These plans were endorsed by Council in late 2023.

Now, we’re working on getting the right funding so we can make it happen. We’re advocating to the Victorian and Australian Governments and applying for state and federal grants.

We’ll keep you updated with our progress.

Find out more information about the engagement process for the Mackie Road Reserve playground.

Artist impressions

Mackie Road Pavilion, artist impression
Artist impression of the Mackie Road Pavilion
Artist impression of the Mackie Road playground
Artist impression of the Mackie Road playground

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