Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 3 October 2026.
This page answers one question: which parks and playgrounds in and around Hampton are worth planning a trip around, and what does each one actually offer? It covers five places. One is in Hampton, one in Hampton East, one in Brighton East and two in Sandringham, so some sit outside the suburb itself.
Each entry uses facilities and access details taken from council pages, with OpenStreetMap for the location. Where a fact comes from one source, the sentence says whose it is. Where we could not find something, such as hours, we say so rather than guess.
The weather call for any outing comes from the Bureau of Meteorology forecast, so check it on the day.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Where |
|---|---|---|
| All-abilities playground and walking path | Thomas Street South Reserve and Accessible Playground | 164 Thomas Street, Hampton |
| Playground, pétanque and a shared oval | Dendy Park | Cummins Road (playground entry via Dacey Street), Brighton East |
| Foreshore playground near the rotunda | Sandringham Beach Park (foreshore reserve and Beach Park playground) | Beach Road foreshore, south of the Sandringham Rotunda, Sandringham |
| Heathland on limited access days | Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary | Bay Road, Sandringham |
| Fenced off-leash dog park | Wishart Reserve Dog Park | Wishart Reserve, Hampton East |
Thomas Street South Reserve and Accessible Playground — 164 Thomas Street, Hampton VIC 3188
The council describes this playground as a village to be explored, with wheelchair trampolines, flying foxes, slides, swings, a parkour course and a water play area. It says kids of all different abilities can play together here. Its page lists shelters, with tables and BBQs in the main playground area, and a toilet block with two ambulant accessible cubicles plus a Changing Places room. The council notes that the Changing Places room needs a Master Locksmiths Access Key. We could not find a published admission charge, and the council page mentions none.
Distance / grade / surface: The council describes a 500-metre asphalt path around the reserve, with two laps making one kilometre, and it gives no grade.
Dendy Park — Cummins Road (playground entry via Dacey Street), Brighton East VIC 3187
Dendy Park is in Brighton East, not Hampton, and the council’s playground-upgrades page puts the playground entry on Dacey Street. The council says the Dendy Park South playground caters for different ages and abilities, with equipment that lets adults and children work together. Next to it is a life-sized game of snakes and ladders. The council has also installed a pétanque court near the Dacey Street corner, and it describes four free-to-use pistes close to existing public toilets.
Water and toilets: The council lists seating, tables, bins, drinking fountains, toilet facilities and shelter at the playground.
Sandringham Beach Park (foreshore reserve and Beach Park playground) — Beach Road foreshore, south of the Sandringham Rotunda, Sandringham VIC 3191
The council calls this the Beach Park Sandringham Gardens playground and places it in the foreshore reserve just south of the Sandringham Rotunda. Its description mentions a tower to climb, two aquatic sculptures named Octo-pus and Chops the fish, a rope carousel and trampolines. The council also lists a seniors’ exercise area here. We could not find published opening hours for the playground.
Weather call: Check the Bureau of Meteorology forecast before heading to the foreshore, as the council page gives no shelter details for this playground.
Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary — Bay Road, Sandringham VIC 3191
The council describes Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary as the nearest heathland to the Melbourne CBD and the largest in Bayside. This is the one place here with set public access days. The council says public access is on Thursdays and during the annual Spring Openings and other special events. OpenStreetMap tags the access as limited, which fits that. It sits in Sandringham, not Hampton.
Start at: Bay Road, Sandringham, and only on a day the council lists for public access, so confirm on its reserves and sanctuaries page first.
Wishart Reserve Dog Park — Wishart Reserve, Hampton East VIC 3188
The council says the dogs off-leash section at Wishart Reserve in Hampton East has reopened. It describes a double gated entry to the fenced off-leash area, two drinking fountains with dog water bowls, two waste bins, more trees and vegetation, and additional outdoor seating. The council’s page also mentions dog agility equipment for dogs of all shapes and sizes. The same project page still carries an earlier irrigation notice about a temporary closure of the off-leash section, which may be long past, so check the council’s current word before you go.
Start at: Wishart Reserve in Hampton East; the council gives no street number, but it mentions a new separate pedestrian path to Bluff Road.
Quick answers
Is there an accessible playground in Hampton?
Yes. The council describes Thomas Street South Reserve and Accessible Playground at 164 Thomas Street as a place where kids of all different abilities can play together. Its page lists wheelchair trampolines, flying foxes, slides, swings, a parkour course and a water play area, plus a toilet block with a Changing Places facility that needs a Master Locksmiths Access Key.
Which parks near Hampton have toilets?
The council says the Thomas Street South Reserve toilet block has two ambulant, accessible cubicles. For Dendy Park in Brighton East, the council lists toilet facilities at the playground and says the pétanque pistes are close to existing public toilets. We could not find toilets listed for the other three places.
Can you visit Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary any day?
No. The council says public access through Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary is on Thursdays and during the annual Spring Openings and other special events. OpenStreetMap tags the access as limited, so confirm on the council’s reserves and sanctuaries page before making the trip to Sandringham.
Where can I take a dog off lead near Hampton?
The council says the dogs off-leash section at Wishart Reserve in Hampton East has reopened, with a fenced area and a double gated entry. Dendy Park in Brighton East is listed by the independent Bayside Dog Owners Group as a shared sports oval, where dogs must be on lead during sports events including training. The council’s own Dendy Park dog page was no longer available when we checked.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 3 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages, baysidedogownersgroup.com.au and sandringhamvillage.org.au. Facilities and opening hours change, so check the official page before you go. The photos are illustrative, from Unsplash: they show the kind of place, not the places on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Thomas Street South Reserve and Accessible Playground: openstreetmap.org/28183415, bayside.vic.gov.au/thomas-street-accessible-playground, bayside.vic.gov.au/bayside-parks-contain-seniors-exercise
- Dendy Park: openstreetmap.org/28205552, bayside.vic.gov.au/playground-upgrades-bayside, baysidedogownersgroup.com.au/bayside-council-on-and-off-lead-parks, bayside.vic.gov.au/petanque-dendy-park
- Sandringham Beach Park (foreshore reserve and Beach Park playground): openstreetmap.org/510897229, bayside.vic.gov.au/playground-upgrades-bayside, sandringhamvillage.org.au/sandy-twilight-market
- Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary: openstreetmap.org/87686313, bayside.vic.gov.au/reserves-and-sanctuaries
- Wishart Reserve Dog Park: openstreetmap.org/48486613, bayside.vic.gov.au/wishart-reserve-dog-park
