wellness

Craigieburn Opens Dog-Friendly Parks With Group Fitness Classes

Craigieburn residents now use several green spaces for daily routines that mix dog exercise with group strength sessions and trail runs.

By Craigieburn Wellness Desk · Published 25 July 2026

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Craigieburn Opens Dog-Friendly Parks With Group Fitness Classes — Photo by John Englart (Takver) / flickr (by-sa)

Craigieburn residents turned out in force on 9 July for the first combined pack walk and circuit session at Grand Boulevard Park, where 180 dogs and owners completed a 3-kilometre loop before moving to resistance-band stations along the path.

The shift matters because more Craigieburn households now work from home and seek low-cost ways to combine pet care with regular movement. Local dog registrations climbed from 4,200 in 2024 to 4,830 by June 2026, according to Hume City Council records, pushing demand for spaces that serve both animals and people at the same time.

Two parks leading the way

Grand Boulevard Park, located between Hanson Road and the Craigieburn Plaza car park, added five permanent fitness stations last March. The Aitken Creek Reserve off Bridgewater Road added a fenced off-leash zone and a 1.2-kilometre gravel loop in May 2025. Both sites now host the Hume Active Dogs program, which runs free 45-minute group walks on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7am, followed by optional body-weight circuits led by council trainers.

Participants pay nothing for the walks but can book a $10 follow-up session that includes equipment such as resistance bands and portable steps. The program began in March 2025 and has since expanded to include a Saturday beginners’ run at 8am starting from the Aitken Creek car park.

Numbers behind the trend

Hume City Council logged 1,450 dog-friendly fitness events across its parks in the 2025 calendar year, up from 920 the year before. Average attendance per session sits at 47 people, with peak turnout recorded on weekend mornings. The council’s 2026 budget allocated an extra $68,000 for new water fountains and waste-bag dispensers at both Grand Boulevard Park and Aitken Creek Reserve to handle the increased use.

Residents who want to join can check the Hume City Council website for the July schedule or arrive at Grand Boulevard Park on 15 July at 7am for the next free pack walk. Those with dogs under one year old are asked to start at the shorter 2-kilometre option to avoid overexertion.

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