One of the most common pieces of advice we give patients at Upwell Health in Camberwell is to move more. But 'move more' is vague. What we really mean is: find places that make you want to move, that suit your body, and that you'll actually go back to.
Camberwell and the broader City of Boroondara sit on some of Melbourne's best outdoor exercise infrastructure — parks with soft-surface ovals for running, sealed shared-use trails for walking and cycling, off-lead dog areas, outdoor gym equipment, and quiet green spaces for stretching and bodyweight work. Most of it is within a 10-minute drive or a short train ride from our clinic on Burke Road.
This guide covers the best options for runners, walkers, dog owners, families, and anyone who wants to get outside and move — with practical details like surface types, distances, parking, and public transport access. We've also included tips from our physiotherapy and exercise physiology team on training safely outdoors.
Camberwell Sportsground on Camberwell Road is the closest full-sized oval to Upwell's clinic — roughly 1.5 km south. It has a grass oval used for AFL and cricket during organised sport seasons, three-lane cricket nets, and an outdoor gym with pull-up bars and bodyweight stations.
The oval perimeter is approximately 400-450 metres, making it a practical option for interval training or easy laps on soft grass — much kinder on your joints than pounding concrete footpaths. The outdoor gym equipment is free to use and suits basic strength work like pull-ups, dips, and step-ups.
Surface: Grass (oval), concrete paths
Parking: Off Camberwell Road, accessible parking available
Public transport: Tram 75 stops on Camberwell Road directly outside
Dog-friendly: Yes (on-lead during organised sport)
Best for: Oval laps, outdoor gym, interval training
Highfield Park sits between Trumper Street and Bowen Street in Camberwell, about 1 km from our clinic. It has two ovals — the north oval has a synthetic cricket pitch and is available for outdoor fitness training, soccer, and cricket. The south oval is used for AFL and cricket.
The park has generous open space under mature trees, making it a good option for bootcamp-style training, stretching, or supervised rehab exercises prescribed by your physio. The north oval perimeter runs approximately 350-400 metres — ideal for gentle running or walking laps on grass.
Surface: Grass (both ovals), paths
Parking: Off Trumper Street and Bowen Street
Public transport: Short walk from Camberwell station
Dog-friendly: Yes (on-lead during organised sport)
Best for: Oval running, group fitness, rehab exercises outdoors
Boroondara Park in Canterbury (bordering East Camberwell) is one of the largest sections of the Outer Circle Linear Park. It connects directly to the Anniversary Trail — a fully sealed, shared-use path that runs from Ashburton to the Yarra River near Fairfield, following the route of the historic Outer Circle railway line built in 1890.
The park itself has generous grass space under mature gum trees, an off-lead dog area, and a children's playground. It's less than 200 metres from East Camberwell station and about 2 km from Upwell.
From Boroondara Park you can access the Anniversary Trail in both directions — south toward Hartwell and Ashburton (connecting to the Gardiners Creek Trail), or north toward Kew and eventually the Main Yarra Trail. The trail is fully sealed, divided for walkers and cyclists, and has water fountains, toilets, and historical information boards along the way.
Surface: Sealed bitumen/concrete (trail), grass (park)
Distance: Anniversary Trail is approximately 13 km end-to-end (Ashburton to Fairfield)
Parking: Southern end of Beaumont Street
Public transport: East Camberwell station (200 m walk)
Dog-friendly: Off-lead area in park, on-lead on trail
Best for: Walking, running, cycling — any distance from 2 km to 13 km+
Frog Hollow Reserve on Culliton Road in Camberwell is a neighbourhood gem — an open grass oval surrounded by large established trees, with a synthetic cricket pitch, BBQ facilities, and a playground. The Anniversary Trail runs right past it, so you can combine an oval session with a trail walk or ride.
The oval is a good size for running laps on soft grass, and the surrounding area is quiet enough for outdoor physio exercises or yoga. Willison station is a 2-minute walk away.
Surface: Grass (oval), sealed path (Anniversary Trail adjacent)
Parking: Off Culliton Road
Public transport: Willison station (2 min walk)
Dog-friendly: Yes
Best for: Oval laps, family exercise, quiet outdoor training
Lynden Park in Camberwell (closer to Balwyn North) is one of the bigger multi-oval parks in Boroondara. It has three ovals — east, west, and north — with the west oval perimeter measuring approximately 445 metres (the largest). The park has an off-lead dog area, generous shade, and is popular with families and dog walkers.
The multiple ovals give you options for different loop distances, and the soft grass surface is forgiving on ankles, knees, and hips — particularly important if you're returning from injury or managing a condition like knee arthritis.
Surface: Grass (all ovals)
Parking: Available around the park
Dog-friendly: Off-lead area available
Best for: Longer oval running, dog walking, family sport
Riversdale Park on Riversdale Road (corner of Spencer Road) is one of Camberwell's most popular parks, about 1.5 km east of Upwell. It has an adventure playground, BBQs, picnic shelters, toilets, and large open grass areas under mature trees. It's adjacent to East Camberwell Tennis Club.
The open grass is good for stretching, bodyweight circuits, or playing with kids. It's not a formal oval, but the space is generous enough for walking laps, ball games, or supervised rehab exercises.
Surface: Grass, paths
Parking: Off Spencer Road
Public transport: Riversdale station (short walk), Tram 70
Dog-friendly: Yes
Best for: Family exercise, stretching, casual movement, picnic recovery after training
Bowen Gardens on Bowen Street is a small but picturesque garden space close to Camberwell Junction — beautifully curated lawns, large gum trees, and shaded seating. It's the closest quality green space to our clinic (roughly 500 metres).
This isn't a place for sprints or bootcamps. It's a place for walking, stretching, mindful movement, or simply sitting in nature between appointments. We regularly recommend it to patients who need gentle outdoor movement as part of their recovery, particularly those managing chronic pain or returning from surgery.
Surface: Grass, paths
Parking: Street parking on Bowen Street
Public transport: Camberwell station (5 min walk)
Dog-friendly: Yes (on-lead)
Best for: Gentle walks, stretching, mindfulness, post-appointment movement
The Anniversary Trail (also known as the Outer Circle Trail) deserves its own section because it's one of the best running and cycling routes accessible from Camberwell. The trail follows the route of the former Outer Circle railway line, which opened in 1890 and operated for only three years before closing during the depression.
The trail is fully sealed (bitumen and concrete), divided for pedestrians and cyclists, and passes through a mix of parkland, quiet residential streets, and a deep tree-lined cutting between Canterbury Road and High Street in Kew that feels surprisingly remote for inner-suburban Melbourne.
Key sections from Camberwell include Boroondara Park to Canterbury Road (about 1 km through peaceful parkland), the deep cutting section from Canterbury Road toward Kew (roughly 3 km of shaded, quiet running), and the descent from High Street Kew to the Yarra River and Main Yarra Trail (about 2 km).
The full trail from Ashburton to Fairfield is approximately 13 km. You can do sections of any length, and the trail connects to several train stations (Willison, East Camberwell, Alamein, Ashburton) so you can train one way and catch public transport back.
Water fountains and toilets are available at various points. Historical information boards along the route tell the story of the original railway — making it genuinely interesting as well as functional.
Our physiotherapy and exercise physiology team sees a lot of outdoor training injuries — most of which are preventable. Here are the key things to keep in mind:
Surface matters. Running on grass ovals is significantly lower impact than concrete footpaths. If you're returning from a lower limb injury, managing arthritis, or building your running base, prioritise soft surfaces. The ovals at Camberwell Sportsground, Highfield Park, and Lynden Park are all good options.
Build gradually. The most common cause of running injury is doing too much, too fast. Increase your weekly distance by no more than 10% per week. If you're new to running, start with walk-run intervals.
Warm up properly. Five minutes of brisk walking before you start running, plus some dynamic stretches (leg swings, walking lunges, high knees), makes a meaningful difference to injury risk.
Footwear. If you're running on trails or grass, make sure your shoes have adequate grip and support. Our podiatry team can assess your footwear and gait if you're unsure.
Know when to get help. Pain that persists for more than a few days after exercise, or pain that gets worse during exercise, is your body telling you something needs attention. Don't push through it — come and see us.
If you want to extend your range, several outstanding exercise locations are within 10-15 minutes of Camberwell. Wattle Park in Surrey Hills (1.5 km east) has a 9-hole public golf course, walking paths, and generous open space. Anderson Park in Hawthorn East (2 km west) has massive open spaces, walking paths, and a mindfulness walk with recorded meditations at various stops. Victoria Park in Kew (3 km north) has two ovals, an adventure playground, and sports facilities including an athletics track. The Gardiners Creek Trail (accessible from Ashburton via the Anniversary Trail) runs all the way to the Yarra River and connects to Melbourne's broader cycling network.
At Upwell Health Collective on Burke Road in Camberwell, we treat people who exercise outdoors every day — runners with shin splints from too much concrete, weekend cricketers with shoulder niggles, dog walkers who've tweaked their back, and walkers managing osteoarthritis who need guidance on how much is enough.
Our multidisciplinary team — physiotherapy, podiatry, exercise physiology, and clinical Pilates — works together to keep you moving safely and confidently, whether you're training for a marathon or just trying to walk the dog without your knee flaring up.
We're at 436 Burke Road, Camberwell — with 28 free undercover car parks and ground-floor wheelchair access. If something hurts when you move, come and see us before it becomes a bigger problem.
Ready to move better outdoors? Book a physiotherapy assessment or call (03) 8849 9096.