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Dog-friendly destinations across Australia’s East Coast
Words Julija Zivanovic Pics Supplied
This one is for the pet owners of Australia. Travelling with your furry friends is a much-loved pastime, but a lot of places like national parks and state forests don’t allow dogs or other pets. Keep reading to discover some of our favourite dog-friendly destinations across the East Coast of Australia.
There are almost 29 million pets in Australia (RSPCA verified). That’s right, there are more pets than people in our fair nation. So, it would come as no surprise that many believe travelling with your favourite four-legged friend makes any trip more enjoyable. However, for multiple reasons, pets are not permitted in places such as national parks, state forests and areas of unique biodiversity. Now, for all the places that don’t allow your furry friends, there are just as many that do, you just need to know where they are.
Join us as we explore some fantastic caravan park and camping options across Australia that will accommodate both you and your dog/s. Due to the enormity of Australia, we’ll focus on the more populated East Coast for this piece — look out for a West Coast version soon!
Be respectful
Most dog owners exercise respectful dog ownership both at home and in temporary environments, however, there is a tiny percentage that do not adhere to the innate rules of pet ownership and it’s these that unfortunately create the need for rules that apply across the board.
(Credit: Kristina Ladecka)
It’s important to consider others and the joint environment you are occupying when travelling with your pooch. It’s a good idea to assess where you’re staying and the surrounding area to ensure you are prepared for all situations. Just like preparing yourself for road trips, getting your dog travel-ready is just as important. Have they had all the necessary vaccination, worming, flea and tick treatments? Have you packed everything they could need on an extended trip away from home? Are they microchipped in the event they go missing? Are they trained and know to obey you at all times? These are just some etiquettes to be aware of before setting off on any adventure and become especially important when you’re around other people and other pets, and when staying in pet-friendly rooms.
Queensland
The Sunshine State is teeming with incredible camping destinations, and the good news is that many allow your pooch to come too! Here are just a couple of dog-friendly accommodation options we rate highly across Queensland:
Fishery Falls Cairns Holiday Park
fisheryfalls.com.au or 07 4067 5283
This caravan/holiday park on the Bruce Highway (37km south of Cairns) is set among rainforest and tropical gardens with freshwater creeks and waterfalls all in the vicinity. Guests can choose from powered and unpowered sites for tents, camper trailers, caravans or motorhomes or stay in the range of accommodation options from villas to glamping tents. Just remember that pets are only permitted in the former.
There are countless activities to enjoy in the area including swimming, birdwatching, boating, reef fishing, bushwalking, four-wheel driving — just take your pick! Not to mention the facilities are numerous, ensuring you and your furry friend/s will be well taken care of.
Gibson’s Pet Friendly Accommodation
gibsonspetfriendly.com or 1800 738 374
Well, it goes without saying that your canine is welcome at this location! Accommodation that is tailored to pet-loving travellers — you can’t go wrong with Gibson’s. Just a couple of minutes south of the Agnes Water township, this spot welcomes well-behaved dogs in all its accommodation options. They even go one step further and provide you with the following items to make sure you and your pooch have an extra special time: soft dog mats, trampolines, secure grassy yards and even dog toys!
Not far from fantastic beaches such as Chinaman’s Beach, there are ample activities to enjoy in the area with your dog in tow, including bushwalking, fishing, swimming, exploring and endless wildlife viewing.
(Credit: Larry Rindfleish)
New South Wales
There are plenty of dog-friendly destinations across our most-populous state, New South Wales! Here are just a couple of examples we recommend across NSW:
Donnybrook Eco Retreat
donnybrookretreat.com.au or 0412 003 941
Rustic charm and endless natural beauty make this eco retreat perfect for you and your four-legged buddy. This Hunter Valley gem presents environmentally friendly glamping tents, with the environment and sustainability front of mind with every aspect of the experience.
Activities in the area include numerous award-winning Hunter Valley vineyards and cellar doors, incredible farm-to-plate restaurants, wildlife and birdwatching, walking trails and much more.
Just remember that while pets are allowed, they cannot go on the furniture or roam free.
Tamworth Lodge Motel
tamworthlodgemotel.com.au or 02 6765 5585
This inexpensive option on the north coast of NSW is the largest pet-friendly motel in the area, accommodating your pooches with multiple room options including single, double, twin, family and two-bedroom units. All the rooms have waterproof, wooden flooring to ensure a mess-free and stress-free stay.
Enjoy everything that the country town of Tamworth has to offer — including the Marsupial Park and the Big Golden Guitar — plus countless nature-based activities in the area, including Nowendoc National Park which is only accessible by 4WD.
Victoria
Busy Victoria is made up of 21 official tourism regions, so this little state packs a punch — and plenty of pet-friendly destinations to explore. Here are a few Victorian camping spots we recommend if you have your best mate in tow:
Bells Estate Great Ocean Road Cottages
bellsestate.com.au or 0490 061 857
Nestled along the Great Ocean Road not far from Torquay beaches and shops you’ll find the dog-friendly self-contained cottages named Bells Estate. These one or two-bedroom luxury cottages offer a tranquil retreat away from the Melbourne city life, and best of all, your four-legged friend can enjoy the trip too. Facilities include an indoor solar pool (seasonal), a gym, table tennis and 2km of bush trails, a children’s playground and farm animals to interact with.
Other activities in the area are plenty including dog-friendly beaches, everything that Torquay offers, Anglesea is just down the road, and countless nature trails, horse riding and 4WD tracks.
BIG4 Traralgon Park Lane Holiday Park
parklaneholidayparks.com.au/traralgon or 03 5174 6749
This well-facilitated holiday park in Victoria’s Western Gippsland has six designated dog-friendly cabins. Book well in advance to guarantee availability and enjoy all the comforts with your furry friend by your side. The whole park itself also allows pets, but they must be leashed unless in the designated run-free area. Park facilities include 18-hole mini golf, ropes course, swimming pool, outdoor playground, laundry, camp kitchen, TV room and much more.
Activities in the area include visiting Old Gippstown, the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, Tarra-Bulga National Park and numerous nature-based activities.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
This oft-forgotten state is small but offers a fair selection of dog-friendly accommodation options for exploring the Australian Capital Territory and surrounds. Here are a couple we recommend:
Abode Narrabundah
abodehotels.com.au/hotels/narrabundah or 02 6130 0650
Just a 15-minute drive from Canberra’s CBD, these apartment-style rooms offer self-contained accommodation for you and your canine friend. Guests with pets receive a special welcome in the form of a welcome pack on arrival and a dog toy and water bowl … it’s the little things that count. Amenities include free parking, free wi-fi, kitchenette facilities in rooms, washers/dryers and much more, making for comfortable stays.
Activities in the area include visiting the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum of Australia, plus an abundance of nature-based activities such as bushwalking, birdwatching and four-wheel driving.
Please be advised that a pet fee applies.
*FREEBIE* Paddys River Dam Campsite
We’re finishing this East Coast portion with a free bush camp nestled in the picturesque Snowy Mountains — not technically in the ACT. But we had to include this camp that is both free and allows your dog/s. This campsite within Bago State Forest is usually only accessible to 4WDs but you may be able to reach it in dry weather in a 2WD. We recommend checking weather conditions prior to setting off if you don’t have a 4WD (and if you do). Amenities honour true bush camping: there is only a long drop toilet.
Apart from exploring the beautiful Bago State Forest where this campsite is found, there are numerous nature reserves in the area and everything that the Snowy Mountains have to offer: breathtaking scenery, walking trails and 4WDing galore.
Travelling with Pets on Australia’s East Coast
The 6th Edition of Travelling with Pets on Australia’s East Coast was the inspiration for this piece. That, and we have a lot of readers asking whether the places we recommend allow dogs and other pets. The above dog-friendly accommodation options are intended to serve as a starting point for your own research, but there are thousands of places to discover within this comprehensive guide, and we highly recommend getting your own copy if you travel with a pet/s.
You can purchase a copy of Travelling with Pets on Australia’s East Coast from the Hema Maps website or in person from our retail partners.
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