There’s no need to leave your four-legged friend at home when you road-trip around Australia. From luxe farmstays to pet-friendly wineries, here’s your guide to travelling with your furry companion.
New South Wales: Riverina region
The vast Riverina region in southern New South Wales knows how to pamper your pooch, with a plethora of places to stay and play while on a road trip. Drive through the Snowy Mountains to Tumut Plains, where pet-friendly Elm Cottage overlooks the Goobarragandra River. Nearby, Tumut River Brewing Co’s patio is the perfect perch for you and your pup to refuel.
Next stop is Carrathool’s Corynnia Station, a 6800-hectare working farm with pet-friendly accommodation adjoining the 1930s homestead. Every member of your family will love the manicured grounds, beds of fragrant roses, magnificent purple jacaranda trees, pots of curious-looking succulents and, rather appropriately, a tin dog sculpture by artist Kim Gibbs.
Approaching Wagga Wagga, you’ll want to linger over a seasonal beer in the Thirsty Crow’s garden – request a bone-broth ice treat for Fido. Then check-in to Kimo Estate in Gundagai, where 300 hectares of rolling hills host four individually styled cottages.
Photo credit: @elmcottagetumut on Instagram
Victoria: Mornington Peninsula
Some establishments along Victoria’s bucolic Mornington Peninsula welcome pets over people. Case in point, Miss Drew's Bakery and Dog Cafe in Tyabb, where you can treat your hound to a pup-cake and pugichino.
Elsewhere, take your pick from dozens of wineries and restaurants, most offering alfresco, pet-friendly drinking and dining areas. Enjoy tapas and a glass of wine in the sun at Green Olive at Red Hill, or pull up an outside perch for a pale ale and pizza at the Mornington Peninsula Brewery.
When it’s time to expend some energy, let your dog chase seagulls and splash about as waves crash along the Camerons Bight off-leash area in Blairgowrie. Refreshed, take your pick of pet-friendly accommodation. Perhaps a self-contained cottage, steps from the sand, at Blue Moon Cottages in Rye. Or Coolart Studios in Balnarring, featuring works from local artists.
Photo credit: @missdrewsbakery_dogtreats on Instagram
Queensland: Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast
Along the Queensland coast, blissful beaches and peaceful creeks are just waiting for you to dip a toe – or a paw. Pets are welcome across much of paradise. Start on the Sunshine Coast with a stay at Noosa Avalon Farm Cottages, proximate to both hinterland rainforest and ocean.
At the latter, let your pooch run amok at off-leash (and aptly named) Doggy Beach within Noosa Botanic Gardens; the perfect spot to put some sand between paws. As is Sunshine Beach, stretching down to Noosa National Parks’ southern headland.
More sand awaits on the Gold Coast – head to The Spit, for miles of off-leash, ocean-paddle play time. If you and your dog prefer calmer conditions, try Currumbin Creek, where cool waters meet quiet atmosphere. You don’t have to travel far for a good feed: nearby Balter Brewing Company hosts a sun-drenched, pooch-friendly garden. Exhausted? Crash at NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort – the Ensuite Site cabins welcome every member of the family.
Photo credit: @noosacottages on Instagram
Western Australia: Pilbara
Buckle up for an epic pet-friendly road trip around the Pilbara, beginning your journey in mining town Tom Price and heading toward the coast. Enjoy the wide skies and vast grounds of Cheela Plains Station, a working cattle station with pet-friendly accommodation.
Four hours west lies coastal Onslow. By the time you arrive you’ll be ready to take your dog for a run along the foreshore between high and low watermarks. Then park at Peedamulla Campground, a cattle station run by traditional landowners, with all the facilities you and your pooch need for a restful night.
Set the GPS for Karratha, the gateway to Millstream Chichester National Park and the Dampier Archipelago. Dogs can expend some off-leash energy at Mara Guthara Park in Baynton West, or you might like to lead your pooch on a walking tour designed for four-legged friends – the Red Dog Trail takes in Dampier highlights.
South Australia: Kangaroo Island
While dogs are welcome on Kangaroo Island, you’ll need to register them with the council before you arrive. Jump aboard the mainland’s SeaLink ferry with anticipation of days spent exploring pet-friendly parks and beaches galore. In fact, the only off-limits spots are the national parks.
Furry friends are certainly welcome to hang with you on the grass at Bay of Shoals Wines, where you can sip a glass of something cold and nibble cheese while overlooking vines stretching to the water. And then there’s highly-awarded Kangaroo Island Spirits, which boasts a gin garden.
Despite its name, the Still Windy Couple’s Retreat invites your pup to bunk down as well, with a wood-burning pot belly stove to snuggle beside at night and an expansive block of native forest to explore. Meanwhile, Beira-Mar Cottage takes you straight to the sand in Penneshaw – open your door in the morning, and you’re greeted by a stretch of blue water and the prospect of long walks with your furry friend.
