Best Dog Friendly Camping Victoria – Important Information Always check for up-to-date state safety information + dog-friendly status before going anywhere. Before you travel, consult your vet about risks such as snakebites, ticks and ticks. This website contains advertising + affiliate links.
The Murray River is one of Victoria’s best dog-friendly destinations. There are plenty of dog-friendly campsites as well as dog-friendly caravan park options. This post focuses on non-caravan camping such as free camping or bush camping.
Best Dog Friendly Camping Victoria
Most of the campgrounds along the Murray River are located in nature reserves, communities, state forests, and state parks, many of which allow dogs to spend time on the trail, and some areas have gentle beaches for dog swimming. We hope that dogs are at the forefront of the guest experience and within 100 meters of the property in the state forests.
Dispersed Camping In Alpine National Park
This is a continuation of friendly camping from west to east along the Victoria banks of the Murray River. I will add to it as I browse the sites. I can also add other areas to explore for your information, as I unfortunately can’t go anywhere (but whoever is aiming ;))
Gunbower State Forest is adjacent to the Murray River Reserve on Gunbower Island, so it’s not on the Murray River, it’s next to it.
It has several designated camping areas, most of which are located on Gunbauer Creek, which is very scenic (although the camping areas are scattered quite a distance…like any Creek).
* This area is duck hunting season. If you want to avoid visiting during this time, you can check the dates here.
Dog Friendly Accommodation On The Great Ocean Road
This campground is a dog camp scattered along Gunbower Creek. There is a toilet at this campsite, but it may be quite far away depending on your campsite.
There are many dog-friendly campgrounds on the island that I wasn’t able to visit, including Goat Island, Spence’s Bridge, Reedy Lagoon, and Horseshoe Lagoon.
Wills Bend consists of two campgrounds, Sandbar 1 and Sandbar 2, with a boat ramp across the road between them. Both campsites have restrooms and river access.
People camp at the boat ramp in the summer, but it’s noisy and not a good choice for boaters (it also has no toilets).
11 Free Victorian Campsites
It is also the access point to the nearest dispersed camp (no facilities) along the Murray River, heading northeast to Emu Bend.
If you have a reactive dog, I recommend avoiding long weekends and school holidays and visiting on quieter days of the year. If that’s not an option, it’s always active on big weekends and popular weekends during summer school and vacations.
Finding free camping sites online can be difficult as many do not have Victoria Parks or similar pages. Some have parks, some have local councils etc. Wikicamps is one of the best ways to find them all in one place.
If you’re new to Victorian camping, many travelers recommend downloading the Wikicamps app.
Moonee Beach Dog Friendly Travel Guide
You have a dog-friendly filter that you can turn on, as well as other filters like “free” or “with toilets.” It’s disposable (it doesn’t seem to move with you if you switch between Android and iOS) and well worth the investment if you’re always camping.
Another popular resource is the Travel Australia with Dogs Facebook Group and there is also a Facebook Travel Group for Australia If your dog needs a place to go camping with dogs, there are plenty of dog-friendly campsites in Victoria, including many cheap or free options. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to relax on the beach or in the bush, or somewhere for a long drive, take your pick from dog-friendly campsites in Victoria.
Although dogs are not allowed in almost all of Australia’s national parks, one of the few places in the national park where dogs are allowed is Johanna Beach in Great Otway National Park, located along the Great Ocean Road.
In addition to being a popular beach, Johanna Beach also has the Johanna Beach Campground with 25 campsites. There are no toilets or showers, so please bring your own drinking water. Dogs must be on a leash both in camp and on the beach.
Koondrook Barham Dog Friendly Travel Guide
The dog-friendly campsite is located west of Cape Otway, near the world-famous Twelve Apostles. It’s three hours from Melbourne by direct domestic flights, or four hours if you take the Great Ocean Road.
Advance bookings are available and essential during the summer months, especially on holidays and weekends. The company’s fees vary by day, but are generally around $15 a night, which is less than during off-peak hours.
Cape Conran Coastal Park is located in East Gippsland, 5 hours east of Melbourne and approximately 90 minutes from the NSW border. Dogs are allowed camping in this park, including the Banksia Bluff Campground near East Cape Beach.
In 2020, the entire park was severely damaged by fire, but the campground has been fully reopened and most of the previous facilities have been rebuilt, although some work continues in 2023.
Victorian High Country Adventure With Dogs
The facilities at this camp are basic, with only flush toilets, cold showers and non-reusable water. It is important to bring all your supplies as the nearest town is Marlow 17km and the nearest supermarket in Orbost is 34km away. However, the on-site camping center has ice, gas and firewood for sale.
More than half of the campsites allow sedated dogs. Advance reservations are currently required, so check the map before booking to make sure you’ve chosen a dog-friendly spot. A voting system is used to allocate seats during the Christmas holidays. Site rates vary by day, but are generally around $20 per night, at least outside of peak periods.
Middle East Cape Beach is dog-friendly, but dogs must be kept on a leash. There are many friendly forest tours in the area, but some have been closed since the bushfires. It is also recommended to check your dog daily for spots in this area.
The best way to spend the night near Echuca is to camp on the banks of the Murray River. While the city has plenty of dog-friendly lodging options, there are places to camp with your dog nearby, including dog-friendly campgrounds at Wills Bend, Betts Beach, and Christys Beach.
Best Camping In Victoria: Top 10 Camping Spots
We camped for one night at Wills Bend Campground, 17 km west of Echuca, in the Murray River Nature Reserve. It’s an amazingly peaceful place (especially mid-week) for sunsets and sunrises. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a leash.
Not much, just pores. Choose from intimate campsites located near the Murray River. Note that the 5km unpaved access road (via O’Dwyer Road) was very rough on our trip.
Alternatively, head to Betts Beach or Christie Beach, both 8km east of Echuca and accessible via Simmy Road, which is also open.
Daylesford offers plenty of luxury accommodation, including dog-friendly cottages, but if you’re happy to camp nearby, head to Mt Franklin Reserve, also known as Lagambuck Campground.
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This nature reserve and campground is located 10 minutes north of Daylesford within the Hepburn Regional Park in the crater of an extinct volcano. It is also home to a short 2 km walk around the crater.
Surrounded by trees that turn bright colors in the fall, this shady, free campground has clean restrooms and fire pits. You should bring your own water and firewood and observe fire restrictions. Dogs can join you as long as they are on a leash.
The historic village of Valhalla is a dog-friendly resort located just over two hours east of Melbourne, near Mount Bow Bow.
During my visit to Walhalla in late 2021, North Park Campground was closed for the year after severe storms, but fortunately, the dog-friendly camp reopened after renovations in 2022.
Forrest Holiday Park, Accommodation, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
This free campsite on the northern edge of town offers only basic facilities, but is a great option for camping in a camper, caravan or tent. There are toilets on site but no showers or electricity. There is also a gas barbecue under the shelter and picnic tables.
Be prepared to arrive early on peak days, especially during the summer school holidays and Easter, as the camp does not reserve.
The city of Geelong is suffering from a shortage of dog caravan parks, especially now
