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Dog Friendly Tropical Vacations – With so many stunning islands off Queensland’s coast, is it any wonder that island hopping could be the ultimate Queensland holiday? But since most islands don’t allow dogs, check out some of the dog-friendly islands in Queensland.
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Great Keppel Island is one of the dog-friendly islands off the coast of Queensland, especially in the tropics. A day trip from Yeppoon to Great Keppel with your dog is fun, thanks to its amazing beaches, swimming and diving. There are so many things to do on Great Keppel Island!
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The easiest way to get to Great Keppel Island is by boat. There are two ferry companies that offer a short 30-minute trip with multiple departures throughout the day. Reservations are recommended.
We traveled with Keppel Connections, which carries dogs for free. Our dogs are not required to wear a muzzle. There is Freedom Fast Big Cats, which charges $5 for small dogs and $10 for large dogs.
The main attraction of Great Keppel (wop-pa) Island is its beautiful beaches, which are very lucky for dogs. In fact there are no signs on the beaches as to whether or not dogs are allowed. But the island is part of the same local government area as Yeppoon, so the default rules may be off-leash during the day, as well as off-leash before 8am and after 4pm.
Fisherman’s Beach: In the center of the island, your boat will drop you off and go near some of the shops, restaurants and accommodation on the island. Walk along the southern end of the beach to start the walkway to the nearby beaches.
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Traeth Silfoedd: The next easiest beach to visit is a 5-10 minute walk from the end of Fisherman’s Beach, although the end of the path is quite rough, especially if you’re wearing a thong. It is popular for swimming and diving, with reefs on either side of the beach.
Monkey Beach: Considered to have some of the best snorkeling on the island, hop off the Traeth Sylphode and take the long boardwalk to Monkey Beach. Unfortunately we missed the time to visit this beach.
Long Beach: This stretch of white sand is great for swimming and dog bathing. There are two ways to walk to the beach, the easiest way is found from the end of the fisherman’s beach, while a deeper path goes past the tip of the island. The east end is actually a nude beach and we had almost the entire beach to ourselves when we visited.
There are many footpaths on the island, although they are currently not well maintained or signposted. It is best to keep your dog on a lead while walking as we have seen koana, echidna and many other birds in the peaceful forest. If you are staying on an island, it is advised to inform your accommodation of your plans to walk in the jungle.
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As part of our ferry booking with Keppel Connections we included lunch including a drink at the Great Keppel Island hideaway which was great value and delicious. The Bistro at Hideaway is dog-friendly outside, with plenty of water bowls. I saw a “no dogs” sign on the way out, but I didn’t know what area it meant – we weren’t the only ones with dogs.
Other dining options on the island include Tropical Vibes Restaurant in the center and Great Keppel Island Pizza. Both options are dog-friendly at their outdoor tables, or ask to go outside and go to the beach.
If you’re only going for one day and want to spend the day exploring, it’s best to bring your own picnic lunch so you don’t have to return to Fisherman’s Beach midway through.
While the main resort on Great Keppel Island has been closed for years, with redevelopment plans released (and then shelved) every few years, the island also has smaller accommodation options and other holiday homes.
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Most of these aren’t pet-friendly, but there may be one or two pet-friendly options at any given time, like this beach house on Airbnb. It is best to book in advance or take your dog on a day trip to Great Keppel Island.
Another large island in tropical Queensland to visit with your dog is Magnet Island, a 20-minute boat ride from Townsville Beach.
An island larger than Great Keppel Island, you can drive your car to Magnet Island. If you’re visiting, it’s best to have your own transportation as pets are not allowed on the island’s buses. However, there is also the option of renting a car, and at least one car rental on the island allows pets these days, Arcade Beach Guest House & Car Rental.
If you are taking your car to Magnetic Island, you will need to take the Magnetic Island Ferry car ferry. Dogs are allowed on the boat at no extra charge. If you take them out of your car, they must be locked unless they are allowed in the cafe area, except outside seats. Advance car bookings are important and very expensive.
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If you prefer to cross on foot, you can also use the Magnetic Island Ferry car ferry or book a Sealink fast passenger ferry. Dogs are allowed on the ferry at no extra charge, although they must be leased, or travel in a pet carrier.
Dogs are allowed in most parts of Magnet Island, except for the National Park which covers most of the island outside the villages and this includes the popular Forts hike.
Outside of national parks, dogs are allowed on most beaches on a lead. These include Nellie Bay, Jeffrey Bay, Horseshoe Bay, Picnic Bay and West Point beaches. There are some beaches where dogs are prohibited, including the Alma Bay patrol, so check the signs.
We drove to Magnet Island with our dog without a car and found our options limited. Most people left or took buses when they arrived, and the island was bigger than expected!
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Our favorite part of the day was the walk along the scenic Kabul Path which starts near the ferry terminal and leads towards Geoffrey Bay and then along Geoffrey Bay beach.
The end of Jeffrey’s Bay is the best place to see the sheltered reefs at the end of Fort Armand. However, I recommend keeping your dog away from the wallabies – if you’re visiting the island with someone else, take the wallabies on a walk.
Many restaurants and bars on Magnetic Island have outdoor dining areas that allow your dog to join you. One recommendation I’ve heard from others is the Island Bar (formerly Base) at Nomads Magnetic Island Backpackers, which has a cheap lunch menu and live music.
Magnet Island has a large selection of vacation homes for rent, some of which allow pets. Choose pet-friendly accommodation on your favorite website, whether it’s Stayz, Airbnb or Booking.com. Double-check ahead of time about dog rules, including whether dogs are allowed inside.
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If you want to camp, the only campsite on Magnetic Island during our visit didn’t allow pets, so we avoided staying overnight. However, high-end hostel brand Selena has now taken over. I have confirmed first hand that Selena Magnetic Island allows pets at the campsites.
Located between Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast, about an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, Bribie Island is a great place to stay for a day or longer with your dog.
Bribie Island is the easiest island to visit in Queensland as it is connected to the mainland by a narrow bridge. Select Bribie Island in your car’s GPS and leave!
One of the main dog-friendly attractions on Bribie Island is the beautiful Remote Dog Beach, the best dog beach in all of Brisbane thanks to its fine golden sand. Stretching between Woorim Beach and Red Beach, the dog run is 4km long, perfect for a beach walk with your dog.
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The easiest place to access the off-leash area is at the end of Lowry Road in Woorim, where there is a dog toilet and water tap. Woorim Beach is known as a surfing beach, but the waves were small the day I visited.
You can also access the off-leash dog beach from the Treat Coach, where the waters are calm. East of the first car park, it’s only a few hundred meters to the start before reaching the remote dog beach.