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Best Dog Friendly Day Trips From Melbourne – As a long-time Sydneyite, I often have to comment on how much better Sydney is than Melbourne, as part of a long-running rivalry between the two Australian cities. But when it comes to being dog-friendly, Melbourne, Victoria leads the way and is by far the most dog-friendly city in Australia.
Melbourne is a great destination to visit with your dog, whether on a short trip or as part of a longer tour of Australia. Read on for everything you need to know about visiting Melbourne with your dog.
Best Dog Friendly Day Trips From Melbourne
If you’re spending a whole week in Melbourne (lucky you!), I love this 7-day Melbourne tour. Just check which attractions do and do not allow dogs.
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Although many of the popular attractions in Melbourne are off-limits if you’re traveling with a puppy, there are also plenty of dog-friendly activities in Melbourne. Here are my top five recommendations.
Having missed visiting the famous colorful bath boxes on my previous trips to Melbourne, I was determined to visit them on my last visit when I visited with my dog. Luckily, it’s dog-friendly, so it’s the perfect place to take Instagram photos with your dog!
Dogs are allowed here daily from April to October, then before 10am or after 7.30pm from November to March (and from 10am to 7.30pm from November to March dogs are not allowed, click here for details).
Either way, it’s best to arrive early to avoid crowds and get great photos with your pup. It’s easiest to get there by car from the city, just remember to pay for parking.
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If you’re looking for a great all-day off-leash beach nearby, Brighton Dog Beach on Sandown Street isn’t much further north.
Most botanical gardens in Australia and the rest of the world do not allow dogs in their gardens. The Royal Victoria Botanical Gardens in Melbourne, on the other hand, are more welcoming.
Dogs are still not allowed on a leash in the gardens, but they are allowed to join you for a leashed walk. Moreover, if you decide to take a boat tour on the lake, well-behaved dogs can come with you free of charge.
A trip to Melbourne wouldn’t be complete without exploring some of the city’s famous but ever-changing street art. Many inner-city suburbs offer excellent examples, but the best-known destination is Hosier Lane, not far from Federation Square in the city.
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Stop by Hosier Lane, where you’ll definitely see new art sprayed on the walls. But since it can be very crowded, which some dogs may not like, I recommend heading a few blocks further east to the less busy ACDC Lane and Duckboard Place.
Melbourne is home to one of Australia’s most unexpected World Heritage sites: the Royal Exhibition Center at Carlton Gardens on the city’s northern outskirts. The building is one of the few remaining examples of exhibition buildings built worldwide in the late 19th century.
Although dogs can’t get in (and neither could we when we visited due to university exams), it’s still a great place to visit and admire its imposing exterior (leave your pup alone). Carlton Gardens’ grassy lawns are also perfect for picnics.
It’s a short tram or car ride from central Melbourne to the bayside suburb of St Kilda. It is a popular beach destination close to the city and offers many entertainment options.
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Your dog won’t be allowed in the Luna Park amusement park (and you won’t appreciate the screams), so instead take a walk along the pier (dogs are allowed on a leash) or visit one of the surrounding beaches.
St Kilda Beach, east of the pier, only allows dogs in winter, so instead head to the west side near Pier Road where dogs are allowed all day all year round. See below for details of surrounding beaches.
If you visit on Sunday, check out the market along the Esplanade. Alternatively, stop for coffee and cake at one of the cafes on Auckland Street.
For more ideas on what to do in Melbourne with your pup, check out my list of 25 dog-friendly days around Melbourne!
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Although Melbourne doesn’t have surfing beaches like my hometown Sydney (head to Torquay at the start of the Great Ocean Road for the closest surfing beaches to Melbourne), it does have a few beautiful beaches along the harbourfront. . Phillip Bay is ideal for walking with your dog thanks to its calm waters.
The rules governing dogs’ access to beaches depend on each council. There are usually clear road signs, but sometimes you may need to check council websites online.
Most of the time, dogs are allowed to roam off-leash on beaches during the winter, but during the summer months they are limited to the beginning and end of the day. However, many beaches allow dogs off-leash all year round.
For example, if you’re traveling to St Kilda, dogs are only allowed on the main part of St Kilda Beach in winter, but not on the sand between November and March.
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Instead, in summer, head southeast (the section between Brooks Pier and the northern end of the St Kilda Marina car park) or northwest (the section between the northern St Kilda jetty and the drainage channel). west end) and further west to St Kilda West.
Many parks in Melbourne allow dogs but they must be on a leash. As I mentioned above, dogs are welcome at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Carlton Gardens. Another rope option in the city center is Flagstaff Gardens.
If you want to let your dog off leash, your options are more limited, but new dog parks have been proposed (and in some cases opened) recently. See the council website for a full list and maps.
Near Southbank, a few blocks south of Crown Melbourne, is the Kings Way Fenced Dog Park, a new small fenced dog park with a gravel surface.
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Head to Clayton Reserve in the north of the city, west of North Melbourne. This fenced, grassy park is a favorite of the city’s dog owners and is even floodlit.
Two other unhedged options close to the city are parts of Gosch’s Paddock, just north of the Yarra from the Royal Botanic Gardens, and Yarra Park, on the east side of the famous MCG Stadium.
For a great out-of-town option (car required), head to Aranga Reserve, located just off the M3 motorway in Donvale. There is a large fenced lawn area as well as a dog agility course.
Like much of Australia, most shops in Melbourne will not be happy when you try to let your dog in. However, rules have been relaxed in South Yarra and Chapel Street in Prahran, which recently became Melbourne’s first dog-friendly shopping precinct.
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When walking down the street, look out for Paw stickers on the door indicating pet-friendly businesses. Many fashion boutiques are pet-friendly (we popped into Peter Alexander to check out their latest pajama designs); Some local banks even allow pets inside.
The stickers also show which local restaurants and cafes allow dogs in their outdoor dining areas. (There are so many to choose from!) See the full list of participating businesses here and learn more about other dog-friendly malls in Australia.
One area where Melbourne truly shines as dog-friendly is in its approach to public transport and pets. Unlike most cities in Australia, where pets are prohibited on public transport, in Melbourne pets are allowed on public transport with some reservations.
With generous rules, this means it’s possible to quickly get into the Melbourne CBD with your pet from the metropolitan area (for dogs of all sizes) or from across the state (for those with small animals) using public transport. It is also easy to move around the city with small animals.
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The most hospitable option is metropolitan trains. Cats and dogs of all sizes are allowed on metropolitan trains. Cats and small dogs should travel in a container; Larger dogs are allowed as long as they wear a leash and muzzle.
On V/Line regional trains, only small pets in containers are allowed on board. The maximum size of the container is limited to 56 cm length x 30 cm width x 38 cm height and the maximum weight is 15 kg. It should be stored in a designated storage location and travel during off-peak hours is recommended; See here for more information.
Small pets are allowed in containers on trams and buses throughout Victoria, including Melbourne. This includes the city’s free and convenient tram zone.
For more information on how to take pets on all public transport in Victoria, see the full guidelines.
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I live on the highway and I want to fly here