Finding dog friendly bush walks in Australia is a frustrating experience that requires checking multiple government websites. I am starting to collate lists of dog friendly walks as I find and complete them.
This post will be added to as more walks are found. Some walks I have written track notes for and the link will be included with the short summary 🙂
LINKS TO DOG FRIENDLY WALK INFORMATION
Before I start, here are some other more complete handy links (please note some will download a pdf from the relevent website. If the link breaks in future, browser search the title of the document and website name):
Visit Otways
The website visitotways.com has a pet friendly guide. Search it or this is the current link at time of writing. They also have a fantastic bush walking map called Walks & Waterfalls with the 2nd page showing which walks dogs are allowed on throughout the Otway Region.
Visit Great Ocean Road
The Walks and Waterfalls guide by visitgreatoceanroad.org.au includes a number of mostly town based walks around the town of Lorne that are dog friendly.
Parks Victoria
I love our parks, but I hate their currently useless website (as of 2021). There information pages for most walks are empty and despite their being adequate Park Notes and Walking track notes in pdf format that were developed years ago most of those documents are not in an obvious location. Sometimes googling the area name and park notes can help.
DELWP
You can also take dogs into most state forests. These are reserves that are set aside with areas allocated for harvesting timber. they are a great place to take your dog. Finding info on them is a confusing maze of multiple government websites by DELWP (I havn’t include links because it will probably have changed its name again by the time you read this article lol and they never redirect when they do this), there is also an app now.
DOG FRIENDLY WALKS
1Lake Elizabeth – Forrest
This beautiful 1km return (feels longer) dog friendly bushwalk to Lake Elizabeth is one of my favourite local walks and is accessible from the town of Forrest in the Otway Ranges, Victoria. The walk starts by traversing through a flat creek side picnic area, continues into Mountain Ash forest and from their the track meanders up and down small hills through valleys of tree ferns and creek views before you arrive at Lake Elizabeth.
For the most picturesque photo opportunities visit on a still morning however the lake is a nice place to rest before your return walk at any time of the day. There is also a longer version of the walk where you continue around the lake, this is also dog friendly. My track notes coming soon
You can also camp with dogs at Lake Elizabeth campground. The parks vic page has information.
2Fern Gully Walk – Forrest
The fern Gully walk is a short and sweet steep walk that departs from the Barwon Water Reserviour near forrest. Visit the See something New Fern Gully Walk track notes to see more photos and information.
3Ocean View Lookout – Moggs Creek
This 1.2km return walk starts from the township of Moggs Creek at the end of Robyns Road. It’s dog friendly and a great short walk option for a day trip or busy holiday. Allow around 1 hour return. Read more here. Read the full track notes here.
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