Apollo Bay foreshore beach
Apollo Bay
Long sandy beach right in town. Closest dog-friendly beach to Cape Otway National Park.
Dog-friendly trip
Doing the Great Ocean Road with your dog
The road, towns and many beaches welcome dogs. The famous national-park attractions don't. Here's how to plan a trip that works for both of you.
The honest answer
The road is welcoming. The national parks aren't.
The Great Ocean Road itself runs along the coast through a string of dog-friendly towns — Torquay, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Warrnambool and Port Fairy. Each has at least one dog-friendly beach, multiple pet-friendly accommodation options, and dog-welcoming cafés.
But the headline attractions everyone associates with the road — the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, the Otway forest waterfalls, the Great Ocean Walk — all sit inside Great Otway National Park or Port Campbell National Park. Victorian National Parks regulations don't allow dogs (other than registered assistance dogs) inside these parks. No exceptions for "small dogs" or "leashed dogs" or "if I just walk to the lookout."
The right approach: plan a trip that pivots around the towns and dog-friendly beaches, with your dog staying at the accommodation while you visit the iconic park stops. Three days based in Apollo Bay or Port Campbell makes this easy.
Dog-friendly beaches Leash on, year-round Off-leash dawn–10am & 6pm–dusk Off-leash year-round (signed zones) Off-leash dawn–9am & 6pm–dusk Off-leash dawn–10am only Leash on, year-round Off-leash year-round Off-leash dawn–9am & 5pm–dusk
Eight beaches your dog can run on
Off-leash zones have signed times — outside those times the leash goes back on. Always check the sign at the beach itself before letting them off.
Mounts Bay (off-leash zone)
Apollo Bay
Eastern end of Apollo Bay's foreshore. Off-leash outside peak hours.
Lorne North Beach (Erskine Mouth)
Lorne
Northern end where Erskine River meets the ocean. Wide and reliable.
Anglesea Main Beach (off-leash zone)
Anglesea
Easy access from Anglesea town centre. Crowded mid-day in summer.
Torquay back beach (off-leash zone)
Torquay
Surf Coast Plaza end. Strict times — fines apply outside windows.
Aireys Inlet Step Beach
Aireys Inlet
Quiet sand stretch. Stairs from Step Lane car park.
Warrnambool Pickering Point
Warrnambool
Long western Warrnambool beach. Off-leash outside breeding bird zones.
Port Fairy East Beach (off-leash zone)
Port Fairy
Eastern end of East Beach. Town heritage walking afterwards.
Where dogs aren't allowed
National parks — assistance dogs only
The two big national parks of the region — Great Otway and Port Campbell — make up most of the iconic attractions. Dogs aren't allowed in either, with no leashed exceptions. This isn't a guideline, it's enforced.
The reason is wildlife protection: koalas, kangaroos, hooded plovers and several endangered species live in these parks, and dog scent (let alone interaction) is genuinely disruptive. Worth respecting, even when frustrating.
No-dogs zones
- Great Otway National Park
All trails, all beaches inside the park. Includes Maits Rest, Triplet Falls, Erskine Falls, Otway Fly walking tracks.
- Port Campbell National Park
Twelve Apostles boardwalk, Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, London Arch, The Grotto, Bay of Islands — all national park, no dogs.
- Great Ocean Walk thru-hike
Walks through Great Otway and Port Campbell National Parks the entire way. Not dog-accessible.
- Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
Bird and emu sanctuary west of Warrnambool. Leashed dogs in some carparks but not on trails.
- Logans Beach Whale Platform
Birding/wildlife area. Dogs not allowed on the platform itself; OK on the leash on the access road.
- Cape Otway Lightstation grounds
No dogs in the lightstation precinct, but the public road approaches are leashed-dog OK.
Trip approach
A 3-day dog-inclusive plan that works
Day 1
Melbourne → Anglesea → Aireys Inlet → Lorne
- Anglesea Main Beach off-leash morning
- Lunch at Aireys Inlet (multiple dog-welcoming cafés)
- Lorne pet-friendly accommodation, Erskine Mouth dog walk
Day 2
Lorne → Apollo Bay → Port Campbell
- Cape Otway road — dog stays in car at Lightstation lookout
- Apollo Bay foreshore lunch + leashed walk
- Drive to Port Campbell pet-friendly stay
Day 3
Port Campbell → Twelve Apostles solo → return
- Dog stays at accommodation
- You: Twelve Apostles + Loch Ard Gorge (3 hours)
- Return to dog, lunch in Port Campbell, drive home
Frequently asked
Dog-friendly trip FAQs
- Is the Great Ocean Road dog-friendly?
- Partially. The road itself, the towns and many beaches are dog-friendly. But the headline attractions — the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, London Arch, the Otway waterfalls and the Great Ocean Walk — all sit within national parks where dogs (other than registered assistance dogs) are not permitted. Plan a trip that pivots around the dog-friendly towns and beaches rather than the iconic park stops.
- Can I take my dog to the Twelve Apostles?
- No. The Twelve Apostles, Gibson Steps, Loch Ard Gorge, London Arch, The Grotto and Bay of Islands all sit inside Port Campbell National Park where dogs are not allowed (other than registered assistance animals). The closest dog-friendly stop is Port Campbell town itself, where dogs are welcome on the foreshore on a leash. Park your car and view the scenery from public vantage points just outside the park boundary.
- What are the best dog-friendly beaches on the Great Ocean Road?
- Apollo Bay foreshore (leash-on, town beach), Lorne North Beach Erskine Mouth (off-leash year-round), Anglesea Main Beach off-leash zones (dawn and dusk), Torquay back beach (off-leash dawn–10am), Warrnambool Pickering Point (off-leash year-round), and Port Fairy East Beach off-leash zone. Always check signage at the beach itself — rules vary seasonally and outside off-leash windows you'll need a leash.
- Where can I stay with my dog on the Great Ocean Road?
- The best dog-friendly accommodation hubs are Apollo Bay (multiple holiday parks and houses), Anglesea (numerous Airbnbs explicitly pet-friendly), Aireys Inlet (small B&Bs and cottages), Lorne (selected larger holiday houses), and Warrnambool/Port Fairy (caravan parks). Search 'pet-friendly' filter on Stayz, Airbnb, or Big4. Most charge a small pet fee (AU$30–80 per stay). See the full guide at /accommodation/pet-friendly/.
- Can I do the Great Ocean Walk with my dog?
- No. The 110 km Great Ocean Walk passes through Great Otway National Park and Port Campbell National Park for almost its entire length. Dogs (other than registered assistance dogs) are not permitted in these parks. Take your dog on dog-friendly coastal walks instead — the Apollo Bay foreshore, Lorne to Aireys Inlet beach walks, or Warrnambool's Foreshore Promenade.
- Are dogs allowed in Otway forest waterfalls?
- Mostly no. Erskine Falls, Triplet Falls, Beauchamp Falls, Hopetoun Falls and Stevensons Falls all sit within Great Otway National Park where dogs are not allowed. The exception is some private forest reserves outside the park (rare). For waterfall-style stops with dogs, look outside the national park area — and otherwise plan for non-park experiences.
- Where can I leave my dog while visiting the Twelve Apostles?
- Most dog-friendly accommodation in Apollo Bay or Port Campbell is happy for your dog to stay in the rental property while you visit the parks. Check the booking conditions — most pet-friendly listings explicitly allow this. Avoid leaving dogs in cars, especially in summer. Apollo Bay also has a small handful of dog-walker services if you need supervision rather than crating.
- Do I need to keep my dog on a leash?
- Yes by default — Victorian law requires dogs to be on leash in public unless an off-leash zone is signed. The Great Ocean Road has several signed off-leash beach zones (Lorne North, Anglesea Main, Apollo Bay Mounts Bay, Torquay back beach, Warrnambool Pickering Point, Port Fairy East). Outside these zones and outside their signed times, leash on is mandatory and infringement notices do get issued.