Dog Day Trips Near Brisbane
Every dog may have its day but the question is, where do you take them on their day? Within an hour's drive from Brisbane we've found six fantastic doggie day trips that are guaranteed to keep both the four-legged and their two-legged companions happy.
Sea-loving dogs who also like to feel the sand between their paws will love a visit to Coochiemudlo Island, which is a 10 minute ferry ride from Victoria Point (dogs on leashes are welcome on the ferry). Once there you can walk around the island in under an hour and then let your pooch have a romp on the fantastic offleash beach (seasonal). Brings a picnic or grab a bite to eat at the island kiosk.
Redcliffe - Kroll Gardens & Queens Beach
Flanked by a scenic walking path that takes in the Gayundah ship wreck, the swimming lagoon of Settlement Cove and a host of picturesque little coves, the Redcliffe peninsula is also home to Moreton Bay's largest dog park, the extraordinary 5ha Kroll Gardens, featuring walking paths, a 'fetch' oval and groves of trees.
Along Redcliffe Parade is Cafe Diversity, the best dog-friendly cafe in the peninsula, serving puppyccinos, scrambled egg & ice-cream for pooches and towardds Scarborough, Queens Beach is dog friendly so pups can frolic and swim offleash.
Bribie Island – Woorim Beach and Red Beach
Probably the dog-friendliest island of them all, Bribie has kilometres of off leash dog beaches - Woorim Beach and Red Beach - which, although a bit wild in places (and narrow at high tide) are a decent walk for owners and offer bountiful play, swim, dig and mingle opportunities for dogs.
When the novelty of bounding around the surf beaches wears off, there's a fabulous walking path for an on-leash stroll on the calm water side at Bongaree that meanders along the waterfront through playgrounds, barbecue and picnic spots, past jetties and through a bird hide boardwalk.
The salt water inlet Stumers Creek divides the dog off leash area north of Coolum's patrolled beach in two, creating a fantastic water playground for dogs and children alike. Dogs bound endlessly into and across the shallow flowing creek, whose surrounds are totally protected and beyond, where the surf is, the beach on both sides is wide and unspoilt. While there are no eateries nearby, the Coolum shopping strip is a two minute drive south or, better still Peregian Village a five minute drive north. In the green square in its heart the fantastic Baked Poetry Café spills out onto the grass and there are plenty of shady trees adjacent for dogs to be tethered.
Start or finish this one with a meander through Southport's Broadwater Parklands, the splendid master planned waterfront park that has everything from aquativity zones, playgrounds for all ages and bike tracks to barbecue and picnic areas, cafes and an amphitheatre.
Meanwhile over at The Spit there are two ways for dogs and owners to get wet – in the sprawling cove fronting the broadwater or the secluded surf beach at the tip of the spit beyond the sand dunes. Again there's no need to go too far for sustenance – Peter's at the back of Seafood Nara Resort is the go-to spot for all seafood needs as the hundreds who descend there on weekends can testify. Take it away and find a shady spot in Main Beach's ample surrounding parkland.
Palm Beach is a true slice of pooch heaven, with the southern end at Palm Beach Parklands home to both an ocean offleash dog beach and Currumbin Creek offleash beach for pooches who just want to go for a paddle. You can easily spend a day here, taking time out from brunch or lunch at dog friendly Dune Cafe, which overlooks Palm Beach Parklands.
And that's not all! Palm Beach is also home to the Gold Coast's biggest dog park, Schuster Park, a massive sprawling green space where dogs can really let their fur down. And if your pup still has some energy to expend, take them to the Gold Coast's only off-leash island for dogs, an 8 minute drive inland from Palm Beach.
