The Headmasters cafe

The Headmasters Cafe operates out of the old Lower Beechmont schoolhouse on Beechmont Road, in the Gold Coast hinterland, with a shaded veranda where dogs are welcome on lead. It makes a natural stop on a Scenic Rim drive, and the historic building plus community gardens give it more character than the road-side location suggests.

The dog setup

Dogs join you on the outdoor veranda and grounds, on lead and under control, which covers all the seating. Bring your own water bowl since one is not guaranteed, and keep the lead short along the veranda edge.

The vibe

The kitchen keeps things fresh and simple, with the local paper noting the operator relationship and some ingredients drawn from the on-site community garden. An op shop and gardens run by the Beech Mountain Association share the grounds, so there is more to wander than a coffee stop alone.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 1835 Beechmont Road, Lower Beechmont, right on the main road up the range, with parking on the old school grounds. The winding climb is slow going with a car-sick dog, so leave a margin. Current hours run Thursday to Sunday from 6.30am to 2pm, so plan a morning stop rather than an afternoon one.

While you are out there

Yowie And The Goat Cafe further down Beechmont Road is the other dog-friendly stop on the range, and Canungra Dog Park sits at the base of the mountain for a leg-stretch before the climb.

Note that the surrounding national park walking tracks are no-dog country, so the veranda is the dog part of the day. More options are on the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the Beechmont destination page.