Fairfield Park Boathouse & Tea Gardens

Fairfield Park Boathouse & Tea Gardens has been pouring tea on the banks of the Yarra since 1908, at the end of Fairfield Park Drive about 7km from Melbourne's CBD. The draw for dog owners is the setting: terraced gardens and deck seating over the river at the mouth of Yarra Bend's trail network. Dogs are welcome across all outdoor and garden seating, on a lead at all times, while the heritage boathouse interior stays humans-only.

The dog setup

Water bowls are usually set out around the outdoor seating, which is handy after a riverside walk. The terraces step down toward the water, so keep your dog close on the tiered paths, and note the site sits within Yarra Bend Park where Parks Victoria caps walkers at four dogs per person.

Worth knowing

Breakfast, lunch and Devonshire tea run weekdays 9am to 4pm and 8:30am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays. Rowboats, canoes and kayaks hire from 9am to 3pm daily, weather and river level permitting, and dogs ride along on the rowboats. Reviews are consistent on one point: come for the river outlook first and the food second.

Getting there and parking

Parking is the catch. Limited free 4-hour bays (7am to 7pm) and accessible spots sit at the top of Fairfield Park Drive off Heidelberg Road, plus a few 1-hour bays near the entrance. On weekends and public holidays, use the 150-plus free unlimited spaces at the Melbourne Polytechnic car park off Yarra Bend Road. Fairfield Station is a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the river.

While you're out there

The Pipe Bridge crossing and its riverside tracks are on-lead, so keep the leash on through the loop, then let your dog run in the designated pockets such as T H Westfield Reserve or the enclosed Fairfield Park Fenced Dog Park. Golf courses, playgrounds and Galatea Point are strictly dog-free. Our First Cafe up by the station makes a second stop on the same morning.

More options are on the Victorian dog friendly cafes guide and the Fairfield destination page.