Destination
Dog-friendly Bellarine Peninsula
60 dog-friendly places across 12 towns
The Bellarine Peninsula quietly runs one of Victoria’s best dog-beach line-ups: year-round off-leash sand at Ocean Grove and Point Lonsdale, ferry towns and bay walks in between.
VIC·1½ hours from Melbourne·Best Year-round; summer beach hours + bay winds
On the map 56 places in Bellarine Peninsula
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Explore Bellarine Peninsula
Crowd favourites
The most-reviewed places in Bellarine Peninsula
Towns in Bellarine Peninsula · 12
Everything in Bellarine Peninsula
Beaches · 3
All 3 beaches in Bellarine Peninsula
Parks · 1
Parks in VIC
Trails · 8
All 8 trails in Bellarine PeninsulaOcean Grove to Barwon Heads
9 km, moderate walk
Begola Wetlands
Beacon Point Reserve
Adrian Mannix Reserve
Bellarine Rail Trail
Ferry to Pier Trail
Lovers Walk
Point Lonsdale to Queenscliff Beach Walk
Cafes · 21
All 21 cafes in Bellarine Peninsula
cafe Dogs welcomeCoffee Is Here
cafe Dogs welcomeThe Grove Coffee Co.
cafe Dogs welcomeGather
cafe Dogs welcomeTwelve Sea
cafe Dogs welcomeDawn Cafe
cafe Dogs welcomeSirens – Miss Buzz Kiosk
cafe Dogs welcomeRed Park
cafe Dogs welcomeSome Folk Coffee
cafe Dogs welcomeLenny's Ice Creamery
cafe Dogs welcomeBowlz Barwon Heads
cafe Dogs welcomeThe Salty Breeze Cafe
cafe Dogs welcomeNoble Foods
Pubs · 1
Pubs in VICRestaurants · 9
All 9 restaurants in Bellarine Peninsula
restaurant Dogs welcomeHounds of the Vine
restaurant Dogs welcomeTommy Gunns Barwon Heads
restaurant Dogs welcomeMona Cicchetti Bar
restaurant Dogs welcomeChanceux Cucina
restaurant Dogs welcomeFlying Brick Cider Co
restaurant Dogs welcomeBasils Farm
restaurant Dogs welcomeThe Dunes Ocean Grove
restaurant Dogs welcomeTuckerberry Hill
restaurant Dogs welcomeBeach House Barwon Heads
Stays · 17
All 17 stays in Bellarine Peninsula
stay Dogs welcomeSeaview House Queenscliff
stay Dogs welcomeBIG4 Ingenia Holidays Queenscliff Beacon
stay Dogs welcomeWattletree Inn
Barwon Heads Caravan Park
stay Dogs welcomeSpringhill House on Pardalote
stay Dogs welcomeCorsair Cottage
stay Dogs welcomeBellarine Bayside Holiday Parks
stay Dogs welcomeQueenscliffe Tourist Parks
stay Dogs welcomeLill-Brey on Barwon
stay Dogs welcomeSwan Bay Holiday Park
stay Dogs welcomeTwomey's Cottage
Club Grove Private Cabin Park
Year-round off-leash sand
The Bellarine’s dog-beach line-up is the region’s best asset.
Ocean Grove Main Beach between accesses 8W and 13W and Thirteenth Beach between 30W and 34W run off-leash year-round, and Point Lonsdale’s Narrows Beach is off-leash from Roddick St east to Fraser Street.
City of Greater Geelong rules: under effective control, leash carried at all times.
Portarlington’s Point Richards zone covers the boat ramp to the Sailing Club, and the St Leonards-Indented Head run is off-leash beach-walk territory.
Bay, surf + ferry
Three Bellarine days.
After the beach
Pubs + cafes on the bay
Beer gardens, pier views, bowls out.
Good to know
Which Bellarine beaches are off-leash year-round?
Ocean Grove Main Beach (8W-13W), Thirteenth Beach (30W-34W) and the Narrows Beach stretch at Point Lonsdale, plus Point Richards at Portarlington. Some foreshores carry seasonal limits - Ramblers Road at Portarlington reverts to on-lead in summer.
Can dogs catch the Queenscliff ferry?
Searoad ferries don’t take dogs on passenger services except assistance animals - plan the car trip instead.
When is the best time to visit?
The bay works year-round; summer brings beach-hour rules and the afternoon sea breeze.
How far is the Bellarine from Melbourne?
About 1½ hours to Ocean Grove or Queenscliff.
Planning a trip?
See every dog-friendly stay on the Bellarine
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