The Farmers Arms Daylesford

The Farmers Arms is Daylesford's oldest pub, on East Street just off the main strip and trading since 1857. For dog owners it is the straightforward lunch call in town: a large beer garden with umbrella tables and lawn sections where leashed dogs are welcome, a short stroll from the lake walks and the botanic gardens, with a kitchen that runs well past standard pub fare.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome across the beer garden, on the lawn and at the umbrella tables; inside the main dining rooms is a no-dog zone. The garden runs first in, best dressed with no bookings for the outdoor tables, so the dog-friendly space fills on weekends. Water bowls are usually about, though carrying your own is the safe play. If your dog is unsettled by crowds and noise, aim for an early lunch before the tables turn over.

The pub and the food

The kitchen leans heartier than most country pub menus: pork belly, venison pie, duck sausages and lamb shoulder get the regular mentions, alongside eye fillet and seafood pasta, with a solid local wine and beer list behind it. Doors open from midday daily, running later on Friday and Saturday nights. It is a busy, well-run pub rather than a quiet one, which suits a settled social dog far better than a nervous one.

Getting there and parking

East Street sits a little away from the busiest part of town, which keeps the immediate footpath traffic down. Street parking wraps the venue but fills quickly on weekends, so arrive early to sort both a park and a garden table in one go.

Make a day of it

Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, up the hill on Central Springs Road, is an easy on-lead wander through historic plantings on an extinct volcano, and the Three Lost Children Walk is a good town-fringe leg-stretch. For a longer loop, the Tipperary Spring via Blowhole circuit runs through the goldfields country. Overnighting with the dog, Jubilee Lake Holiday Park & Cafe puts you on a quiet lakeside track.

More of the town is on the Daylesford destination page, and the wider list is in the VIC pubs index.