Southcamp

Southcamp occupies a big site on Dunn Bay Road just back from the Dunsborough foreshore, part hospitality hub and part cabin stay, with the beer garden and open precinct spaces at its centre. It has become the town's casual evening option: lawns, shared tables and a layout built for groups rather than a quiet corner dinner. For dog owners on a Margaret Region trip, the draw is simple, since dogs are welcomed through the outdoor areas where the precinct's social life actually happens.

Dogs at Southcamp

The venue has announced dog-friendly access in its outdoor beer garden and open precinct spaces on its own social channels, so the welcome is current rather than hearsay. Leashes are the expectation in the shared outdoor space, which makes sense given lawn games, roaming kids and a full deck on summer evenings. Inside and around the indoor dining areas is where the dog pass ends, so plan the visit as an outdoor session. As always with busy venues, a quick message ahead on a packed weekend evening is the polite move.

The vibe

The precinct is deliberately low-key: cabins and apartments on site, an open-air eating and drinking area, and the theme carried through with record players and retro touches in the rooms. Visitors talk about walking distance to town, which matters when the evening runs long, and the mix of families, groups and couples keeps the crowd varied. It is louder and busier than a standard country pub, more picnic-ground than public bar, and dogs fit that atmosphere well.

Worth knowing

Peak season weekends fill the outdoor space early, so arrive before the dinner rush or expect to wait for a table with a view of the lawn games. Because the space is shared, a settled dog does better than an anxious one here, and the lawn gives some breathing room between tables. For a daytime alternative, Sora Cafe covers the morning shift nearby, while Occys and the Woodstone Cottages round out a dog-friendly Dunsborough base.

More venues in the region are on the WA dog-friendly pubs list, and the Dunsborough guide collects the town's beaches, cafes and stays in one spot.