The Murchison Tavern

The Murchison Tavern on Chapman Road is a casual Geraldton pub with a pet-friendly beer garden, which is the part that matters if you are bringing a dog. It is a well-priced local for big pub plates, daily drink specials and a busy, unpretentious crowd.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor beer garden and deck area, not inside the bar or dining room. Staff are reported as friendly to dogs, but a water bowl is not guaranteed, so bring your own. Keep dogs leashed and settled to keep the shared garden easy for everyone.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen has a name for large, well-cooked pub plates: the chicken parmy comes up most, alongside chilli mussels, seafood linguine, pork belly and nasi goreng, plus local seafood when it is running. Daily drink specials and a Thursday happy hour are part of the draw. Hours run from 11am daily, trading late on Friday and Saturday nights, so it works for lunch or dinner with the dog in the garden.

Getting there and parking

The tavern is at 20 Chapman Road, Geraldton, a couple of minutes from the foreshore side of town. There is free street parking nearby and a free car park, so arrival is easy even with a car load of beach gear.

Close by with the dogs

The Geraldton foreshore and its coastal walking paths are within easy reach for an on-lead walk before or after a meal, though dogs stay leashed on the foreshore lawns and paths per City of Greater Geraldton rules. For an off-lead run, Orleigh Park in West End is the local dog park, and the Raven Hotel is another dog-friendly pub stop nearby. The Geraldton Caravan Park covers pet-friendly stays in town.

More dog-friendly spots around the suburb are on the Geraldton destination page, with the full list in the WA pubs index.