The Park Hotel Ballarat

The Park Hotel Ballarat is the family pub on the tree-lined western stretch of Sturt Street in Alfredton, and its large outdoor beer garden is where the dogs are welcome. The bistro covers the classics done properly: chicken parmigiana, lamb shank, a brisket burger and cheesy garlic bread, with a sports bar and TAB out the back. For dog owners in Ballarat's west it is the straightforward choice, an easy meal where the dog settles at your feet under the garden tables.

Dogs at The Park Hotel

Dogs are permitted in the outdoor alfresco area and the beer garden, and that is the extent of it: the indoor bistro, the sports bar and the indoor playground stay dog free. The garden is spacious with the alfresco deck giving direct bistro access, so service does not require anyone to stay tethered at the gate. Water bowls are not guaranteed, so pack your own. On busy Friday and Saturday nights the outdoor tables fill with the dinner crowd, and a quick call ahead secures the right table for you and the dog.

Max: a pub with its own playground means non stop kids, chips under the table and someone's toast crust if I position myself correctly. The beer garden is my kind of family restaurant.

The vibe

This is a proper family hotel: the indoor playground pulls young families in droves, which makes peak times lively rather than quiet. Weekday lunch is the calm window if you want a relaxed session with the dog; weekends run loud from Saturday's 10am open through to a 1am close. The kitchen also turns out nasi goreng alongside the pub standards, so the menu stretches beyond parma night. Hours run from 11am Monday to Wednesday, later finishes Thursday through Saturday.

Getting there and parking

The address is 1615 Sturt Street, Alfredton, on Ballarat's western side. There is a large on-site car park, and street parking runs along Sturt Street if the lot fills. It is an easy five minute drive from Ballarat Central, with the Arch of Victory memorial arch marking the way along Sturt Street.

Close by with the dogs

Victoria Park sits close by with extensive walking paths and off lead areas for a proper run before lunch, and Lake Wendouree is a short drive for the full lakeside circuit. If you want coffee first, Arch View Cafe in Alfredton is the local stop, and Bell Tower Inn covers pet friendly accommodation in the same suburb. More dog friendly pubs are listed under Victoria, with the rest of Alfredton on its destination page.

Worth knowing

The playground crowd peaks at weekend dinner, so keep your dog close to the table and away from the entrance drift. The beer garden is open air, so check the forecast in winter, though the deck's bistro access means food still travels. As always with pub gardens, well settled dogs are the ones who get invited back.