Old Boundary Hotel

The Old Boundary Hotel, now trading as The Boundary, is a historic pub at the leafy upper end of Bendigo near the hospital, and its ace for dog owners is the Laneway: a dedicated outdoor area where dogs are welcome. The pub's own FAQs flag the dog-friendliness up front, which makes this one of the more straightforward Bendigo pubs to plan around.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the Laneway, on a lead and under control, while the main dining room and interior stay off limits to pets. Staff have a strong service reputation, but the outdoor tables are the ones to request, so call or note the dog when you book and bring a water bowl just in case.

The vibe

The kitchen takes pub food seriously: porterhouse, pork belly, lamb cutlets, seafood pasta, a proper pie, and a separate vegan menu that is more than an afterthought. The bar covers local beers, regional wines and cocktails. Doors open from 11am through to late every day of the week, and it gets busy at the dinner rush, so an early sitting suits a dog that needs to settle.

Getting there and parking

The address is 2 Milroy Street in the Soldiers Hill end of town, with free street parking usually easy out front and in the surrounding streets, and wheelchair-accessible entry. The Soldiers Hill blocks around the hotel are calm for a pre or post-dinner walk, and Lake Weeroona is a short drive away for an easy on-lead loop around the water.

Close by with the dogs

If the Laneway is full, Bendigo has back-up: Tysons Reef Hotel pours on the hill near the lakeside end of town, Omari Bendigo works for a White Hills meal, and The Green Olive handles coffee in the morning.

Check the Old Boundary Hotel website for menus and book an outdoor table when dining with your dog.