Aussie Hotel

The Aussie Hotel is a busy corner pub at 73 Fryers Street in central Shepparton, with a bistro, a main bar, live music and an Outback Bar out the back. The Outback Bar is the dog-friendly part: the venue's own FAQ page confirms dogs are welcome in the outdoor beer garden and courtyard area, while the indoor bistro and dining rooms stay humans-only.

The dog setup

Dogs are restricted to the Outback Bar and beer garden at the rear, which is just as well for owners, because the space is weatherproofed and stays usable through a Goulburn Valley winter or a 40-degree afternoon. It is a large, open-air area with room between tables for a dog to lie flat. Ask staff for a water bowl, they are used to dogs out there, but carry your own as a backup on packed nights. Keep your dog leashed and clear of the serving lanes.

The vibe and the menu

This is a proper all-day country pub kitchen. The calamari, chicken parma, steak, ribs and bruschetta all get repeat mentions, gluten-free options are on the menu, and the bistro runs from 11am until late. Friday and Saturday nights stretch to 1am, sport is on the screens, and live music rolls through regularly, so out-of-towners and locals pack the place on weekends. If you want a quieter feed with the dog, midweek lunch is the window.

Getting there and parking

The hotel sits on Fryers Street between Maude and Wyndham Streets in the Shepparton CBD. Street parking runs along Fryers and the surrounding grid, watch the time limits and clearway signs around peak hour. It is walkable from most of the town centre.

Close by with the dogs

Burn the energy off first at the fenced Shepparton Fenced Dog Park (Princess Park) or the Ducat Reserve enclosure, both a short drive away, and Victoria Park Lake's flat walking loop suits a pre-lunch stretch. If the Aussie is packed, Terminus Hotel is the other long-running dog-friendly pub in town, and Noble Monks covers a coffee stop with the dog.

More options are on the Shepparton destination page and in the VIC pubs index.