Heritage Caravan Park

Heritage Caravan Park in Alice Springs is built for travellers with dogs rather than merely putting up with them. Every self-contained cabin on the park takes dogs inside with you, there is a large fenced off-leash exercise yard on site, and the location in the Red Centre makes it a natural overnight stop on the long hauls up and down the Stuart Highway.

Dogs at the Heritage Caravan Park

The headline is the cabins: unlike most inland caravan parks, all of them are pet friendly, so a dog is welcome in the room rather than banished to the van. Some cabins also have their own external fenced dog area right outside the door, which is worth asking for when you book if you want a secure spot without walking to the main run. Powered and unpowered camping sites take dogs as well. No size limit is published and the park describes itself as catering to well-behaved pets, so declare your dog when you book and confirm any conditions with management.

Around the grounds the rules are conventional: dogs stay on a lead outside your own site or cabin and you pick up after them. The fenced off-leash run is the payoff after a long day of driving. There is a coin-operated K9000 dog wash on site, and the park can arrange dog day-minding or boarding if you are heading somewhere dogs cannot go, such as the national parks west of town.

Out and about in Alice Springs

Under Alice Springs Town Council by-laws dogs are on leash in all public spaces except designated off-leash parks, which allow off-leash exercise in the early morning and evening windows, roughly 5am to 8am and 5pm to 8pm, under effective control. Ovals such as Albrecht Oval in Larapinta and Battarbee Park in Araluen are among the designated spots; check each park's signage as sports fixtures can change the rules. The Todd River paths are a good flat walk past ANZAC Hill, but keep the leash on there, and be sensible about letting a dog off lead anywhere in Central Australia between local wildlife and wandering camp dogs.

Close by with the dogs

For another option in town, Gap View Campground also takes dogs, and Page 27 Cafe is a local coffee stop. If you are eating out, The Locals is one of the town's dog-tolerant dining rooms, though it pays to check the alfresco setup before you walk in.

Browse more dog friendly stays in NT or plan around Alice Springs.