Alstonville Showgrounds

Alstonville Showgrounds is a pet-friendly camping and caravan ground at 6 South Street in Alstonville, in the Northern Rivers hinterland between Lismore and Ballina. It is a showground campground rather than a resort: grassy powered and unpowered sites, clean amenities and an easy walk into the village, with dogs welcome overnight on the sites.

Dogs at the showgrounds

Dogs are allowed to stay overnight with visitors in the camping and caravan areas, on both powered and unpowered sites, and the grounds are marketed as pet-friendly. The working rule on the ground is dogs on leash and cleaned up after, which makes sense in a shared campground with other travellers and stock days on the calendar. No size limits or pet fees are published, so confirm conditions with the caretakers when you book and keep the dog settled around neighbouring sites.

The place

Expect flat, grassy sites that take tents, caravans and long rigs, with toilets, showers, a camp kitchen and a dump point. On-site caretakers keep the place tidy, and the amenities have a good reputation among travellers. It is basic by design, so bring your own dog gear: there is no dedicated dog wash or off-leash run inside the grounds. The real advantage is position, since the village cafes, pub and supermarket are all within a short walk.

Getting there and around

The showgrounds sit on South Street at the southern edge of Alstonville, about 20 minutes inland from Ballina and half an hour from Lennox Head. Turn off the Bruxner Highway and you are there. Once camped, you can leave the car: the walk into town covers coffee and groceries in one go. For an off-leash stretch, the Alstonville Dog Park is close by, and Buckley's Chance in the village does dog-friendly outdoor seating for the morning coffee run.

Max: a grassy site five minutes from a cafe that keeps dog treats behind the counter. My kind of showground.

Call the caretakers ahead to confirm pet conditions and availability, especially around show time when the grounds are in use. More bases are in other pet friendly stays in NSW and the Alstonville guide.