Graze Ballan

Graze Ballan is a farm stay on four acres just outside Ballan, on the Melbourne to Ballarat run, and its appeal for dog owners is the whole-property country setup: quirky vintage accommodation, resident livestock to meet, and room for a dog to roam under supervision. Check their site before you plan a trip, as the property has flagged a temporary closure with a promise to return.

Dogs at the Graze Ballan

Well-behaved dogs are welcomed on request at this working small farm, and past guests report them joining the roam of the property alongside the owners' kelpie. The details that matter are not published: no official page confirms a pet fee, size limit or which of the accommodation options takes dogs, so treat all of that as a confirm-direct item when you enquire. The property is rural and partly fenced, and livestock graze the paddocks, so ask about fencing between the animal areas and your accommodation before letting a dog off lead. Any dog with a strong prey drive around goats, sheep and alpacas needs a close eye.

Worth knowing

The accommodation is eclectic rather than polished: a gypsy van, a 1960s retro caravan and a lounge and dining cabin, with a gourmet angle to the food. It suits couples or families after a low-key country break with a dog that is calm around farm animals. Reviewers single out the welcoming hosts and the relaxed, animal-filled atmosphere.

Getting there and parking

The address is 8 Bryant Court, Ballan VIC 3342, just off the Western Highway less than an hour from Melbourne's edge, with parking on the property. Ballan's town centre is a few minutes away for supplies.

While you're out there

The Lanyon Dog Park Exercise Area at Gordon is the nearest fenced run, The Wyatt covers coffee in Gordon, and The Plough @ Myrniong is the well-known long-lunch stop back towards the highway.

More options are in our Victoria pet friendly stays guide, and everything else under Ballan.