Willuna Sanctuary

Willuna Sanctuary is a farm stay in Chiltern, in Victoria's north-east near the Rutherglen wine country, where dogs are welcomed as a matter of course rather than an exception. The catch is the setting: it is a working animal rescue sanctuary with free-roaming residents including peacocks, camels and farm animals, so bring a dog that can stay calm around livestock.

Dogs at Willuna Sanctuary

Dogs are allowed to stay, with bookings generally accommodating up to two dogs of any size, but approval comes on request rather than automatically, so flag your dog when you book. A pet fee of around $20 per pet applies on top of a standard $20 cleaning fee per booking. Because the sanctuary's rescued animals roam freely, dogs must be kept leashed whenever outside the cabin, and pets are typically not permitted on furniture or beds. Confirm the fee, the leash expectations around the animals and any room rules directly with the owners, since third-party listings vary on the detail.

Max: with free-roaming animals on site, keep your dog leashed until you know how it reacts to peacocks and livestock at close range. Excitement cuts both ways.

The place

Accommodation is self-contained two-bedroom cabins suited to couples and small families, set in a quiet farm environment with animal encounters and tours available for guests. It suits dog owners who want a working-farm stay where the dog is part of the trip rather than a problem to manage, provided that dog can behave itself around the resident herd.

Getting there and what is nearby

Chiltern sits just off the Hume Highway between Wodonga and Wangaratta, roughly three hours from Melbourne and under an hour from Albury. The historic town centre, Lake Anderson and the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park are all close by. On the wine side, Posh Plonk on Main is in town, and the Lake Anderson Caravan Park is the other Chiltern base on our books if the sanctuary is booked out.

More options are on the VIC pet friendly stays guide and the Chiltern destination page.