Five Ways Caravan Park

Five Ways Caravan Park sits at 597 Lower Dandenong Road in Dingley Village, a straightforward pet-friendly caravan and camping park in Melbourne's south-east. It is a sites-and-vans kind of place rather than a cabin resort, and that is exactly its appeal if you are road-tripping with the dog: pull in, set up on grass, and you are a short drive from both the city and a stack of off-lead parks.

Dogs at the Five Ways Caravan Park

Dogs are welcome, mainly on the powered and unpowered camping and caravan sites. There is no published size or breed limit, but management asks you to declare your dog's breed and size at booking so they can confirm it suits the park, and a small pet fee applies. Dogs stay on lead at all times and you clean up after them. Whether pets are allowed near the cabin accommodation is not stated, so ask directly on (03) 9551 1476 when you book and get the current fee confirmed at the same time. Bring your own bedding and water bowl.

The vibe

Reviewers consistently call out the clean amenities and bathrooms, hot showers, manicured lawns and grassy sites, with resident managers on site. Facilities cover the basics: a camp kitchen, laundry, toilets and showers, mains power and drinking water. It is a well-kept, practical park rather than a destination in itself, and handy to the shopping centres of Melbourne's south-east.

Out with the dog nearby

The park is well placed for off-lead time. The Spring Road Reserve Off-leash Dog Park and the Chadwick Reserve Dog Park are both in the suburb, and the fully fenced Doggy Play Park is close by for a proper run. Braeside Park's wetland trails are a short drive for an on-lead leg-stretch. For coffee, Sip Society Cafe & Bar is in the village.

More options are under dog friendly stays in VIC and in the Dingley Village guide.

Pepsi: Declare me at booking so they can put you on the right site, and keep my lead on. Grassy park rules are strict about that, and fair enough.