Eumundi Yacht Club

Eumundi Yacht Club is a gated 5-acre property on Cash Road, two minutes from the Eumundi Markets, built around a lily-filled lake. Despite the name there is no clubhouse or sailing, just four self-contained lodges, and every one of them takes dogs of any size with no pet fee. For Sunshine Coast hinterland trips with a dog, that combination is unusually generous.

Dogs at the lodges

All four lodges, Tree Tops, Parisian, Stonehaven and Lakeside, are pet-friendly with no additional charge reported. The whole property is fully fenced and gated, so dogs can be off-lead on the grounds, but this is shared space with real wildlife: ducks and turtles live on the lake, wood hens patrol the lawns, and the owners' own golden retrievers are usually on site. Keep your dog from harassing the residents, feathered or furry, and manage them around other guests who may also have dogs. Each lodge is free-standing with its own private patio looking over the water, so a dog that prefers to snooze indoors has room to settle.

The vibe

Guests consistently mention two things: the welcome their dogs received, and the fridge. Hosts stock each lodge with generous breakfast provisions, eggs, bacon, fresh bread and fruit, enough that most guests cannot finish it. Shared facilities include a European-style outdoor pool, gazebo seating, a pizza oven and a BBQ area, with off-street parking and security cameras at the gate. The style leans comfortable-rustic rather than polished luxury; guests who want high-end finishes sometimes note it, while most simply call it peaceful and well appointed.

Getting there and out with the dog

Cash Road sits on the Eumundi side of the hinterland, roughly 15 minutes inland from Noosa. The Wednesday and Saturday markets are a short drive, though leave the dog at the lodge for those. For exercise, the off-leash dog park at Yandina is ten minutes south, and before you head out the Gun Cotton roasters in Yandina does the morning coffee run. In town, Alfrescos has the garden courtyard on the main street.

Pepsi: four lodges, all dog-friendly, no fee, and a fully fenced five acres - this is what hinterland travel with a large dog should look like.