Mountainview lake holiday park

Mountainview Lake Holiday Park, listed on Hipcamp as Mount Surround Campground, is an off-grid camping and caravanning property in the foothills off the Bruce Highway near Giru, roughly 45km south of Townsville. The draw for dog owners is a 20-acre freshwater dam on open rural country, with dogs welcome across the whole property on powered and unpowered sites alike.

Dogs at Mountainview Lake Holiday Park

Dogs are welcome on the property for both camping and caravanning, on any site type, provided they stay on lead and under control at all times. There are no published size limits or pet fees, and bookings run through the park directly or Hipcamp, so confirm any specifics when you reserve. The lead rule is not busywork: the property is home to pretty-faced wallabies and other wildlife, and the paddocks open wide with no fencing between you and open country, so a working recall matters if you ever drop the lead. Bring fresh drinking water for your dog, since the dam is the property's water feature rather than a water bowl, and the edges can be muddy and weedy. Bowls and bedding travel with you, as with any campground stay.

The place

The park runs to 70 to 90 acres of rural land with views across to Mount Surround, a camp kitchen, hot showers, clean toilets and firewood for campfires. The dam takes non-motorised craft such as kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards, water levels depending on recent rain, and the dark skies make stargazing part of the appeal. Amenities are simple and the mood is quiet bush camping, which is exactly what reviewers rate it for.

Getting there and when to go

The entrance is off the Bruce Highway about 8km north of Giru township, 45km south of Townsville and the same distance north of Ayr. Arrive with daylight left so you can pick your site and walk the boundary on lead before dark. Nearby dog-friendly stays include Black River Caravan Park on the north side of Townsville and Mountview Farm Stay and Poodles inland. More options are on the Giru destination page and the QLD stays index.

Max: Wallabies at nose range, a dam the size of a small lake, and one firm rule about the lead. Fair trade for all that country.