Stockmans Motel, Bar & Restaurant

Stockmans Motel, Bar & Restaurant is a country motel on more than 10 acres at Spains Lane, Kingswood, just outside Tamworth. It keeps designated pet-friendly rooms, has a resident menagerie of camels and donkeys, and offers horse stables and yards, which makes it one of the most genuinely animal-oriented stays on the New England Highway route.

Dogs at the motel

Pet-friendly rooms are available on request, so ask when you book rather than turning up with a dog in the car. The 2-Bedroom Self-Contained Studio and the Economy Queen Room H are the ground-floor rooms to ask about. Pets must be supervised at all times, and no public pet fee or size limit is listed in the motel's terms, so confirm the cost and conditions directly. There is plenty of open ground around the property for a proper leg-stretch between drives, but note the resident camels and donkeys, which guests can feed at set times: keep your dog supervised and away from the stock pens, especially with the children's playground also on site.

The vibe

Guests rate the motel highly for spacious, clean rooms and helpful management, and the on-site restaurant and bar serve proper country meals, so you do not have to drive back into town for dinner after a long day on the road. It is family-oriented, with the playground and feeding times doing a lot of work for travelling parents. Horse owners get stables and yards for guest use at their own risk, which tells you the property takes travelling with animals seriously.

Getting there and out with the dog

Spains Lane runs off the Oxley Highway side of Tamworth, a few minutes from town. For off-leash time in town, the George Street dog park in West Tamworth is the dedicated space. If this style of stay suits you, Ranjen Farmstay and Stables at Calala is the other animal-friendly option in Tamworth, and Tamworth Holiday Park covers the caravan side. For dinner out, The Pig and Tinder Box is the well-known city venue.

Pepsi: ten acres, pet rooms on request, and camels at feeding time - book the pet room by name before you arrive, not on arrival.