Bill's Boathouse

Bill's Boathouse is a permanently moored floating eco-pod at Riverglen Marina on the Murray River at White Sands, a short drive from Murray Bridge. It sleeps two adults, and dogs are welcome on board, which makes it one of the more unusual river stays in South Australia for a weekend away with your dog.

Dogs at Bill's Boathouse

Pets are welcome on board for the duration of your stay. The house rules ask that dogs, especially heavy shedders, stay off the beds, so pack your own dog bed or blanket. When you are off the boat and moving around the marina, keep your dog on a lead, and never leave them unattended on board. Poo bags are supplied, and guests are expected to clean up after their pets. Listings note a conditional cleaning fee of around $100 that can be charged after your stay if the boathouse is left overly messy, so a dog that tracks river mud or sand across the deck is worth factoring in.

Because the whole stay sits over open water, supervision matters. The wrap-around timber deck puts you close to the river edge, so keep an eye on dogs that like to wander or chase wildlife.

Max: bring a proper dog bed because the boat's own bedding is off limits, and keep the lead on for anywhere off the boat inside the marina.

The setup

The boathouse is built for a slow river break: a wrap-around deck, an outdoor clawfoot bath, a gas fire pit, and kayaks included for paddling the marina. Guests regularly mention swans and other birdlife drifting past. Capacity is two adults, so it suits a couples or solo retreat rather than a family pack.

Getting there and parking

White Sands sits on the Murray River east of Murray Bridge, roughly an hour's drive from Adelaide. Confirm your berth location and marina parking arrangements with the host when you book, and check the exact conditions for dogs at the same time, since some policy details such as size limits are not published online.

Close by with the dogs

Murray Bridge is the practical base for supplies and walks. The Johnstone Park Fenced Dog Park gives your dog a proper off-lead run after time on the water, and St George's Bakehouse is a popular coffee stop in town. Upstream at Mannum, Elly Jayne @ Big 4 Mannum welcomes dogs and works well as a stop on a river trip.

More options across the state are on the South Australia dog-friendly stays list, and other spots around town are in the White Sands guide.