Badger Brook Winery

Badger Brook Winery, also listed as Badger's Brook, is a relaxed Coldstream estate on the Maroondah Highway with vineyard views and a distinctly family-friendly feel. It is named in the region's dog-friendly itineraries, and dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas, so it is an easy stop with one along.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating, courtyard and lawn areas on a lead, but not inside the cellar door, consistent with standard licensing rules for tasting spaces. The outdoor space is roomy with vineyard views and somewhere comfortable to settle while you taste. Water bowls are often out and staff are noted as welcoming to dogs, though bringing your own bowl removes any doubt.

Worth knowing

The estate makes cool-climate Yarra Valley wines with pinot noir and chardonnay at the core, alongside casual food and cheese platters. There is play equipment for kids, which makes it a practical family stop, and a pet-friendly bungalow on the property if you want to stay over. Cellar door hours run 10am to 3pm daily, so plan tastings around that window.

Pepsi: come for the relaxed lawn and a glass rather than a polished tasting experience, and let the dog stretch out on the grass while you work through the pinot.

Getting there

The estate is at 874 to 876 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream, on the main tourist route through the Yarra Valley with free on-site parking and clear signage. It is roughly an hour's drive from the Melbourne CBD.

Pair it with

The Tokar Estate cellar door also welcomes dogs outdoors, with Maddens Rise and Rochford Wines close by. The Yarra Valley Pie Stop is a casual dog-friendly refuel on the same strip.

More cellar doors are on the Victoria dog-friendly wineries page and in the Coldstream guide.