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Day Trips With Dogs Brisbane – With countless stunning islands off the Queensland coast, is it any wonder that island accommodation is perhaps Queensland’s ultimate holiday destination? But since most islands don’t allow dogs, check out some of the islands in Queensland that do allow dogs.
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Great Keppel Island is one of the most dog-friendly islands off the Queensland coast, especially in the tropics. Take your dog on a day trip from Yeppoon to Great Keppel Island, which offers a great day out with beautiful beaches, swimming and snorkeling. There are so many things to do on Great Keppel Island!
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The easiest way to get to Great Keppel Island is by boat. Two ferry companies offer short 30-minute trips, with multiple departures throughout the day. Advance reservations are recommended.
We traveled with Keppel Connections and they allowed dogs on board for free. Our dogs are not required to wear a muzzle. Large Freedom Fast cats are available for $5 for small dogs and $10 for large dogs.
The main attraction of Great Keppel (Wopa) Island is its beautiful beaches, luckily dog friendly. In fact, there are no signs on the beach indicating whether dogs are allowed. But the island is in the same local government area as Yeppoon, so the default rules allow dogs on leads during the day and dogs off leads before 8am and after 4pm.
Fisherman’s Beach: The center of the island is where the boat docks and is close to some of the island’s shops, cafes and accommodation. A walk along the beach to its southern end marks the start of a walking path to the neighboring beach.
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Shelving Beach: The second easiest beach to visit, it’s a 5-10 minute walk from Fisherman’s Beach end, although the last part of the trail is quite rocky, especially if you’re wearing a thong. It is a popular spot for swimming and snorkeling, with coral reefs lining both sides of the beach.
Monkey Beach: Considered the island’s best snorkeling spot, skip the turnoff at Sherwin Beach and continue the long walk to Monkey Beach. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit this beach.
Long Beach: This beautiful, long stretch of white sand is perfect for paddling and swimming with dogs. There are two walking paths leading to the beach, the easier to find option starting at the far end of Fisherman’s Beach, but there is also a more inland path that passes by the island’s landfall. The eastern end is actually a nude beach, although we had the entire beach to ourselves during our visit.
There are many hiking trails on the island, but they are currently poorly maintained and unmarked. It is best to keep your dog on a leash during the walk, as we spotted monitor lizards, echidnas and many birds in the quiet forest. If you are staying on the island, it is recommended that you inform your accommodation of your hiking plans.
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As part of our ferry booking with Keppel Connections we included a meal at Great Keppel Island Hideaway including drinks which was good value and delicious. Hideaway’s bistro is mostly open-air, dog-friendly and has plenty of water bowls. As we were leaving, I noticed a “no dogs allowed” sign, but I wasn’t sure which area it referred to – we weren’t the only ones with dogs.
Other dining options on the island include Tropical Vibes Cafe and Great Keppel Island Pizza on the main campus. Both options allow dogs at outdoor tables or order takeout and head to the beach.
If you’re only visiting for a day and want to spend the day exploring, it’s best to bring your own picnic so you don’t have to return to Fisherman’s Beach in the middle of the day.
Although Great Keppel Island’s main resort has been closed for many years, with redevelopment plans announced every few years (and then defunct), the island has a variety of accommodation options and small vacation rentals.
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Most of them don’t allow pets, but there may still be one or two pet-friendly options like this beach house on Airbnb. It’s best to book in advance or stick to a day trip to Great Keppel Island with your dog.
Another major island in tropical Queensland that you can visit with your dog is Magnetic Island, just a 20-minute ferry ride off the coast of Townsville.
It is a bigger island than Great Keppel Island and you can drive to Magnetic Island. If you’re traveling with a dog, it’s best to have your own transportation, as pets aren’t allowed on the island’s buses. However, you can also rent a car, and at least one car rental company on the island currently allows pets, Arcade Beach Guest House, and car rental.
If you are driving to Magnetic Island, you will need to take the Magnetic Island Ferry car barge. Dogs are allowed on the boat at no extra cost. If you take them out of your car, they must be on a leash and are not allowed in the cafe area (other than sitting outside). Booking a car in advance is necessary and quite expensive.
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If you prefer to cross on foot, you can use Magnetic Island Ferries’ car barge or book on the faster Sealink passenger ferry. Dogs are allowed on the boat at no extra cost but must be carried on a leash and muzzle or in a carrier.
Dogs are allowed in most areas of Magnetic Island, with the exception of the national park, which covers most of the island outside its villages and includes the popular Fort Walk.
Outside of national parks, dogs are allowed on a leash at most beaches. These include Nellis Bay, Jeffries Bay, Horseshoe Bay, Picnic Bay and West Point Beach. Dogs are prohibited on some beaches, including lifeguard Alma Bay, so check the signs.
We visited Magnetic Island with our dog without a car and this limited our options. Most people arrive by car or bus and the island is bigger than you think!
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Our favorite part of the day was walking along the wonderful Gable Road Promenade, which starts near the ferry terminal and leads to Jeffrey’s Bay, followed by a leash walk along Jeffrey’s Bay Beach.
Jeffrey’s Bay ends at the end of Armand Way and is a popular spot for rock wallabies. However, I recommend keeping your dog away from wallabies. If you are visiting the island with others, take a walk towards the wallabies.
Most cafes and bars on Magnetic Island with outdoor dining areas allow your dog to join you. One recommendation I’ve heard from others is Island Bar (formerly Base) at Nomad’s Magnetic Island Backpackers, which has an inexpensive lunch menu and live music.
Magnetic Island offers a large number of vacation rentals, many of which are pet-friendly. Whether it’s Stayz, Airbnb or Booking.com, search for pet-friendly accommodation on your favorite website. Check the rules regarding dogs in advance, including whether dogs are allowed inside.
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If you want to camp, the only campground on Magnetic Island when we visited didn’t allow pets, so we didn’t stay there overnight. However, it has now been taken over by upscale hostel brand Celina. I confirmed directly with the hotel that pets are allowed at Selina Magnetic Island Campsite.
Just an hour’s drive north of Brisbane between Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast, Bribie Island is the perfect destination to visit for a short break or extended stay with your dog.
Bribie Island is the easiest Queensland island to visit as it is connected to the mainland by a small bridge. Select Bribie Island on your car GPS and off you go!
One of the most dog-friendly attractions on Bribie Island is the beautiful Off-Leash Dog Beach, the best dog beach in the entire Brisbane area due to its beautiful golden sand. The off-leash dog exercise area is located between U Lam Beach and Red Beach and is over 4 kilometers long, perfect for beach walks with your pup.
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The easiest place to access the off-leash area is at the end of Lowry Street in Woorim, where there is also a convenient dog washing area with a hose. U Lam Beach is known as a surfing beach, although the waves were very light the day I went.
From Red Beach you can also access the off-leash dog beach, where the water is calmer. On the east side of the first parking lot, there is a leash-only dog area several hundred meters before reaching the off-leash dog beach.
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