Logically, it seems like the perfect match. Outdoor walking tour, bring along your dog? However, it’s not so simple; there are plenty of walking tours that don’t allow pups, many because of the indoor stops along the way. To help you out, I’ve dug up this selection of dog-friendly walking tours around Australia, perfect for your next dog-friendly holiday or just a fun local day out.
#1 Newtown Chewtown Food & Street Art Tour, Sydney, NSW
Local Sauce Tours is a small, locally run company that has been operating in Sydney since 2018. Their tours visit some of the most interesting neighbourhoods around the city, from Haymarket to Five Dock, with many tours that focus on street eats and street art, perfect for locals and visitors alike.
While some of their tours are not suitable for dogs (including their popular small bar tours and some of the food tours), there are other tours where they’re happy for guests to be joined by their well-behaved dogs.
Back in 2023, I joined Local Sauce founder Justin on the Newtown Chewtown – Food & Street Art Tour along with my dog, Schnitzel. It was a fun afternoon exploring the latest street art murals and tasty treats in inner city Newtown. Just note that at some of the food stops, Schnitzel needed to stay outside (easier if there are two of you).
Read my full review of the Newtown Chewtown walking tour
Other Local Sauce Tours in Sydney that were recommended to me as largely dog-friendly include the Local Sydney – Aussie Food, Culture & Coffee and Chinatown – Street Food & Stories. Simply reach out and enquire before making a booking (the tours stops do sometimes change), plus be willing to be a little flexible.
Local Sauce Tours recently expanded to Brisbane in 2024. However, at this point they’re only running two group tours, that may not be dog-friendly. Reach out to enquire or make a booking for a private tour.
#2 Discover Perth Walking Tour, Perth, WA
Perth walking tour company Oh Hey WA was started by founder Adie in 2014. The tour company has the tagline “anything but ordinary”, with its tours packed with personality and insider knowledge.
While I haven’t yet taken one of Oh Hey WA’s tours (it’s on my list for my next visit to Perth!), Adie shared with me that they’ve had a couple of dogs join their tours in the past, and she’d love to have more come along.
Make a booking for the dog-friendly Discover Perth Walking Tour. Just note that it’s three hours long, although with plenty of breaks along the way, so it’s best if you’re confident your dog won’t get bored. They previously offered a 90 minutes highlight tour, but this is not currently running. Note that you’ll be bringing a dog at the time of booking in the Special Requirements section.
#3 Mudgee Heritage Walking Tour, Mudgee, NSW
The town of Mudgee in NSW’s Central West region is one of my favourite country towns in all of Australia. As well as a well-known wine growing region, the town also packs plenty of history. One of the best ways to find out more about Mudgee is on a Heritage Walking Tour.
These one-hour walking tours are led by tour guide Ned every Saturday and Sunday morning, showcasing the beautiful heritage-listed buildings of Mudgee and sharing countless fascinating stories about the town.
It’s essential to make an online booking for the tour, then meet Ned at 10am at the Clock Tower, on the corner of Market Street and Church Street. Both kids under 13 and dogs on a leash are welcome to join the tour for free.
#4 Morning Tasting Trail Walking Tour, Orange, NSW
Mudgee isn’t the only town in the Central West of NSW that’s famous for its wine, with the inland town of Orange also popular with wine lovers and foodies. A great Orange-based tour company that shares many of the best kept food secrets of the region is Country Food Trails.
Country Food Trails runs multiple group and private tours in and around Orange, including the dog-friendly Morning Tasting Trail Walking Tour. This three-hour long tour runs multiple mornings per week. Along the 1km-long walk you’ll learn about Indigenous food and local history, plus enjoy a morning tea of damper and lemon myrtle tea.
Make sure you advise the company when booking that you’ll be bringing along a dog. While dogs are not permitted on the other group tours, the private tours are also dog-friendly with some alterations.
#5 History & Donuts Walking Tour, Melbourne, VIC
Before recently visiting Melbourne, one of the most enthusiastic recommendations that was shared with me (but I didn’t have time to book) was to take the History & Donuts Walking Tour operated by Fit City Tours.
Fit City Tours started in Melbourne in 2015, but now runs tours across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a team of passionate guides. As well as walking tours, they also offer running and hiking tours. Before booking any of the tours, it’s a must to message the company first to see if it’s okay to bring your dog along.
The History & Donuts Walking Tour is a 2.5 hour long tour that mainly sticks to Melbourne’s streets and laneways, but there are a couple of stops on the tour that’ll you need to skip stepping inside of (the Queen Victoria Market and State Library). And be prepared for quite a bit of walking!
#6 Surry Hills Crime Scene Walking Tour, Sydney, NSW
Another walking tour in Sydney that I’d love to check out are the true crime history tours operated by Murders Most Foul. Tour guide Elliot runs multiple tours in the inner city streets of Sydney, sharing with you stories of the crimes that took place during the dangerous days of the 19th-century and early 20th-century.
Each of tours lasts between two and three hours, and generally wraps up at a hotel where you can grab a cold beer and bite (with a bowl of water for your pup). One of the most popular tours is the two-hour long Surry Hills Crime Scene Walking Tour, which is suitable for all ages. The Surry Hills Sausage Dog Club enjoyed an exciting outing on this tour!
Tips for Taking a Walking Tour with Your Dog
Before booking a walking tour with your dog, first consider whether your dog is an ideal walking tour guest. Walking tours are better suited for calm, well-behaved dogs, that are happy to sit for a period (or be held) while your tour guide talks to the group. It’s best to skip bringing along a hyperactive puppy that just wants to run around!
It also helps if you’re fine with being flexible. If the tour steps inside a building along the way that you can’t enter with your dog, you’ll need to stay outside. In these situations, it’s better if there’s two of you with your dog, so you can take turns inside. Having multiple dogs (or more than two dogs between a couple) is probably also not ideal.
You May Also Like
- Taking a Local Sauce Walking Tour with a Dog
- Best Dog-Friendly Days Out Around Sydney
- Top Dog-Friendly Walks in Melbourne, VIC
About the Author
Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.