If you’re looking at travelling with your dog in Queensland, but don’t have your own caravan or tent to camp in, a good alternative is to stay at a pet-friendly cabin, usually at a caravan park. While many cabins unfortunately don’t permit pets, I’ve tracked down a wide range of pet-friendly cabins in Queensland, from the south of the state to Far North Queensland.
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#1 Top of the Town Tourist Park, Stanthorpe
The southern Queensland wine region of the Granite Belt is a delightfully dog-friendly destination to visit, including the central town of Stanthorpe. The Top of the Town Tourist Park on the edge of town offers a variety of accommodation options for pet owners, including affordable pet-friendly cabins.
Selected Standard Cabins are pet-friendly. Each of the studio style cabins sleeps up to four, with a double bed and pair of bunks, as well as a kitchenette and ensuite. There are also some pet-friendly Family Cabins, which generally have a queen bed in a separate bedroom and a wood heater.
The park is just a short drive from the centre of town, and includes a swimming pool, games room, covered BBQ area, and plenty of room to stroll with your pup surrounded by bush.
#2 Kirra Beach Tourist Park, Gold Coast
If you’d prefer to head to the coast instead for a holiday with your pup in Queensland, a dog-friendly caravan park on the Gold Coast is the Kirra Beach Tourist Park. Only a short stroll from the beach (and a short drive from the off-leash Palm Beach Dog Beach), dogs are permitted year round on selected powered sites plus in their excellent dog-friendly cabins.
Two of the spacious two-bedroom cabins have been set up as dog-friendly cabins. The balcony of each cabin is gated and features a pet proof mesh surround, perfect for relaxing meal times, perhaps using the BBQ on the balcony. Inside there are two bedrooms that sleep up to four, plus a kitchen with dishwasher and bathroom.
Note that generally only one small dog is permitted per booking, and they must be up-to-date on their vaccinations. An additional flat cleaning fee of $32 applies. The park also contains a self-service dog wash machine and a pet-friendly drinking fountain, plus is adjacent to a handy grassed area.
#3 BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park, Helensvale
Another wonderfully dog-friendly caravan park on the Gold Coast is the BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park. The most dog-friendly caravan park on the Gold Coast, the park has a huge fenced off-leash dog park, complete with agility equipment, a DIY dog wash known as the Puppy Pampering Palace and onsite dog kennels.
Dogs are welcome in at least 20 pet-friendly cabins at the park. Pet-friendly options include Studio Cosy Cabins, Cosy Cabins, Two Bedroom Cottages, Two Bedroom Family Cabins, Bungalows and Two Bedroom Terraces, sleeping in between two and six human guests. Pets are not permitted in the motel rooms or some of the larger villas. Double check with the park or on their website (look for the paw prints) if unsure.
Up to two calm, well-behaved dogs are allowed to join you inside, for no additional fee, with advance bookings essential. Make sure you advise the park that you’ll be bringing a pet at the time of booking, and bring along their vaccination papers.
Check out my guide to pet-friendly cabins just on the Gold Coast
#4 Sea Shanties, Amity Point, North Stradbroke Island
North Stradbroke Island is one of the dog-friendly islands off the coast of Queensland, with pets allowed on the ferries and an off-leash beach as well as on-leash beaches on the island. A classic option is camping on the beaches, accessible only by 4WD, but there are also pet-friendly cabins on North Stradbroke.
Book your stay at Sea Shanties at Amity Point, on the northern tip of the island. Five of their eight cabins are pet-friendly, with well-behaved dogs permitted. The stylishly-decorated cabins sleep between two and six guests, and each have their own kitchen and ensuite.
While cabins have either waterfront or garden views, all have access to the waterfront along the property, including the waterfront outdoor kitchen and BBQ area.
#5 Poona Palms Holiday Park, Poona
It’s only a three hour drive north of the centre of Brisbane to the Great Sandy Strait, but a world away from the city, especially is the you stay at the quiet and relaxing Poona Palms Holiday Park.
Pets are welcome to stay with your at the park year round, at the discretion of the managers, both on the powered sites and in their pet-friendly cabins. Selected two- and three-bedroom cabins and villas at the park allow pets – enquire directly to find out which ones, and make sure you specify you are bringing a pet when booking.
The caravan park is home to its own off-leash dog park, along with agility equipment, plus there’s a K9000 dog wash outside the amenities building, essential for cleaning up after sandy adventures. There’s also a boat ramp onsite, with the area popular for fishing and crabbing.
#6 BIG4 Hervey Bay Holiday Park
Heading further north, for more pet-friendly cabins in Queensland book a stay at the BIG4 Hervey Bay Holiday Park. As well as being permitted on their powered campsites, pets are also allowed inside selected pet-friendly cabins.
Each of the open plan style cabins sleeps up to four guests, with a double bed and pair of bunk beds. There’s a small kitchen and bathroom, with all linen supplied.
The park is conveniently situated in Point Vernon. While dogs are allowed on leash on most beaches in the Hervey Bay region, the Point Vernon Foreshore is largely off-leash. There are three separate off-leash areas, including the stretch in between Aplin Street and the Pines Park, just near the caravan park.
#7 BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Bargara, Bargara
Heading further north, a popular beachside destination near Bundaberg is Bargara. If you’re wanting to holiday with your dog, consider booking a stay at the BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Bargara and their pet-friendly cabins.
Dogs are welcome to stay in their full ranges of cabins, including Open Plan Cabins that sleep four or six, One-Bedroom Cabins that sleep five, and Two-Bedroom Cabins that sleep six or seven. One small dog is permitted per cabin.
Make sure you inform the park that you’ll be bringing a dog when you make a booking, so you can be assigned an appropriate cabin. An additional fee of $50 per stay applies.
The caravan park is just metres from the off-leash Nielson Park Dog Park, located at the northern end of Fred Coutice Avenue. Dogs are also allowed on-leash on sections of the Bargara Foreshore accessed from the Esplanade, although keep a look out for a few signs indicating dogs are not allowed.
#8 Mt Larcom Tourist Park, Mount Larcom
An excellent pet-friendly place to stay when driving north through Queensland is the Mt Larcom Tourist Park. This park is handily located just off the Bruce Highway, near the turn-off to Gladstone.
As well as being permitted on all powered and unpowered sites in the park, pets are also allowed to join you in the park’s cabins, as long as they are declared at the time of booking. Up to two pets are permitted per cabin, including inside, as long as they are kept off the beds. Note that puppies and kittens under 6 months are requested to be crated inside.
The park features two convenient off-leash areas. One is up towards the sunrise viewpoint, a must to visit with its “Big Picture Frame” in time for the sunrise. There’s also a second area on the other side, the lower tier – just note both are unfenced. Poo bags are also provided at every bin point and pet towels can be requested from the office.
#9 Dalrymple Tourist Van Park, Charters Towers
One of the best pet-friendly caravan parks to stay at in the inland city of Charters Towers is the Dalrymple Tourist Van Park, located 2km north of the centre of town. The park backs onto a golf course, which is a defacto off-leash area, plus offers pet-friendly cabins.
The caravan park has poolside, garden view and budget cabins. Each can accommodate up to four or six guests, with a double or queen bed and one or two pairs of bunks, along with a kitchen and bathroom with a shower. Contact the park in advance to request a pet-friendly cabin, with an additional fee of $10 per pet per night applying.
#10 Cairns Cool Waters Holiday Park, Cairns
Cairns is home to multiple dog-friendly caravan parks, although most of them don’t allow pets inside their cabins. If you’re looking for pet-friendly cabins, make a booking with the Cairns Cool Waters Holiday Park.
The park is situated close to the magnificent Goomboora Park, which has a large off-leash area, including a popular swimming spot for dogs. The park is also home to its own onsite Rainforest Creek Walk.
If staying with your dog, book one of the designated pet-friendly Daintree or Reef Cabins. Daintree Cabins are one-bedroom cabins that can accomodate up to two adults and two children, with a double bed in its own room, a built-in bunk and ensuite. The open-plan Reef Cabins are perfect for a couple. Pets are also now welcome in the two-bedroom Pump House that can accommodate six.
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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.