Situated roughly 90 kilometres east of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley encompasses the upper regions of the Yarra River in Victoria.
With a reputation as one of the world’s premier wine regions, the Valley specialises in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes but visitors to the region know that it is so much more than just thriving wine country. The Yarra Valley is a fabulous holiday destination that is home to superb restaurants, regional produce and iconic scenery. It really does have with something for everyone, including your four-legged family members.
Whilst in the area, we visited four pet-friendly accommodation options. Below is a list of the properties we visited during this trip.
Pet-Friendly Accommodation in the Yarra Valley
The Apartment at Wiggley Bottom Farm
We were fortunate to spend the night experiencing this pet-friendly holiday rental first-hand. The apartment is a beautifully designed one-bedroom abode that is connected to the main house where the owner, Gillie, resides.
Gillie has a great love of animals and she cares for three dogs, goats, horses and a gaggle of friendly Geese (who are known to greet visitors) on the property.
Please note: Should you wish to book a group stay or event, the main house is also available to rent. FIND OUT MORE >>
The Cottage at Wiggley Bottom Farm
Also available at Wiggley Bottom Farm is The Cottage. Offering accommodation for up to 3 guests and 1 dog, this pet-friendly holiday rental offers the same, luxury farm stay experience as its sister property. FIND OUT MORE >>
Wiggley Bottom Farm is located 10 minutes’ drive from Healesville, which offers plenty of options for eating and drinking. For those wishing to experience the local wines, local tour operator Pooches and Pinot are able to pick you (and your dog) up from the farm for a full day or half day tour of the best Yarra Valley wineries. More on this below.
South Cathedral Farm
At the foot of the Cathedral Ranges State Park in Buxton, Victoria, South Cathedral Farm was originally a lavender farm. Sadly, the crop was destroyed in the Black Saturday fires of 2009. Following the devastation, the owners, Megan and Marty, built two accommodation cottages; Rose and Fern Cottages.
The Cottages offer a luxurious couples’ retreat; each with a double spa and open wood fire plus a wine fridge filled with local wines. While there you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the property and befriend the two resident Collies. Foodies, you’ll love the amazing food and wine on offer in the region or stay in while Megan and Marty cook for you in the cottage. We are told that Marty’s homemade pizzas are a favourite!
Each cottage is suitable for 2 guests plus up to 4 dogs and has a secure back yard if you do need to pop out for the afternoon and leave your dog. Links to each property can be found below:
Fern Cottage
Rose CottageMore Accommodation Options in the Yarra Valley
The Holidaying with Dogs website has a large number of accommodation options in the Yarra Valley.
- View all pet-friendly accommodation in this region.
Pet-Friendly Attractions in the Yarra Valley
Pooches and Pinot winery tours
Pooches and Pinot offer private winery tours in and around the Yarra Valley, collecting you and your dogs from your accommodation for a full day or half day tour. Not only will you be eating and drinking some of the Yarra Valley’s finest produce, but you’ll also be taken on a secret walk (known only to locals) so you and your pooches can stretch your legs and work off some of the delicious food you’ve eaten along the way. The walk is so secret, we cannot even tell you where they took us!
The best part of the tour is knowing that while you are enjoying your wine tasting, the Pooches and Pinot team are taking good care of your dogs. For Penny’s dog Hazel, who is blind, this was particularly important. It just wouldn’t work for us to leave her tied up outside on her own, or back at the property.
It is a wonderful day out that won’t disappoint.
Visit the Pooches and Pinot website for more information about their tours and to see the Holidaying with Dogs team on tour.
Healesville Showgrounds Dog Off Leash Area
A short drive from Healesville town centre, the reserve provides a huge area for your dogs to run around off-lead. Note the restricted areas (shown in blue) in the image below.
Other Leash-Free Walks in the Yarra Valley
Pet-Friendly Dining in the Yarra Valley
Healesville Hotel
The Healesville Hotel is a bit of an icon in the area. Located on the main drag, this pet-friendly public bar is well known for its great food, boutique accommodation and huge beer garden. The beer garden is the perfect spot to relax on a sunny day to enjoy lunch with your dogs.
Meletos
Located on St Huberts Road, Meletos is a stunning regional café created by the family who own Stones of the Yarra Valley and The Stables at Stones. Meticulously cared for grounds surround the café and converted farm buildings.
There is ample seating outside for you to enjoy your meal and have your dog relax under the table while you do. The staff were very attentive, bringing out water for our dogs and making sure we were all comfortable. The food and wine was outstanding.
Summary of the Yarra Valley
We had a fabulous time visiting the Yarra Valley. The scenery is stunning, the food and wine outstanding and all of the locations we visited were very accommodating and welcoming for us and our pets.
There is so much to see and do, we couldn’t possibly fit it all into one short stay!
We will certainly return for another pet-friendly holiday in this region.
Have you visited the Yarra Valley with your dog? We would love to hear about your favourite pet-friendly restaurants, wineries and activities in the area, please share in the comments below.
I’d love a copy of this book please
Hi Christina
Holidaying with Dogs was originally a Guide Book, but unfortunately we no longer produce this. All pet-friendly properties can be found at http://www.holidayingwithdogs.com.au. You can search by specific location or region and are able to add in a heap of pet-friendly filters like ‘dogs allowed inside’ and ‘property fenced’.
The HWD Team