Brisbane doesn’t get nearly enough credit as a dog-friendly city. Sure, Sydney has the harbour. Melbourne has the laneways. But Brisbane has something better: a river that winds through everything, a hinterland full of lavender and vines, islands you can actually get to without a private boat, and a culture that genuinely welcomes dogs.
Whether your dog is a seasoned adventurer or a couch potato who needs convincing, this bucket list has something for every temperament. It’s time to pack the treat bag and refill the water bottle. Let’s go.
1. Bribie Island
Just an hour north of Brisbane is Bribie Island, Queensland’s only bridge-connected sand island. This means no ferry stress, no timetables, and no undignified scrambling onto a boat ramp. Drive straight on, park up, and let your dog have their moment.
Bribie Island is a fantastic destination for dog owners, offering three excellent off-lead beach options: Red Beach (Bongaree), Woody Beach, and a designated section of Woorim Beach. Red Beach is the star of the show — a generous 8km stretch of golden sand where dogs can run freely and splash in the calm, low-wave water. At Woorim Beach, the off-lead area runs along the southern end between beach access 19 and Lowry Street. Woody Bay is equally welcoming, with off-lead access from the bay itself to the pathway opposite Koolamara, at the corner of Lowry and Benelong Streets.
Feeding yourself after a big beach session is easy. You could keep it simple with a picnic or classic takeaway fish and chips, but if you’re after a proper sit-down meal, there are plenty of dog-friendly options. Near Woorim Beach, check out Little Mike’s or Mokha Cafe. Prefer the quieter western side of the island? Annie Lane and Serenity Cafe on the Passage are lovely spots. And for something truly unique, Social Cafe is a RSL that welcomes dogs — a rarity among RSL clubs.
If your dog has opinions about personal space, it’s recommended to visit before the weekend crowd hits.
Take Your Pet Tip: Dogs are not permitted in the National Park section of the island. Stick to the township beaches and foreshore areas.
2. Kooroomba Vineyard & Lavender Farm
Nestled in the hills of Mount Alford, about 90 minutes southwest of Brisbane, Kooroomba is the kind of place that makes you feel like a better person just for being there. Rolling lavender fields, a working vineyard, manicured gardens, and a restaurant that turns local produce into something worth the drive.
Well behaved and on-lead dogs are welcome in the terrace, gardens and vineyard grounds, making this one of the rare Queensland day trips where the scenery is genuinely Instagrammable and your dog is an asset rather than a logistical complication. The lavender rows photograph beautifully, particularly in season (typically October through January) and the walking pace is relaxed enough that even older dogs can manage a comfortable amble.
This is the bucket list entry for the dog owner who wants to feel like they’re in Provence without the 24-hour flight.
Take Your Pet Tip: Check ahead of visiting for venue closure for weddings on the property.
3. Mt Coot-tha
Brisbane’s most iconic lookout is closer than most people realise. It’s less than 10 kilometres from the CBD and the reserve surrounding it is a legitimate network of bushwalking tracks where dogs are welcome on-lead. The payoff at the top is one of the finest views of the city you’ll find anywhere, particularly at dusk when the skyline lights start waking up.
The walking trails vary in length and difficulty, which means you can tailor the experience to your dog’s fitness level and your own ambitions. Some tracks wind through eucalyptus bushland and deliver you to lookout points that feel genuinely earned. Others are a gentler stroll that will still impress the neighbours when you mention it casually.
Take Your Pet Tip: Great walk for the cooler temperatures of Autumn and Winter. In the summer, start early! The exposed ridgeline gets hot quickly, and Brisbane’s Humidity is not your friend once the sun gets going.
4. Cruising the Brisbane River via River Ferry or CityCat
Not all bucket list items require a packed bag or a two-hour drive. Sometimes the adventure is right there, moving along at 25 knots on the river that runs through the heart of the city.
The Translink’s ferry network, including the much-loved CityCats, allows on-lead dogs on board, making this one of the most accessible and genuinely enjoyable things you can do with a dog in Brisbane without any real planning. Board at South Bank, ride upriver to the University of Queensland or downriver toward the mouth, and watch the city arrange itself into something beautiful from the water.
It’s cheap, it’s air-conditioned, and your dog will be studied with great intensity by every child on the vessel. Consider this the people-watching (and dog-watching-people) experience of the year.
Take Your Pet Tip: Dogs are required to be on lead and wearing a muzzle or be in an enclosed carrier. They must remain outside the ferry cabin and can only travel during off-peak periods during the week but all day on weekends.
5. North Stradbroke Island
An hour south-east of Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island offers a dog-friendly island adventure that feels a world away from the city. There are plenty of ways to spend a day or a weekend exploring Queensland’s second largest sand island. The beaches are long and uncrowded, the scenery is spectacular, and the laid-back island rhythm has a way of making both owners and dogs forget that Monday exists.
Beaches to visit with your dog are Main Beach and Flinders Beach, Deadman’s Beach, Frenchman’s Beach. There is also the scenic North Gorge Walk.
For a longer adventure, the walking tracks that wind through the island’s interior offer shaded trails where well-behaved dogs on leads can take in the wildlife and wildflowers at a pace that suits everyone. Keep an eye out for wallabies as your dog certainly will.
Straddie itself has a genuinely unhurried, welcoming feel, so you can easily stretch the trip into a full weekend: morning beach walk, afternoon exploring the township of Point Lookout, dinner somewhere with an outdoor deck and a view worth lingering over.
This is the island escape that reminds you why you got a dog in the first place. Consider yourself warned.
That said, there are places in Straddie that prohibit dogs at all times. There are:
- The foreshore and seashore that is in front of the swimming enclosures.
- At Cylinder Beach: The foreshore, seashore, and reserve between the foreshore and the roads abutting the reserve.
- At Main Beach: The foreshore and seashore between a point northeast of Plant 7 Road and the access road adjacent to the Point Lookout Surf Lifesaving Club.
- At Flinders Beach: The foreshore and seashore from Amity Point access to Geera Street, Amity Point.
- At Brown Lake and of course anywhere in the Naree Budjong Djara National Park (that includes Blue Lake).
Take Your Pet Tip: Getting to Straddie requires a ferry from Cleveland or Toondanba, so plan ahead and book a pet-friendly vehicle ferry in advance during school holidays. Also, pets must either wear a muzzle or stay inside the vehicle on the ferry.
6. Coochiemudlo Island
Just a 10-minute ferry ride from Victoria Point (about 45 minutes south of Brisbane), Coochiemudlo Island, known universally as “Coochie”, is the kind of place that feels like a genuine escape without requiring serious logistical effort. The ferry accepts dogs, the island has beaches, and the whole thing is small enough to walk around in an afternoon.
The vibe is deliberately unhurried. There are no chain restaurants, no traffic lights, and no sense that you’re supposed to be anywhere else. The foreshore has calm, shallow water that works well for dogs who aren’t committed swimmers, and the island community enjoys well-behaved visitors — human and canine alike.
Combine with a coffee from the local café and you have a near-perfect low-key weekend morning.
Take Your Pet Tip: Check the ferry timetable before you go as services run regularly but the last ferry back has a firm schedule. Missing it would be an adventure of a different kind.
7. Tamborine Mountain
Perched in the Gold Coast Hinterland about 90 minutes south of Brisbane, Tamborine Mountain is cool, green, and notably less hot than everywhere else in southeast Queensland for roughly eight months of the year. The plateau is dotted with small galleries, food producers, and cafés along Gallery Walk.
While dogs are not permitted in National Parks, they can still enjoy dog-friendly walks such as the beautiful Esme Lahey Environmental Park, local wineries, distilleries, and open parklands. Dogs are welcome on-lead throughout the township. The temperate microclimate means this is a viable year-round destination, which is not something you can say about many Queensland outdoor spots in January.
Activities that you can do with your dog in Tamborine Mountain include browsing the boutique shops along the Gallery Walk or tasting local wines and spirits. Well-behaved and on-lead dogs are welcome to join you at Witches Fall Winery, Boxer Brewing Co, Fortitude Brewing, Cauldron Distillery, or even coffee tasting at Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation. Booking an outdoor table ahead of time is recommended.
While most of the lookouts spots are not dog-friendly, it’s worth checking out Rotary Lookout which is located just outside of the Tamborine National Park.
Take Your Pet Tip: Gallery Walk gets busy on weekends. Arrive early or visit on a weekday if your dog isn’t a crowd dog. Bring layers as the mountain is often 5–8 degrees cooler than Brisbane.
8. The Riverwalk
Brisbane’s Riverwalk, the floating boardwalk that runs from the Howard Smith Wharves to New Farm Park, is one of the genuinely great pieces of urban infrastructure in Australia, and it belongs on this list not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s perfect. Wide enough for a dog to walk without incident, long enough to feel like a proper outing, and consistently beautiful regardless of what time of day you show up.
The walk connects some of Brisbane’s best precincts: the Howard Smith Wharves end has bars, restaurants and the Story Bridge directly overhead. New Farm Park at the other end has off-lead areas, fig trees, and a classic Queensland park atmosphere. Do the whole stretch and you’ve covered serious ground without leaving the city.
This is the bucket list entry you’ll tick off 40 times without meaning to. It’s that good.
Take Your Pet Tip: The Riverwalk is open at all hours. Early morning and evening are the most pleasant in summer. New Farm Park’s off-lead area is a genuine highlight as its one of Brisbane’s best.
9. Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Across the river from the CBD, Kangaroo Point offers one of the most dramatic and unexpected urban vistas in Brisbane. The cliffs themselves are a rock-climbing destination, but the parkland and walking paths along the top are some of the finest dog-walking terrain in the inner city — particularly at dusk, when the lights across the water start to reflect and the whole scene becomes something worth stopping for.
The green space along the cliffs is wide and well-maintained, with enough room for your dog to move without the social pressure of a busy dog park. The pedestrian bridge connects Kangaroo Point to South Bank, making it easy to extend the walk across the river into another precinct entirely.
It’s also, frankly, one of the best spots in Brisbane to simply sit and look at things which is an underrated activity for both humans and dogs.
Take Your Pet Tip: The cliffs area itself is fenced in parts. Watch your footing near the edges after dark. The precinct has good lighting and is popular with evening walkers, which some dogs love and others find overstimulating.
10. Sheep Herding for Dogs
This one is different from everything else on the list and possibly the most memorable.
Sheep herding experiences within southeast Queensland give city dogs the chance to do what their genetics have been quietly suggesting for their entire lives. Under professional guidance, dogs of appropriate temperament are introduced to working with sheep in a controlled paddock environment. The result is either a revelation (the dog suddenly makes complete sense) or a comedy (the dog has absolutely no idea what to do but is very enthusiastic about the whole situation).
Either outcome is worth the trip.
Several farms and working dog trainers in the greater Brisbane region run these experiences, typically on private properties in the hinterland. They’re suitable for herding breeds and but worth enquiring even if your dog isn’t a Border Collie.
Take Your Pet Tip: Book well in advance, as sessions are limited and fill quickly. Check the suitability requirements for your dog’s breed and temperament before booking. This is not the experience for a dog who has complicated feelings about other animals.
Brisbane’s dog-friendly culture is genuinely impressive but it exists because dog owners here tend to be respectful, prepared, and honest about their dogs’ limitations. Bring bags. Keep your dog on-lead where required. Don’t assume welcome; look for the signs, check the rules, and when in doubt, ask.
The city (and hinterland, and islands) will keep welcoming dogs as long as we keep being the kind of owners who deserve it.
Now go tick something off the list.
Looking for more dog-friendly destinations across Australia? Browse the full directory at Take Your Pet.