Best dog-friendly camping on the Great Ocean Road

The best dog-friendly camping on the Great Ocean Road spans one of Australia's most spectacular coastal drives, and these 8 parks make it easy to bring your four-legged travel companion along. From relaxed riverside stops near Warrnambool to surf-side parks in Anglesea, camping on the Great Ocean Road with a dog is genuinely doable when you know which parks to pick.

Browse campervans and caravans for hire in Great Ocean Road if you already know your dates.

The Great Ocean Road sits about two to three hours south-west of Melbourne, making it a natural choice for a long weekend or a full week on the road. Camplify trip data shows spring is the peak season for this stretch, with demand rising sharply from September through November. Plan accordingly if you want your preferred dates.

One thing worth knowing before you start booking: fleet hire companies like Apollo, Maui, and Britz have blanket no-pet policies across their fleets. Camplify's peer-to-peer model is different. Individual owners set their own rules, which means pet-friendly van hire is genuinely available here. Browse with the pet filter on and you'll find owners who actively welcome dogs. You can pick up in Melbourne or, for caravans, arrange delivery straight to your first park. More on that under each listing below.

A heads-up for anyone planning walks in the Otways or along national park sections of the road: dogs are prohibited in most Victorian national park areas, including much of Great Otway National Park. Stick to the campground surrounds, caravan park dog walks, and nearby dog-friendly beaches for your daily exercise, and you'll have plenty of options.

Dog-friendly Great Ocean Road caravan parks: Apollo Bay to Warrnambool

Marengo Family Caravan Park

Marengo Family Caravan Park sits just south of Apollo Bay at Marengo, one of the quieter coves on this stretch of coast, and it's the most popular choice among Camplify travellers heading to the Great Ocean Road with dogs. The park is right on the water, and the beach at Marengo is dog-friendly outside summer restrictions, making it a genuine drawcard for anyone doing a morning walk with their dog before the day warms up.

Dogs are welcome on leads throughout the park. There's no dedicated off-leash area within the grounds, but the surrounding foreshore gives you room to move, and the park is small enough that your dog won't be stressed by heavy foot traffic. Hirers who've stayed here consistently mention how manageable it is with a dog in tow: calm, uncrowded, and with easy beach access right from your site.

For the best Great Ocean Road trip with a dog, Marengo makes a strong base for a few nights in the middle of the road. Apollo Bay township is a short drive for supplies, and the park itself is well-maintained and family-run.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 185 km from Melbourne (around 2.5 hours)

• Best for: Families and couples with dogs wanting direct beach access

• Key facilities: Powered and unpowered sites, camp kitchen, amenities blocks, direct foreshore access

• Book ahead: Spring and school holidays fill fast; December and January book out early

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Marengo Family Caravan Park.

NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park

NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park is a well-rated option at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, positioned along the Hopkins River in Warrnambool. It's a larger park with solid infrastructure, and dogs are welcome on leads throughout the grounds. The riverside setting gives you a natural dog-walking corridor without needing to load up the car.

Warrnambool itself has several dog-friendly beach and foreshore options nearby, including Lady Bay Beach, which is popular for morning walks with dogs. The park is a community favourite among Camplify travellers doing the full road from start to finish, particularly those using it as a comfortable final stop before turning back east or continuing to Adelaide. Owners in the area suggest arriving mid-week if you can, as weekend spots fill quickly during the warmer months.

NRMA parks generally operate a pet bond or pet cleaning fee on departure, so confirm the current policy when you book. The facilities here are a step up from smaller reserves: good amenities, a camp kitchen, and enough space that you won't feel cramped. For anyone planning the Adelaide to Melbourne via Great Ocean Road drive, this park makes a logical anchor point at the Warrnambool end.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 260 km from Melbourne (around 3 hours)

• Best for: Couples and families doing the full Great Ocean Road route with a dog

• Key facilities: Powered sites, camp kitchen, amenities blocks, playground, riverside dog-walking access

• Book ahead: Spring and summer weekends; school holiday periods

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park.

Camping on the Great Ocean Road: Anglesea and the Twelve Apostles area

Princetown Recreation Reserve

Princetown Recreation Reserve is the closest campground to the Twelve Apostles, which puts it in a class of its own for location. Recommended by Camplify travellers who want to experience the iconic lookout without the day-tripper rush, it's a straightforward, low-key reserve that accepts dogs on leads.

The campground is run by the local community and has a relaxed, unfussy feel. Facilities are basic: pit toilets, a small amenities block, and grassed sites that suit both caravans and campervans. What it lacks in polish it makes up for in position. You're minutes from the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, and the Gellibrand River mouth is walkable from the reserve for a quiet dog walk away from the crowds.

Keep in mind that the Twelve Apostles lookout and the surrounding national park areas are off-limits for dogs. Plan your morning visit to the lookout as a quick stop, then bring your dog back for a walk along the Princetown riverflats. It's a practical split that works well for pet owners.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 235 km from Melbourne (around 2.75 hours)

• Best for: Anyone wanting a no-frills base right near the Twelve Apostles

• Key facilities: Powered and unpowered sites, basic amenities, nearby river walking access

• Book ahead: Spring and summer peak strongly; book well in advance for September-January

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Princetown Recreation Reserve.

Anglesea Family Caravan Park

Anglesea Family Caravan Park is set on the Anglesea River, about 100 km from Melbourne, and it's one of the top caravan parks on the Great Ocean Road for travellers with dogs.Dogs are permitted on leads throughout the park and on the river walking trail. The beach access is an added bonus: Anglesea Beach allows dogs in specific zones outside the summer swimming season, so check the current council rules before you arrive. A favourite spot for Camplify hirers is the grassy riverbank area at dusk, when the town's famous kangaroo mob comes down to the golf course just across the river.

The park has good facilities for a longer stay: powered sites, a camp kitchen, and clean amenities blocks. For families travelling with a dog, it's one of the most practical bases on the road, with enough to do in town that you're not constantly driving to find entertainment. The Great Ocean Road trip with the family behind @vanlifestraya covers what it's actually like to base yourself in this part of the road with a young family.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 105 km from Melbourne (just over 1 hour)

• Best for: Families and couples with dogs; first-time Great Ocean Road travellers

• Key facilities: Powered and unpowered sites, camp kitchen, amenities blocks, river frontage, playground

• Book ahead: Spring school holidays and December-January book out months ahead

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Anglesea Family Caravan Park.

Otways and Queenscliff: inland and bay-side options for dog-friendly camping

Bimbi Park - Camping & Glamping In The Otways

Bimbi Park is well-known among travellers looking for a different kind of Great Ocean Road experience: one that trades surf for koalas and rainforest. Located near Cape Otway, the park is surrounded by Otway farmland and tall eucalypts, and dogs are welcomed with more warmth here than at many parks on the road. The off-leash area within the grounds is a genuine selling point for dog owners who want their dog to have a proper run.

The park has powered sites, a camp kitchen, and glamping tents if you've got a group mixing tent campers with van travellers. It's a working farm atmosphere, which means dogs need to be managed around farm animals, but the Camplify community knows this park as one of the more dog-accommodating options in the Otways. The resident koalas in the trees above the sites are an added bonus that guests consistently mention.

One practical note: Cape Otway Lightstation and much of Great Otway National Park are off-limits for dogs. Bimbi Park's own grounds and the surrounding farm tracks give you walking options, but plan your broader Otways itinerary around this. The Great Ocean Road: 6-day local insider itinerary has solid suggestions for how to structure days in this part of the road.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 230 km from Melbourne (around 2.75 hours via Geelong)

• Best for: Dog owners who want off-leash space and a nature-immersive setting

• Key facilities: Powered sites, camp kitchen, off-leash dog area, glamping tents, farm setting

• Book ahead: Spring and Easter; koala season draws crowds from August onwards

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Bimbi Park - Camping & Glamping In The Otways.

Swan Bay Holiday Park

Swan Bay Holiday Park is positioned on the Bellarine Peninsula near Queenscliff, which technically sits at the start of the Great Ocean Road corridor rather than along the road itself. That said, it's a community favourite for Camplify travellers who want a bay-side base with easy ferry access across to the Mornington Peninsula. Dogs are permitted on leads throughout the park, and the Swan Bay foreshore provides a calm waterfront walking route that dogs take to immediately.

The park has a good range of facilities and is run by Ingenia, which means consistent standards and reliable amenities. The Queenscliff area has dog-friendly beaches and walking paths along the clifftop, making it a worthwhile stop for pet owners. Hirers who've stayed here rate the bay views and the proximity to Queenscliff town as the main highlights.

It's a good option if you're starting your Great Ocean Road trip with a day or two on the Bellarine before heading west, or if you want to break the return trip with a more relaxed bay-side night. Confirm the pet policy and any pet cleaning fee directly with the park when you book, as Ingenia's pet terms can vary by property.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 105 km from Melbourne (around 1.5 hours via Geelong)

• Best for: Travellers starting or finishing the Great Ocean Road on the Bellarine Peninsula

• Key facilities: Powered sites, amenities blocks, bay foreshore access, close to Queenscliff township

• Book ahead: Summer weekends and school holidays; Queenscliff is busy over the Christmas period

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Swan Bay Holiday Park.

Wild and remote: best dog-friendly camping near Great Ocean Road's rugged sections

Johanna Beach Campground

Johanna Beach Campground is a Parks Victoria site and one of the most dramatic camping spots on the road. Johanna Beach is a surf beach with powerful swells and big skies, and the campground sits directly behind the dunes. This is the kind of spot that earns a reputation through word of mouth: Camplify travellers who've made the detour down the Johanna Road consistently say it's worth it.

Dogs are permitted in the campground on leads, but they are not permitted on the beach itself or in the national park bushland areas. This is a firm rule under Parks Victoria regulations, so plan your dog walks around the campground access road and the grassed areas near the site. Sunset from the campground across the beach is the main event, and your dog will be happy enough with a walk along the road while you take it in.

Facilities are minimal: drop toilets, no powered sites, and water availability can vary. Come self-contained. This is not a park for hirers who need full hook-ups, but for a campervan trip with a dog and a few nights of genuine coastal solitude, it's hard to beat. The Camplify Uncovered: iconic Great Ocean Road adventure gives a good feel for this wilder side of the road.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 220 km from Melbourne (around 2.75 hours)

• Best for: Self-contained campervan travellers with dogs who want remote coastal camping

• Key facilities: Drop toilets, unpowered sites, limited water (come self-sufficient)

• Book ahead: Peak spring and summer weekends book out via Parks Victoria; check availability early

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Johanna Beach Campground.

Great Ocean Road Tourist Park

Great Ocean Road Tourist Park is located in Peterborough, a small coastal town between Port Campbell and Warrnambool, and it delivers a well-rounded stay for pet owners who want more facilities than a reserve campground without the scale of a large resort park. Dogs are welcome on leads, and the park's position near Peterborough Beach gives you a coastal walking option that's relatively quiet compared to the busier sections of the road.

The park is well-known among travellers doing the full Great Ocean Road route, particularly as a midpoint stop between the Twelve Apostles area and Warrnambool. The Bay of Islands Coastal Park is nearby, though as with other national park sections, dogs are restricted to the car park and road areas rather than the walking trails themselves. Camplify owners familiar with this stretch suggest using Peterborough's local beach for dog walks and saving the national park visits for times when you can leave your dog comfortable in the van.

Facilities include powered sites, a laundry, and clean amenities blocks. The park is modest in size, which keeps the atmosphere relaxed. For anyone following the April camping Australia calendar, autumn is a great time to visit this part of the coast with a dog: the weather is mild, the crowds have thinned, and the park is easier to get into without months of lead time.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approx. 250 km from Melbourne (around 3 hours)

• Best for: Travellers doing the full Great Ocean Road route who want a comfortable mid-to-western stop

• Key facilities: Powered sites, laundry, amenities blocks, close to Peterborough Beach

• Book ahead: Spring school holidays and summer weekends

Can't tow? Get a campervan delivered to Great Ocean Road Tourist Park.

More camping destinations nearby

The Great Ocean Road sits within a broader pocket of dog-friendly Victoria, and these nearby guides cover more of the same region if you're planning a longer trip or want to explore beyond the road itself.

• Best dog-friendly camping and caravan parks in Victoria – A wider state-level guide covering the best pet-friendly parks across Victoria, from the coast to the high country.

• Best pet-friendly caravan parks near Melbourne – The closest pet-friendly options to Melbourne if you're looking for a shorter getaway before or after your Great Ocean Road trip.

• Best pet-friendly caravan parks near Geelong – Geelong is the natural gateway to the Great Ocean Road, and these parks make a solid first or last night stop with your dog.

Ready to hit the road with your dog?

The best dog-friendly camping on the Great Ocean Road is genuinely accessible with the right van and the right park. Browse pet-friendly campervans and caravans available now, filter by your travel dates, and find an owner who's ready to welcome you and your dog on board.