Thinking About Travelling Australia with Your Dog?

Travelling around Australia with your dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. From beach walks to campfire cuddles, the memories you’ll make together are priceless.

Here are some real-life insights and tips from Kelly, Camille and their gorgeous pup Griff, @thevanlifegotus, to help you decide if hitting the road with your furry friend is right for you.

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The Rewards of Travelling with your Dog

The most rewarding part of travelling with Griff is seeing the excitement on his face when we arrive at a new camp or watch him run on a new beach. We get to share sunsets together, explore new walking tracks, swim in different beaches and chill around cosy campfires every day. We are making incredible memories along the way spending so much time together and creating an unbreakable bond.

Griff has motivated us to travel Australia sooner rather than later and with so many more places becoming pet-friendly, including pubs, cafes and campgrounds it makes planning for travelling with a dog so much easier. Seeing Griff make friends in the caravan parks, figure out how to seek treats from other campers and nap the afternoons away, he really is the king of the road and living his best life.

The Challenges of Life on the Road with a Pet

The biggest challenge we face travelling with a pet is navigating National Parks and points of interest that aren’t pet-friendly. For us, we are lucky enough that Griff likes being in the van and we are comfortable leaving him for up to a few hours when we are on power.

Pet sitters are an option if we do a tour, or we take turns. In some rare instances, we will sacrifice a location if it’s too far—we are just grateful for the places we do get to visit.

Our biggest concern for pet safety while travelling are the 1080 baits that are predominantly found in the NT and WA—these are deadly to pets if they consume them. It’s really important to keep them on a short lead or invest in a muzzle to prevent them eating one accidently. Make sure their vaccines and tablets are up to date and check for ticks if you have been out in the bush.

We think the rewards far out way the challenges of taking your fur baby travelling with you.

—> For more on Pet Safety, check out Pet Travel Blog with Vet in a Van.

Things to Consider Before You Go

• Make sure your dog likes travelling in the car and/or van

• Is your dog used to being left alone if you do have to leave them? If your dog is anxious, it might not be best for him/her

• We always try and camp close to points of interest, so we aren’t leaving him long

• We use Mad Paws for pet sitting if we have a tour booked

• Caravan parks and vets usually have pet sitters they can recommend or groomers

• Community Facebook groups are also a good idea for pet sitters in the area

• A lot more places are pet-friendly now, and you would be surprised at the options close to National Parks. Sometimes, we alternate activities, or someone misses out— but it’s 100% worth seeing him live his best life!

Final Thoughts

There is a lot to consider, but we definitely wanted to travel Australia with Griff and take him on all these adventures. The small sacrifices are 100% worth the rewards!

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Travelling with a pet requires flexibility, preparation, and some sacrifice—but for most, the joy of having your pet with you far outweighs the challenges. Griff is proof that life on the road really can be the ultimate adventure—for humans and dogs alike.

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your next road trip! —> Inspiration

Follow Kelly, Camille & Griff’s great adventures around Oz here —> @thevanlifegotus

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