Torquay with a dog
Torquay is one of the easiest seaside towns in Victoria to visit with a dog. There's a long beach at the north end of town where dogs can run off the lead all year, a clifftop walk that heads all the way down the coast, a beach kiosk with a doggaccino on the menu, and a handful of breweries where the dog lies under the table while you have a beer. We've got a Mini Bordoodle ourselves, so we know what a holiday with a dog is actually like.
The catch is that the rules change from beach to beach and from season to season. In summer, the popular beaches in the middle of town go dog-free for most of the day. This guide goes through where you can go and when: the beaches, the off-leash reserves, the walks, the cafes and pubs, the vets, and the day trips where the dog can come too. The rules are from the Surf Coast Shire's dog regulations map and Parks Victoria, checked in October 2026.
At a glance
| Where | Type | Dogs | 1 Dec-28 Feb and Easter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whites Beach | Beach | Off-leash at all times | No change |
| Point Impossible | Beach | On a lead at all times (shorebird protection zone) | No dogs in fenced plover zones |
| Beach below Torquay golf course | Beach | Off-leash at all times | No change |
| Fishermans Beach, Front Beach, Surf Beach | Beach | Off-leash outside summer | No dogs 9am-7pm |
| Jan Juc and Half Moon Bay | Beach | Off-leash outside summer | No dogs 9am-7pm |
| Point Danger and Cosy Corner | Beach | No dogs | No dogs |
| Spring Creek Reserve, Torquay Common | Reserve | Off-leash unless an event is on | No change |
| Surf Coast Walk | Walk | On lead | Snakes about |
The rules in Torquay
The shire's basic rule is simple: in the township, dogs are on a lead in all public places unless it's a signed off-leash area. Outside the township, the off-leash rules apply. Off-leash still means under effective control, which the shire defines as your dog coming back straight away when it's called. If it doesn't, the lead goes back on.
Off-leash areas
The map has two kinds. In the green "D1" areas, dogs can be off the lead at all times. In the orange "D2" areas, they can be off the lead except when an organised event is on or being set up, when they go back on.
Summer timeshare
From 1 December to 28 February, and over Easter, the busy beaches are timeshare zones. From 9am to 7pm there are no dogs on them at all, except on a lead on the marked paths. From 7pm to 9am, dogs can be off the lead. The rest of the year, they're off-leash beaches.
Never allowed
Playgrounds (even when the park around them is off-leash), fenced dune and vegetation areas, most national parks, and the red no-dog zones on the map, like Point Danger.
Hooded plovers
These small shorebirds nest right on the sand in spring and summer, and their eggs and chicks are almost invisible. The shire lists exclusion zones at Whites Beach and Point Impossible, among others. Keep well away from fenced or signed areas, keep the dog close, and walk near the waterline, where it's safest for the birds.
Summer patrols
From Boxing Day to the end of February, and again at Easter, council and the coast authority run "Share Our Shores" patrols on the beaches. They're there to help, mostly by pointing people to the right areas for dogs.
Always carry poo bags, and check the sign at each beach access, because that's the final word. You can pick up a paper copy of the map at the visitor information centre in Torquay.
Dog beaches in Torquay
From north to south, here's what the shire's map says for each beach.
Whites Beach: off-leash all year
The best dog beach in town. From the mouth of Deep Creek north, past The Sands, to the edge of town, the sand is a D1 off-leash area at all times, summer included. So is the grassy foreshore reserve along The Esplanade behind it. It faces into Zeally Bay, so it's usually calmer than the surf beaches, and it's long enough for a proper run. It's our local beach, a 400m walk from the house, and on most mornings it's just a few dog walkers. Watch for the hooded plover fences in spring and summer.
Point Impossible
Keep walking north from Whites Beach and you reach Point Impossible, wild, empty beach backed by dunes, about 10 minutes' drive east if you want to start there. It's a Shorebird Protection Zone, and the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority's rule is dogs on a lead at all times, with no dogs at all inside fenced plover zones while chicks are on the beach. Part of it is also a signed clothing-optional beach. Our Point Impossible guide has the details.
Fishermans Beach and Front Beach: timeshare
South of Deep Creek, the town beaches are timeshare zones: Fishermans Beach by the boat ramp, Zeally Bay and Front Beach. In summer and at Easter, no dogs from 9am to 7pm. Early morning and evening, and all through the rest of the year, they're off-leash. Fishermans is calm and sheltered, good for dogs who'd rather paddle than swim. Taylor Park, the big park across the road, follows the same timeshare rules.
Point Danger and Cosy Corner: no dogs
The headland at the south end of Front Beach, between emergency markers W63 and W67, is a no-dogs zone, including Cosy Corner. It's where the toddlers paddle, and the reef off the point is a marine sanctuary.
Torquay Surf Beach: timeshare
South of Point Danger, the main surf beach is a timeshare zone as far as Rocky Point. Give the surfers and the swimmers between the flags plenty of room.
The beach below the golf course: off-leash all year
The little-known one. West of Rocky Point, the beach below the Torquay golf course is a D1 area, so dogs can be off the lead at any time of year. There's no car park on it. You walk in along the Surf Coast Walk, which keeps it quiet.
Jan Juc and Half Moon Bay: timeshare
From emergency marker W74, past Half Moon Bay and Bird Rock and along Jan Juc's main beach to the steps at the far end, it's timeshare again. No dogs from 9am to 7pm in summer and at Easter.
Bells Beach, Southside and Addiscott
Bells Beach is about 10 minutes' drive, and dogs are allowed on the beach on a lead, though not during the Rip Curl Pro at Easter. Past Bells, Southside Beach and Addiscott Beach are in the Great Otway National Park, and they're on Parks Victoria's list of spots where dogs are allowed on a lead. Addiscott is also a clothing-optional beach.
Off-leash parks and reserves
When the beaches are timeshare in summer, the reserves are where the dog gets a run in the middle of the day. We haven't found a fenced dog park in Torquay. The off-leash areas are open reserves, so pick a quiet one if your dog's recall is patchy.
Spring Creek Reserve and Torquay Common
The big green space along Spring Creek, on both sides of the Great Ocean Road at the south end of town, is a D2 area: off-leash unless an event is on. That includes the northern part of Torquay Common, with parking along Surf Beach Drive south of Bell Street. There's more off-leash ground along the creek upstream. It makes a good loop, with the beach at one end.
Bob Pettitt Reserve, Jan Juc
The reserve in Jan Juc is D2, off-leash unless an event is on. The playground is a no-dog area. Jan Juc also has a string of D1 strips along its little creeks and reserves, handy if you're staying that side of town.
North Torquay reserves
Elsewhere in town, Frog Hollow Reserve and the Kay Close wetlands (about 500m of wetland between Kay Close and Cylinders Drive) are off-leash at all times, as is the middle section of Grasstree Park. Banyul-Warri Fields is off-leash unless there's sport on. Playgrounds in all of them are no-dog areas.
Walks with the dog
The Surf Coast Walk runs from Whites Beach East (the official start moved from Point Impossible in July 2026) to Fairhaven, past Aireys Inlet, and a lot of it is open to dogs on a lead. These are the stretches we'd pick.
Whites Beach to Point Danger
The easy town walk. Start with an off-leash run at Whites, then clip on and follow the foreshore path south past Fishermans Beach and Front Beach to the Point Danger lookout. It's flat, there's coffee along the way, and it's about an hour each way at a dog's pace.
Torquay to Jan Juc along the clifftops
From the surf beach, the track climbs onto the cliffs above Rocky Point and runs along the golf course to Jan Juc. Drop down to the off-leash beach below the golf course on the way. Keep dogs close at the lookouts, because the cliffs are crumbly sandstone.
Bells Beach to Point Addis
The best scenery on the walk, through the Ironbark Basin in the Great Otway National Park. Parks Victoria lists the Ironbark Basin picnic area, the Ironbark Gorge and Ocean View walking tracks, Southside and Addiscott beaches as places dogs can go on a lead. The rest of the national park is still no dogs, so stick to the marked tracks.
Point Addis to Anglesea
Parks Victoria also allows dogs on a lead from Point Addis to Anglesea, along the beach and the Surf Coast Walk. Point Addis is about 20 minutes' drive. Check the tide before you set off on the beach section.
Spring Creek
For a short one, the paths along Spring Creek, between the caravan park and the golf course, link up with the off-leash reserve and the beach. Locals fish off the platforms on the creek in the evening, so keep the dog away from the lines and the bait buckets. Our fishing spots guide has more on the creek.
Cafes, pubs and breweries that welcome dogs
In Victoria, dogs are generally allowed at outdoor tables but not inside where food is served (assistance dogs aside). These places go out of their way to have them.
The Salty Dog Cafe Host favourite
Our favourite, and the obvious one. It's a beach kiosk on Fishermans Beach, with every table outside, open from 6am. Dogs are welcome, and there's a Salty Doggaccino on the menu for them ($2), next to the babyccino for the kids. Get a coffee before a walk on the beach, but remember Fishermans is timeshare in summer, so in the middle of the day head north to Whites.
4 Pines x Boardriders
The 4 Pines bar at 61 Surf Coast Highway, in Surf City Plaza, has a big outdoor patio, and dogs are welcome every day. On Sundays it has a "Yappy Hour". See our pubs and bars guide.
Bells Beach Brewing
The taproom at 22 Baines Crescent calls itself family and dog friendly. It's open Thursday to Sunday, with Gypsy Burger on site and bands in the band room, so it's an easy dinner with the dog.
Torquay Taphouse
Great Ocean Road Brewing's home across the road, at 27 Baines Crescent, has a lawn beer garden where dogs are welcome, plus a playground for the kids.
Blackman's Brewery
The Bell Street brewery has an outdoor area with room for a dog, a few hundred metres from the beach. Ask when you arrive.
The Esplanade
Along the foreshore, most cafes with footpath tables are happy to see a well-behaved dog outside. Pholklore, the Vietnamese place at 38 The Esplanade, welcomes dogs outside. Bring water: not every cafe puts a bowl out.
For more places to eat, see our cafes guide and breakfast in Torquay.
Vets, pet shops and emergencies
Torquay North Vet
10-12 Winki Way, Torquay North. Open 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday, closed Sunday. Phone (03) 5296 0444.
Torquay Animal House
120 Geelong Road, Torquay. Open 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays and 8.30am to 2pm on Saturday, closed Sundays and public holidays. Phone (03) 5261 6486.
Torquay and Surfcoast Veterinary Clinics
29 Surf Coast Highway, Torquay, a small animal clinic that's been on the Surf Coast since 1985, with a smaller clinic in Anglesea. Phone (03) 5261 4137.
After hours: Geelong Animal Emergency
The nearest 24-hour emergency vet is at 102 Fyans Street, South Geelong, about 25 minutes' drive. It has vets on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can turn up at any time. Ring on the way: (03) 5222 2139.
Food and supplies
Petstock has a store in Torquay North on Winki Way, near the vet, and the supermarkets all stock dog food. If you've forgotten the lead or the poo bags, that's the place.
Keeping the dog safe
Hot days
Summer afternoons can be hot, and the sand and the footpaths get hotter. Walk early or late, which suits the timeshare rules anyway. Never leave a dog in the car, even for a quick look at a lookout.
Snakes
Snakes come out in the warmer months, and the coastal scrub along the Surf Coast Walk and the creeks is snake country. Keeping the dog on the lead and on the track is the best protection. If you think your dog's been bitten, keep it still and go straight to a vet.
Things on the sand
Toadfish, the small puffer fish anglers throw back, are poisonous to dogs, and they wash up on the beach. Don't let the dog near the bait or the fish scraps by the boat ramp either. The coast authority also asks people not to touch sick or dead birds or other wildlife, so keep the dog away and report them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Surf and rips
Dogs who swim get caught in rips too. Fishermans Beach and Whites Beach are the calmer ones, and the surf beaches are best left to the surfers on a big day.
Day trips with the dog
Most of the Great Otway National Park is no dogs, which rules out a lot of the famous waterfalls. But the coastal towns are fine, and Parks Victoria does allow dogs on a lead in a few corners of the park.
Anglesea (about 25 minutes)
Anglesea's main beach is a timeshare beach, and the beach from the O'Donohue Road car park is the local off-leash beach all year. Point Roadknight is no dogs, as it's a hooded plover breeding ground, and so are the playgrounds and the national park heath.
Aireys Inlet (about half an hour)
Walk the clifftops around the Split Point Lighthouse on a lead, then go to the Aireys Pub, which is kid and dog friendly and brews its own beer.
Lorne (about 45 minutes)
On a lead in town and along the foreshore. Most of the waterfall walks are in the national park and off limits, and so is Teddy's Lookout. Parks Victoria does list the St George River Track near Lorne as open to dogs on a lead.
Lake Elizabeth, Forrest (about an hour and a quarter)
One of the few bush walks in the Otways where the dog can come. Dogs are allowed on a lead on the walk to the lake, at the campground and at the day visitor area. The longer loop is no dogs.
Breamlea and the Barwon (about 15 minutes)
Parks Victoria's Barwon River Estuary walk allows dogs on a lead. Breamlea's beach has its own rules, different from Torquay's, so read the sign at the access, and keep the dog on the lead near the birds on the saltmarsh.
Kennett River
For the koalas, keep the dog on a short lead and well away from the trees, or take turns while someone waits with the dog by the beach.
A day in Torquay with the dog
In summer, it goes like this. Off-leash run at Whites Beach at 7am, before it warms up. A doggaccino at the Salty Dog on the way back. In the middle of the day, when the town beaches are dog-free, a run in the Spring Creek Reserve or a lead walk from Bells Beach to Point Addis. Then a beer on the lawn at the Taphouse or Bells Beach Brewing, and after 7pm the town beaches are open to dogs again for a last swim.
The rest of the year, it's easier. Most of the beaches are off-leash all day, the cafes are quieter, and you'll often have Whites Beach to yourselves.
If you're looking for somewhere to stay with the dog, our pet-friendly page has what the house has for dogs.
Dog-friendly Torquay FAQ
Which Torquay beaches are off-leash all year?
Whites Beach, from Deep Creek north to the edge of town, and the beach below the Torquay golf course west of Rocky Point. Point Impossible, further on, is on a lead at all times.
When do the summer dog rules apply?
From 1 December to 28 February and over Easter. On the timeshare beaches, there are no dogs from 9am to 7pm, and they can be off-leash from 7pm to 9am.
Are dogs allowed at Bells Beach?
On a lead, except during the Rip Curl Pro at Easter. Southside and Addiscott beaches, past Bells, allow dogs on a lead too.
Is there a fenced dog park in Torquay?
We haven't found one. The off-leash areas are open reserves, like Spring Creek Reserve, Frog Hollow Reserve and the Kay Close wetlands.
Can dogs go on the Surf Coast Walk?
Yes, on a lead, on the Torquay and Jan Juc sections and on the stretches Parks Victoria lists in the national park, including Bells to Point Addis via the Ironbark Basin tracks and Point Addis to Anglesea.
Where's the nearest emergency vet?
Geelong Animal Emergency, 102 Fyans Street, South Geelong, open 24 hours, about 25 minutes' drive. Phone (03) 5222 2139.
Can I take my dog to a cafe in Torquay?
To the outdoor tables at most of them. The Salty Dog on Fishermans Beach is the most dog-friendly, with a doggaccino on the menu.
For the beaches in more detail, see our Torquay beaches guide and things to do in Torquay. Bringing the dog to north Torquay? Check dates at Holyday House.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 22 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Hooded Plovers — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Where to walk your dogs — Surf Coast Shire
- Dog regulations map: Torquay, Jan Juc and Bellbrae (PDF) — Surf Coast Shire
- Sharing our shores this summer — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Dog-friendly parks — Parks Victoria
- Dog-friendly Torquay — Travelnuity
- Torquay Common, Frog Hollow, Kay Close, Grasstree Park and Banyul-Warri Fields off-leash areas — Find a Dog Park
- Clash hopes for dog park — Geelong Independent
- Dog-friendly Anglesea — Visit Great Ocean Road
- All day menu, summer and winter 2026 (PDF) — The Salty Dog Cafe (official)
- 4 Pines x Boardriders Torquay — 4 Pines Brewing (official)
- Bells Beach Brewing — Bells Beach Brewing (official)
- Torquay Taphouse — Visit Great Ocean Road
- It's a dog's world — Forte Magazine
- Torquay North Vet — Torquay North Vet (official)
- Torquay Animal House — Torquay Vets (official)
- Torquay and Surfcoast Veterinary Clinics — Whitepages
- Contact us — Geelong Animal Emergency (official)
- Pet shops near Torquay — Localsearch