North Stradbroke Island – “Straddie” to Queenslanders – is a beautiful island off the coast of Brisbane. It’s a great place for a weekend away, but is Straddie dog-friendly?

In short, yes!

It’s actually one of the more dog-friendly places we’ve been to in Queensland.

Off-Leash Areas

Most of Straddie is on-leash only, but there are two off-leash dog areas on the island.

The first you’ll encounter right off the ferry – it’s a large patch of open grass on the right hand side as you come up the hill after disembarking. Note: this area is not fenced in.

The second option is Home Beach. This is an endless stretch of sand where your dogs can have a really good run. Bonus: the kids will be well entertained on the beach as well as your pup. There’s also some good driftwood on this beach which makes for some excellent stick-chasing.

Head to The Beach Hotel overlooking Home Beach and walk down to the beach. To the left of the Hotel is the off-leash area.

Dog-Friendly Cafes and Restaurants

You’ll find no shortage of places you can eat with your dog, thanks to the relaxed outdoor nature of the island and the fact that most eateries have an outside seating area.

If you’re in Amity Point try the Amity Tavern.

If you’ve just had a run on Home Beach walk back up the stairs and have a bite to eat in The Beach Hotel pub. Previously no dogs were allowed at all in this large hotel and pub complex, which was somewhat ridiculous given it’s sitting right on the only dog beach on the island. Thankfully now they allow dogs on the front courtyard which has lots of seating and plenty of space for your pup.

Dog-Friendly Accommodation

Sea Shanties is a group of cabins right on the waterfront at Amity Point. Some of these cabins are dog-friendly, which means you can have your dog with you inside the cabin. This is unusual for Australia, normally even accommodation that lists itself as dog-friendly will require you to leave your dog outside the property. You can check which cabins are dog-friendly on the Sea Shanties website. Obviously keep your dog off the furniture.

North Gorge Walk

North Gorge Walk should be number one on your list of things to do on Straddie. This walk, mostly on boardwalks, hugs the spectacular coastline and you are bound to spot wildlife. You can bring your dogs on this walk, but be careful of their paws as the boardwalks can get hot under the heat of the Australian sun.

Wildlife

Wildlife is everywhere on Straddie, in particular kangaroos and curlews. Keep your dog under close control so they don’t bother the local wildlife.

Is There Anywhere I Can’t Take My Dog?

Unfortunately Brown Lake and Blue Lake are not dog-friendly as these are designated national park areas.

Getting There

You’ll need to hop on a 45 minute ferry to get to Straddie. The good news is that both the car and passenger ferries are dog-friendly.

Is Straddie Dog-Friendly?

Yes! There are dog-friendly places to stay, plenty of places to eat and lots of ways to keep your dog entertained with beaches, walks and parks. Next time you’re thinking of a weekend to Straddie, bring your dog with you!

For a full guide to spending a weekend on Straddie, with or without your dog, have a look a my guide to North Stradbroke Island here.