Best Dog Friendly Wineries Yarra Valley – The Yarra Valley is a beautiful wine region in Victoria near Melbourne. And visiting the area doesn’t mean you have to leave your dog behind. I share my tips for the best dog-friendly options in the Yarra Valley, from wineries that allow dogs to stay overnight and even great dog walking options.
It’s not a visit to the Yarra Valley, but a stop at a winery or two or more… And luckily, many wineries welcome well-behaved dogs into your tasting room. During our visit we visited the following wineries for dogs in the Yarra Valley.
Best Dog Friendly Wineries Yarra Valley
Helen’s Hill Estate: Helen’s Hill is a boutique family winery with a long tasting wine list between two brands: the Helen’s Hill brand and the more affordable Ingram Road range. You’re sure to find plenty of wine to try regardless of your palette, with the Breachley Block Chardonnay being my personal favourite.
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Helen & Joei: The cellar door of Helen & Joei has one of the most beautiful views in the valley from the large outside terrace. Choose to sample several lines of wine indoors or on the deck with a view. In any case, don’t miss to say hello to your unicorn!
Yering Farm Vines: Yering Farm Vines cellar door is quintessentially Australian. With a farm that was originally a vineyard in the 19th century, the cellar door has resurrected a hayloft full of rustic charm. Wines offered include several Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. Also, don’t miss out on trying their Farmyard Apple Cider, made with apples from their own farm.
Madden’s Rise: When you enter the small cellar door of Madden’s Rise, everything is carefully crafted with quality in mind. With all grapes handpicked and fermented in small batches, the wine selection is smaller than elsewhere, but carefully curated. Their Arcobaleno (Italian for rainbow) blend contains many white varieties that you won’t find anywhere else in the valley.
Paiten & Jones: Both the wines and the Paiten & Jones cellar doors have a lot of personality. The wines are “both dirty and delicious with a bit of soul,” and their cellar door in Healesville is also a wine bar that stays open later on Fridays and Saturdays. The farm is the perfect place to sit in the sun at the end of a day of wine tasting.
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Sometimes the rules can change, so I always recommend checking before you go (or in advance) that the wineries you want to visit are still dog-friendly. It’s also best to visit during a quieter period (such as midweek) rather than a busy weekend when you can get your paws on. Also, make sure your dog does not disturb other visitors.
Wineries aren’t the only dog-friendly places to sample a glass in the Yarra Valley. There are also numerous breweries and distilleries that welcome your pup.
Between visits to the winery, we also visited Watts River Brewery in Healesville. All of their beers are brewed on site. Tasting is possible both from their standard assortment and from many special series that change frequently.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Healesville is the boutique Four Pillars Gin Distillery, which is also dog-friendly. Book in advance as dog tables are limited. While you enjoy the tasting, your dog will get his own special bowl of water.
De Bortoli Family Winemakers, Dixons Creek
A solo wine tour can be a challenge, especially when one has to be the designated driver and stay longer than one or two short tastings. And if you bring your dog, it’s even more work.
Luckily, there’s a great company in the Yarra Valley that will take you and your dogs on a vineyard tour: Pooches and Pinot.
Jeff and Helen, who run Pooches and Pinot, know all the doggy options in the valley. They arrange your itinerary for you (after inquiring about your tastes and preferences) and then drive you around the valley in style in one of their amazing vans.
Jeff picked us up at 10am at our accommodation in their new Mercedes Benz van with room for six back to back. Up to two dogs can be accommodated on each journey (if they are already friends), either in the beds in the back or between the seats if there is room. Of course, Žižek insisted that we sit at his feet the whole way.
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As we were guided through our tastings at the various wineries (plus a beer tasting at Watts River Brewery), Jeff made sure we were well taken care of and that Schnitzel’s needs weren’t ignored when we were distracted, occasionally taking him for walks and gourmet treats. VIP touches like these make it a great day for you and your pups.
Pooches and Pinot offers several tour options: half day (Monday to Thursday afternoons only), full day (including lunch at the cafe or winery) or go for ultimate finesse with a tasting tour. Prices vary depending on the number of guests. It’s the perfect way to spend a pleasant day in the Yarra Valley with your dog!
Coronation Park is located just a few blocks from downtown Healesville. There is a short trail along the creek, perfect for cooling the dogs on hot days, plus lots of big trees for shade.
South-east of the town is the Don Road Recreation Reserve, part of the Healesville Exhibition and Sports Complex. Dogs are allowed off-leash in most of the northern part of the reserve, outside the sports field and pond.
Dog’s Day Out
In Yarra Glen, go to the Yarra Glen Recreation Reserve and Showground. In large parts of the reserve, which winds along the Yarra River, dogs are allowed off-leash. Just avoid the cricket ovals and bring your bags.
Another lovely park you can visit with your dog, but where they must be kept on a lead, is Maroondah Reservoir Park. Dogs are allowed to roam the open park, but are not allowed on the forest paths north of the Watts River or on the dam wall.
On your way to the Yarra Valley, stop at Lilydale Lake in Lilydale. This lake preserve is home to two off-leash dog training areas, including one where dogs can swim. There is also a 2.5 km long hiking trail around the lake.
The Yarra Valley has no shortage of great cafes and restaurants, including many dog-friendly with outdoor seating.
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When you’re out tasting wine all day, many wineries offer meal deals. At Yering Farm Wines, we enjoyed Pruner’s delicious premium lunch, along with our favorite glass from our tasting.
Along with various cheeses, meats and much more, if a good accompaniment for a relaxing break with a view of the vines, schnitzels at our feet. Helen’s Hill is also another winery that mostly offers meals including platters on weekends.
Alternatively, head to My Little Kitchen in Healesville. The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week and offers a menu full of inventive variations on brunch favorites, along with beautiful presentation.
It was a tough choice, but I ordered the house smoked salmon with poached eggs, mashed potatoes, peas and spinach. Other tempting options include avocado on toast, topped with roasted beets and hazelnut crumble, along with buttermilk waffles with steamed poached lavender.
Badger’s Brook Winery
There are also some more substantial options, such as grass-fed bagels. The coffee is Toby’s Estate Brunswick Blend plus a rotation of Single Origin beans.
If you’re dining with your dog, head straight for the dog-friendly patio. Fully covered and with some handy heaters for cold winter days, there’s plenty of room for your dog to snuggle up next to you. Reservations are recommended for brunch.
After a full day of wine tasting in the Yarra Valley, it would be a shame to go back to the big smoke… Instead, stay at least overnight at an estate nestled in the valley where you can continue to enjoy the beautiful scenery and perhaps some more tastings of your purchases from the day.
We decided to stay the night after a winery tour at Wiggley Bottom Farm. Wiggley Bottom is the perfect luxury farm for anyone traveling with a dog (and those without!). The farm was built with canine guests in mind.
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Choose between accommodation in an apartment in the main building or in a cottage, suitable for up to two adults and two children. Alternatively, they now also have a small house which is perfect for the couple and their small dog.
Each of the options has open spaces for your dog to roam, and of course dogs are allowed inside. The cottage has a fully fenced outdoor kennel, perfect if your dog doesn’t like to sleep at home or if you’re going out without a dog for a while. Fenced areas are also available
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