Dog Friendly Motel Yeppoon

Dog Friendly Motel Yeppoon – Yeppoon, the center of the Capricorn Coast, is a great spot for a dog-friendly beach for your pooches to visit. Just 30 minutes from Rockhampton and less than 8 hours north of Brisbane, find out what it has to offer when you visit Yeppoon, Queensland with your dog.

One of the main attractions of Yeppoon and the Capricorn Coast are the many beautiful beaches that stretch between Yeppoon and Emu Park to the south.

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Fortunately, the rule at Livingstone Shire’s local beaches is that dogs are allowed on a lead on all beaches and before 8am and after 4pm unless otherwise stated. Therefore, almost every beach in the area is dog-friendly!

Dog Friendly Beach

During my research, I didn’t come across any beaches where dogs were not allowed, although the beaches in Bayfield National Park to the north are of course restricted.

At the time of my visit in 2021, a local tourism website stated that dogs were not allowed on Ipun’s main beaches, Emu Park Beach and Cooee Bay Beach. However, I can confirm that there were standard signs at Cooee Bay Beach stating that dogs were allowed off-leash before 8am and after 4pm, while neither Yeppoon Main Beach nor Emu Park Beach had an A sign indicating theirs Dogs banned. In the latter two cases, dogs will likely be released with a bomb, but avoid patrols.

There are two beaches with different rules: Farnborough Beach in Bangali and Fishermans Beach in Emu Park. Dogs are allowed on a leash all day on both beaches, but not on weekends and public holidays.

The closed section of Farnborough Beach lies between the Bangalee Boat Ramp and Barwells Creek and is most easily accessed via Hintz Avenue, close to 4×4 vehicles. At Fisherman’s Beach, a section of rope begins 150 meters north of the boat ramp, before which leaks are permitted.

Pet Friendly Caravan Park

Although crocodiles are a rare problem in the south, sea urchins can pose a threat in the summer months and can be seen during the turtle breeding season from October to March. If turtles are nearby, keep your distance and keep dogs on a leash or off the beach entirely.

As well as visiting the local beaches, consider these dog-friendly travel tips for your Yeppoon holiday…

One of the highlights of a visit to Yeppoon is a trip to Great Keppel Island. With beautiful beaches, swimming and snorkeling, it’s a great day out for the whole family, and luckily dogs can join in too.

There are two ferry options to Great Keppel Island, both of which are dog friendly. We traveled with Keppel Konnections who allow dogs on board for free. Unlike on the ferry to Magnetic Island, our dog was not required to wear a muzzle.

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There are also larger Freedom Fast Cats that charge $5 for small dogs and $10 for large dogs. Both ferries take 30 minutes and run similar timetables.

When you arrive on Great Keppel Island you will notice that there are no signs on the beaches indicating whether or not dogs are allowed. However, like Ipun, the island is part of the Livingstone Shire, so presumably the same standard applies here that dogs are allowed to be on a lead and roaming around on beaches before 8am and after 4pm. There is no mention of Great Keppel Island on their website.

The ferry drops you off directly in the center of the island on the sandy Fishermans Beach. I recommend walking to the southern end of the beach, where a short path leads to nearby beaches, including Shelving Beach.

Shelving Beach is one of the island’s most popular snorkeling beaches and definitely the easiest to visit if you don’t have your own boat. It’s a 5-10 minute walk, although the last part of the route is pretty rough, especially if you’re wearing thongs like we were! There are rocky parts on both sides of the beach. We preferred the area on the left, which was easier to access at low tide.

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If you bring your own picnic lunch, we recommend visiting Shelves Beach, Monkey Beach and Long Beach. There are supposed to be even better snorkeling opportunities at Monkey Beach, but we gave it a try. However, we reached Long Beach, a beautiful, long and quiet swimming beach. We practically had the beach to ourselves (and maybe let our dog out). The eastern part is actually a nude beach, although it was empty when we visited.

Please note that the footpaths around Great Keppel Island are not very well maintained as the island’s main former holiday resort has been closed for many years. It’s probably best to follow the routes that start at the end of Fishermans Beach or ask local staff for advice.

If you take the ferry from Keppel Konnection to the island, you can add lunch and drinks at the Great Keppel Island Hideaway. It’s great value for money and our burgers and fries were delicious. However, the walk to the bistro at the northern end of Fishermans Beach is worth it if you want to make the most of your time exploring the island.

The bistro at Great Keppel Island Hideaway is mostly outdoors and dog-friendly with plenty of water bowls. Although I noticed as I was leaving that there was a no dogs allowed sign behind it, I’m not sure what zone it was in.

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Unfortunately, most accommodation on Great Keppel Island doesn’t allow dogs, so it’s generally best to visit as part of a day trip. If you plan to stay a night or two, find out if some vacation homes allow dogs.

If you want to enjoy the region’s beautiful coastline without breaking the bank, Ypun Beach is a popular walk for people and dogs. Take your time as there are plenty of picnic benches and sun loungers along the way, not to mention the many beach cafes which are usually dog friendly.

Dogs must remain on a lead and there are plenty of notices to pick up after your dog, with plenty of bins and bags. Note that dogs are not allowed in Yeppoon Lagoon (but it’s OK to walk behind it) and the Keppel Kraken water playground.

Unfortunately, many of the region’s other coastal trails, such as the Bluff Point Scenic Walk and the trail to Fan Rock Lookout, are located in small parts of the Capricorn Coast National Park.

Cawarral Boarding Kennels & Cattery Home

Emu Park is just 15 minutes drive south of Yeppoon. In addition to the largely deserted fishing beach, there are also two historical sites. On the hill above the hill stands the statue of the Singing Ship, a memorial to Captain Cook built in 1970. Hear them sing when the wind blows.

Next to the Singing Ship is the Anzac Memorial Walk. This memorial and short stretch of promenade was built to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War and is an interesting place to visit. Underneath the large canopies are information boards about important battles and the involvement of Queenslanders.

Dogs on leashes are welcome on the trail and in the surrounding park, but will be treated with the respect they deserve.

If you are interested in history, Rockhampton is also worth a visit. One of the oldest towns in Central Queensland, it is home to an impressive collection of historic buildings.

Best Things To Do In Yeppoon With Kids

Key buildings include the Custom House, Criterion Hotel, Rockhampton Post Office and several courthouses. Most of the historic buildings are located along Quay Street, and the post office and courthouse are a block away on East Street.

The riverside area along Quay Street has recently been revitalized and is a lovely place to stroll along the Fitzroy River with lots of shade trees. Just keep your dog on a leash.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed in Rockhampton’s main botanical gardens or, unsurprisingly, in the adjacent open-air zoo. But head to Kershaw Gardens in North Rockhampton, where dogs are welcome.

The highlight of the gardens is the waterfall area, with several man-made waterfalls cascading beautifully into the pool below and surrounded by lush palm trees. The waterfall area is closest to the High Street car park.

Poinciana Tourist Park

Unfortunately, some other parts of the garden, such as the wetland, still need revitalization after the gardens were severely damaged by the cyclone.

Dogs are allowed on a leash at Kershaw Gardens. There is a fiber optic site near the Dowling Street car park which we were not able to visit, as well as a small fenced park with speed machines in the Charles Street car park.

There is an off-leash dog park in the Yeppoon area, Olive Dory Park on Clayton Road in Lammermoor. It features three separate fenced areas, one of which contains agility equipment. The other two areas offer plenty of shade and seating.