For those of you who are not from Australia, you might not know this, but most Australian National Parks do not allow pets!
We came across the odd one or two that allowed pets as long as they stayed on the Carpark /Campsite and if on a leash, but as a rule of thumb, Australian National Parks do not allow pets at all! So, if you don’t want to miss out on Australian National Parks but want to be a responsible pet owner, here are some of our most valuable tips on how to visit Australian National Parks while travelling with pets.
How to visit Australian National Parks while Travelling with pets
Of course, the challenges you will encounter will vary depending of the type of pet you travel with. As well as the kind of set-up you have, a caravan, motorhome, van etc. If you are still in the planning phase of your lap of Australia, and are considering bringing your best bud with you, I strongly recommend you to consider opting for a caravan set-up. It will offer you & your best bud a lot more freedom than a van or motorhome.
Of course, you can still do your lap of Australia with your pet in a van. Hell, we did it in a 1983 School Bus with a cat. So anything is possible as long as you are willing to adapt and compromise for your new lifestyle.
- Hitch a ride
- Leave your best bud with a new mate
- Book yourself a tour
- Pet-Friendly Overnight stays
- Ask your community
✨Hitch a ride to the National Parks
Try to find a pet-friendly campsite nearby the National Park you intend to visit, then stay there and seek out help from fellow travellers.
If you have Van or a Motorhome, then ask if anyone is willing to give you a ride so you can leave your buddy at home outside the National Park.
If you have a caravan type of setup & don’t need a ride but don’t feel right leaving your best buddy unattended while you check out your surroundings.
Then, why not find out if there is any other traveler in the same situation & offer to pet-sit each other’s pet while you explore?
You would be surprised how many people have offered us a ride / to share their day with us so that we could leave both Nala & Pumbaa (our Bus) outside the National Park & yet be able to explore our surroundings.
The best part about this is that we have created so many amazing friendships that way 🧡
✨Book yourself a tour of the National Parks
Most iconic Australian National Parks such as Uluṟu, The Whitsundays, Fraser Island & many others offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience or day tours. So why not give your van a rest, treat yourself & blame your best bud for the expense ?!
✨ Pet-friendly Overnights stays!
Now, if we want to spend a few days visiting a specific National Park, then we really don’t have a choice, one of us as to have an overnight stay.
We will first try to find a pet-friendly accomodation near by the national park, so we can leave Nala home while we explore. However, most time this was unsuccessful and we had to leave Nala in a cattery … 🥹
Unfortunately, leaving Nala in a cattery nearby a National Park is not always feasible due to the extremely remote location of some of them, such as Karijini. So what to do in this situation?
✨ Ask your Community !!
Join the local community Facebook Page o& ask whether anyone is willing to care for your pet while you are away! You could even contact vets in the area & ask if they know of somebody who tends to do some pet-sitting. You can also seek help from your fellow caravan / motorhome community on facebook. Some groups are specially made for people laping australia with their pets! Obviously, don’t trust everybody & anybody, do your due diligence & homework on potential carers!
🧡 This is what we did to Visit Karijini & we will most likely do that again as we have had a very positive experience!
Summary: How to visit Australian National Parks while travelling with pets ?
So yes, it is feasible to lap around Australia with your best bud and still get to enjoy national parks, but it is not that easy. It require to plan a head a bit, be organised and be willing to compromise. If you ask us, yes the benefits definetly outweighted the cons. I mean the memories we have created with Nala (our cat) all around australia are priceless!
Many people have figured out how to visit australian national parks while travelling with pets , but its up to you to decide if you are up that lifestyle!