Tasmanian caravan parks that welcome your dog

A Tasmanian trip with a dog starts before you leave home. Biosecurity Tasmania requires dogs coming from the mainland to be treated for hydatid tapeworm with praziquantel within 14 days before arrival, and you need to declare the treatment and that the dog is free of ticks. A vet’s statement, a statutory declaration, or the pill packet and receipt will do. A dog that arrives without one is treated at the border for a fee, and you risk an on-the-spot fine.

The crossing comes next. Spirit of Tasmania puts dogs in kennels on board unless you book one of the pet-friendly cabins on its newer ships, and you cannot visit the kennels during the sailing. Restricted breeds and declared dangerous dogs cannot travel, and you declare your dog’s status when you book.

Once you land, plan around the park rules. Dogs and other pets are generally not allowed in Tasmania’s national parks and reserves, to protect wildlife. A few conservation and nature recreation areas make exceptions on a lead, including parts of the Bay of Fires and Recherche Bay. Some come with seasonal limits, so read the signs and the local council’s dog zone map.