Summary of our Melbourne to Tarra Valley trip (with our fluffy dogs)
Planning this road trip had a couple of ways of doing it – with or without the dogs. David’s back was still not up to the whole camping thing (packing heavy stuff and putting up and down a tent), so we decided to book a holiday in a cabin that was Dog friendly.
We didn’t want to have to drive too far from our home in Melbourne and came across a place called “Best Friend Holiday Retreat” located in the Tarra Valley. This place is about 3 hours drive from where we live and totally built for dogs with 6 large fenced off-leash areas all within a parkland setting. They have luxury and budget cabins, caravan and tent sites – all individually fenced.
One of our dogs is a bit of a hunter and is easily runs off on a rabbit or bird scent never to come back. For this reason he is always on the lead while our other dog runs around free at any park we go to. Being able to take the dogs and stay in a fenced off cabin area and have the option of taking them to one of the 6 off leash areas is why we wanted to try Best Friend Holiday Retreat.
It is close to the Tarra Bulga National Park, and the start of the Grand Strzelecki Track , and within driving distance to Ninety Mile Beach.
Map of our car trip to Tarra Valley from Melbourne
7 January 2018 – Day 1 | Melbourne to Tarra Valley, Victoria, Australia ( with dogs )
| Highlights – Ate the Best Fish and Chips in at George Junior Fish and Chips (Morwell), Yarram Visiter Centre, Yarram Bakery, Seeing Taffee and Fudge run in off leash area at Best Friend Holiday Retreat.
8 January 2018 – Day 2 | Happy Dogs running around at Woodside beach on an overcast day
| Highlights – Walking barefoot along Woodside beach and seeing the dogs run around and explore sand at Woodside beach, seeing Fudge run and run and run and check the fence perimeter at Best Friend Holiday Retreat.
9 January 2018 – Day 3 | Nearly Blown Away in Windy Port Albert
| Highlights – Visit to Port Albert, having fun sketching “Scooby Doo” and finding a forgotten $50 note in an old visual diary.
10 January 2018 – Day 4 | Tarra-Bulga National Park and Tarra Valley Picnic Ground
| Highlights – Drive from Best Friend Holiday Retreat through the magnificent Tarra-Bulga National Park, visiting the Tarra Valley picnic area and Corrigan Suspension Bridge.
11 January 2018 – Day 5 | Woodside Beach on a Perfect Sunny Day
| Highlights – Woodside beach visit on a sunny day, lunch at Yarram bakery and another play at the off leash areas at Best Friend Holiday Retreat.
12 January 2018 – Day 6 | Tarra Valley to Melbourne in the Rain
| Highlights – Seeing big trucks carrying heaps of logs, Driving past the Loy Lang Power station and a stop in Tarragon.
| Lowlights – Roadworks slowing down our trip home