South Coast Surf & Dogs: A 2-Week Van Road Trip from Torquay
I'm planning a two-week trip from Torquay up the coast into NSW, in my van, with my dog and my longboard. Finding info on where you can actually camp with a dog (especially over Christmas, and without a 4WD) took a fair bit of digging, so I've pulled it all together here in case it helps anyone else planning something similar.
The route skips the big holiday parks in favour of free camps and small farm camps, all dog-friendly and reachable in a 2WD. Each stop lists the closest longboard-friendly waves, plus whether your dog can come to the beach with you. There are a few lefts in there for the goofy-footers too.
Got a favourite log wave or dog-friendly camp along this coast? I'd love to hear it. Drop a comment or send me a message, especially if it's a hidden gem with a mellow wave nearby.
Rules and availability change, especially over Christmas. Check each camp before you book and before you go. Drive times are rough estimates. Checked October 2026.
Route at a glance
| Nights | Stop | Camp | Drive (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Tyers, VIC (sleep stop) | Pettmans Beach camp, free | About 5 hr from Torquay |
| 2–5 | Pambula / Merimbula | Millingandi Station (Hipcamp) | About 3.5–4 hr |
| 6–9 | Tomakin / Broulee | Tomakin River Camping (Hipcamp) | About 2.5 hr |
| 10–12 | Gerringong / Gerroa | Werri Beach or Misty Mountain Farm | About 2.5–3 hr |
| 13 | Hume Hwy near Tarcutta (sleep stop) | Keajura Rest Area, free | About 5 hr |
| Day 14 | Home | – | About 5.5 hr to Torquay |
That's 13 nights, leaving one spare night to add wherever the surf is best.
Good to know: most NSW coastal campgrounds are inside national parks, and dogs aren't allowed in national parks. That's why the dog-friendly camps here are mostly farms and council or state-park sites.
Night 1: Lake Tyers sleep stop (VIC)
Camp: Pettmans Beach, Lake Tyers State Park
- Free, with no fees or bookings. It's first in, best dressed.
- It has toilets and firepits, and it's next to Ninety Mile Beach. Bring your own drinking water.
- Dogs are allowed, on a leash at all times.
- Access is on unsealed roads but fine for 2WD in dry weather.
- 🔗 Parks Victoria: Lake Tyers camping info
- 📍 Google Maps: Pettmans Beach camping area
If it's full: Glasshouse camp in the same park suits vans but has no toilets, so you need to be self-contained. Or drive on about 1.5–2 hours to the free Cann River Rainforest Campground, a council stopover with toilets, cold showers, drinking water and a dump point. Dogs are allowed on a lead, with a 48-hour max.
Tip: leave Torquay early to clear Melbourne before the traffic. Check the Vic Emergency app for fire bans before you head into the state park.
Surf: Pettmans sits on Ninety Mile Beach, an open, exposed beach break. It's worth a sunset paddle if it's clean, but watch for rips and currents.
Nights 2–5: Pambula & Merimbula (Sapphire Coast)
Camp: Millingandi Station (Hipcamp)
- A 40-acre tidal waterfront farm between Pambula and Merimbula, with sealed road access, horses, sheep, kangaroos and oysters.
- Pets on leashes are welcome. Book a Paddock site if you have a bigger van, because the river sites have narrow access.
- 🔗 Book on Hipcamp
- 📍 Google Maps: Millingandi area (approximate; the exact address comes after booking)
🏄 Surf breaks near camp
| Break | From camp (approx.) | Wave | Best conditions | Longboard? | 🐕 Dog on the beach? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merimbula Bar ⭐ | About 10 min | Classic long left rivermouth sandbar, with rides up to about 200m. Frontside for goofy-footers. | S–SW swell, N–NW winds, low to mid tide | Yes when it's small. It's fickle and crowded with mals and groms in school holidays. | ❌ Bar Beach has a seasonal dog ban, so leave the dog with your buddy. |
| Short Point | About 10 min | Beach break, lefts and rights, fairly consistent | NE swell, WNW offshore, all tides | Yes. Walk north towards Tura for empty peaks. | ⚠️ On leash, and not within 100m of the patrolled area. Walk north. |
| Pambula Beach | About 10 min | Fun beach breaks out the front | Small clean days | Yes | ⚠️ On leash, and not within 100m of the patrolled area |
| Pambula Rivermouth | About 10–15 min | Fast, hollow right that only works on big swell | Big E–NE swell, S–SW wind, low tide | No, it's a shortboard wave. Some locals do log it when it's smaller. | ✅ Right next to Lions Park Beach, which is off-leash all year. This is the best dog-and-surf combo here. |
| Tathra Beach (day trip) | About 40 min | A 2.5km beach with little banks breaking left and right, patrolled | Smaller at the south end, bigger at the north | Yes, very cruisy | ⚠️ Check Bega Valley Council's signs on the day |
Dogs
- Lions Park Beach, Pambula Beach: off-leash all year, and enclosed by rocks at both ends. 📍 Map
- Dogs aren't allowed within 100m of the patrolled areas at Pambula Beach, Main Beach and Short Point, and there's a seasonal ban at Bar Beach.
- 🔗 Sapphire Coast dog-friendly guide
Backup camp: Merimbula Camping (Hipcamp, about 22km from Merimbula, 7 sites, composting toilet, dogs welcome).
Nights 6–9: Tomakin & Broulee (Eurobodalla)
Camp: Tomakin River Camping (Hipcamp)
- Shady riverfront sites on a 40-acre property near Tomakin, halfway between Batemans Bay and Moruya. It has a swimming hole and is great for kayaks and SUPs.
- Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp, which is rare.
- Come self-contained: one listing shows no potable water and no showers, and you pack your rubbish out.
- 🔗 Book on Hipcamp
- 📍 Google Maps: Tomakin River Camping area (approximate)
🏄 Surf breaks near camp (the most longboard-friendly stretch of the trip)
| Break | From camp (approx.) | Wave | Best conditions | Longboard? | 🐕 Dog on the beach? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomaga Rivermouth (Mossy Point / Tomakin) ⭐ | About 10 min | Mellow, roughly 200m right sandbar | Small to mid swell | The best log wave of the trip. Long trim, great for cross-stepping. | ✅ Tomakin has a popular off-leash dog beach at the Tomaga River mouth. This is the best dog-and-surf spot of the trip. |
| North Broulee | About 15 min | Sheltered by Broulee Island, with gentle, rolling, smooth waves | Works when it's too big or windy elsewhere | Yes, very cruisy | ✅ Allowed from the Frances Street access to the Broulee Island reserve, but not on the island. Check timeshare hours. |
| Broulee South | About 15 min | Left beach break, frontside for goofy-footers | Clean small to mid swell | Yes | ⚠️ Check Council's map, as rules vary by section and the patrolled area is busy in summer |
| Moruya Heads | About 25–30 min | Beach break that picks up south and east swells reliably | Check it when everywhere else is flat | Yes on smaller days | ✅ Nearby South Head and Bengello beaches are dog-friendly (check timeshare hours) |
| Pink Rocks (Broulee Island) | About 15 min | Challenging reef break | Experienced surfers only | No | ❌ No dogs on Broulee Island |
Eurobodalla timeshare rule (1 Nov–30 Apr): on many beaches, dogs are only allowed before 9am and after 5pm. That suits dawn and evening surfs. Check the map.
Dogs
- Dogs are allowed on Broulee Beach between the Frances Street access and the Broulee Island nature reserve, but not on the island.
- 🔗 Eurobodalla Council dog beach map
- 🍺 Broulee Brewhouse, near North Broulee, has dog-friendly outdoor tables.
Optional night on the way: Mystery Bay Campground, a council bush and beachfront camp south of Narooma. Dogs on lead are allowed, max 2. It's unpowered, with pit toilets and cold showers. 📍 Map
Nights 10–12: Gerringong & Gerroa (Kiama coast)
The northern turnaround, about 1.5 hours south of Sydney. It's the hardest stop for dogs at Christmas, so book it first.
Camp option A: Werri Beach Holiday Park
- A small council-run park right on Werri Beach, steps from the surf. It's not a big resort.
- Kiama Coast's pet page says dogs are welcome 365 days a year, including school holidays. Older pages said no dogs in school holidays, so get it confirmed in writing. Dog bookings are by phone or email only.
- 🔗 Kiama Coast Holiday Parks: pet-friendly parks
- 📍 Google Maps: Werri Beach Holiday Park
Camp option B: Misty Mountain Farm (Hipcamp)
- A working cattle and horse farm at the foot of Coolangatta Mountain, about 5 minutes from Seven Mile Beach at Shoalhaven Heads.
- Dogs on lead are welcome.
- Bring your own portaloo: the host requires campers to provide their own toilet. Paddocks can get boggy after rain, so message the host first.
- 🔗 Book on Hipcamp
- 📍 Google Maps: Misty Mountain Farm area (approximate)
🏄 Surf breaks near camp
Times are from Werri Beach Holiday Park, then from Misty Mountain Farm.
| Break | From camp (approx.) | Wave | Best conditions | Longboard? | 🐕 Dog on the beach? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Werri Point ⭐ | Walk / about 25 min | Right reef point at the south end. The inside fattens into a wave longboarders love. | ENE swell, SW–S winds, higher tides. Stays smooth in summer nor'easters. | Yes, on the inside. The outside can be heavy and hollow on bigger swells. | ✅ Werri Beach has an off-leash area (time-restricted), and Gerringong headland is off-leash |
| Werri Beach | Walk / about 25 min | Beach break that favours lefts. Head to the north headland on a SE swell. | NE swell, WNW offshore, mid tide | Yes on small days (it can be dumpy at the shore) | ✅ As above. Check the signs for the off-leash zone and hours. |
| Seven Mile Beach, Shoalhaven Heads end | About 30 min / about 5 min | A long beach with mellow longboard waves and lots of room | More exposed to wind than Werri, so surf it early | Yes, great for logs | ✅ Dog-friendly north of the Shoalhaven Heads surf club |
| Gerroa (Seven Mile Beach, north end) | About 10 min / about 15 min | Longboard and learner waves, and a local longboard club | Surf it early | Yes | ⚠️ Much of Seven Mile Beach is national park, so check the signs. Use the Shoalhaven Heads end for the dog. |
| Mystics (Minnamurra) | About 20 min / about 35 min | Left-hand point break with a remote feel, frontside for goofy-footers | Check conditions, as it can be powerful | For intermediate surfers and up | ⚠️ Not confirmed, so check the signs or leave the dog at camp with your buddy |
| The Farm (Killalea) | About 25 min / about 40 min | One of the best-known surf beaches on the South Coast | Gets busy, so go early | Yes, popular with loggers | ⚠️ Not confirmed, so check the reserve rules before bringing the dog |
Dog plan for surf sessions: most camps don't allow dogs to be left alone, and a van gets dangerously hot in summer. Take turns with a buddy, or choose the ✅ breaks so the dog can wait on the sand with someone.
Night 13 and day 14: home via the Hume
Heading inland to the Hume is much quicker than retracing the coast. Split it into two days.
Sleep stop: Keajura Rest Area (southbound), Hume Hwy near Tarcutta
- A free 24-hour highway rest area on sealed ground that takes vans. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
- It's about 5 hours from Gerringong, then about 5.5 hours home to Torquay.
- 📍 Google Maps: Keajura Rest Area
Other free options along the Hume include the Tarcutta rest area and the Gundagai North rest area, where pets are by request.
Before you book
- ✔ Book Gerringong first, then the Hipcamp farms. Christmas fills fast and sites are limited.
- ✔ Message each host to confirm dogs on your exact dates, how many dogs they take, and any livestock rules.
- ✔ Ask about 2WD access after rain and where to park a van.
- ✔ Check toilets and water: Tomakin and Misty Mountain need you to be self-contained.
- ✔ Plan surf sessions around the dog. Most camps don't allow dogs to be left alone, and never leave them in a hot van.
- ✔ Pack tick prevention, a long lead and plenty of water for both of you.
Useful apps and links
- Hipcamp: books the farm camps.
- WikiCamps / CamperMate / Anycamp: free camps and recent reviews.
- Surf forecasts: Swellnet and Surfline. On summer days, surf early before the nor'easter.
- Safety: NSW Fires Near Me, Vic Emergency, Live Traffic NSW.
- Dog beach rules: Eurobodalla · Sapphire Coast · Kiama Coast
- Dog-friendly travel ideas: Travelnuity South Coast guides
