Reflections Bermagui park managers Chris and Di Donohue with their dogs Mia (left) and Lucy. Photos: Supplied.
A holiday park on the South Coast has literally gone to the dogs – and the owners couldn’t be happier.
Reflections Bermagui has nine dog-friendly cabins for guests travelling with “fur babies”, but for two weeks in February, park managers Chris and Di Donohue check in even more dogs than usual for a special fortnight.
Bermagui is better known for its whale watching, spectacular ocean pool and coastline, but it hosts two dog events in February: the Bega Valley Kennel and Training Club’s championship shows and training trials (8-10 February); and the Sapphire Coast Kennel and Obedience Club’s annual Dog Show (15-18 February).
For the Donohues, who own a 13-year-old Border Collie Kelpie, Mia, and six-year-old Shih Tzu Pomeranian, Lucy, the two weeks are a blur of fur and fun.
“Bermagui is a really dog-friendly town,” Chris said. ”Restaurants and cafes allow them, and our park is typically completely booked out by dog owners.
“During the dog shows, we allow dogs in all of our cabins [not just the dog-friendly ones]. They are mostly kept in crates, and some of our guests stay in air-conditioned trailers. We make sure everyone is well behaved and respectful.”
Regular guests include Vicki and Nigel Andrew, who travelled for the first time from their then home in Richmond, Sydney, to Bermagui 14 years ago with their collection of whippets and have attended the dog show events every February since.
Bermagui residents and Reflections guests Vicki and Nigel Andrew with their whippets.
“It sounds kooky, but we moved permanently to Bermagui three months ago and we’ll be driving five minutes down the hill to stay at Reflections for the shows,” Vicki said.
“We are arriving one week ahead of the shows and staying on a week afterwards. We stay with our best friends, who also go to dog shows like us, and we have a ball.”
Vicki and Nigel stay with their whippets – Peaches, 11, and young guns Reggie and Angus.
“Peaches competed for eight years and she’s now a retired lady,” Vicki said. ”Reggie is too young to compete but Angus will be in the obedience and rally categories. Nigel is a steward who helps run the competition alongside all the other volunteers.”
In 2024, Reflections Bermagui generated $3.5 million in additional tourism revenue for the region.
State Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said Reflections Holidays was a certified social enterprise that managed 41 holiday parks and cared for 47 community reserves on Crown land on behalf of the people of NSW, reinvesting profits into the parks and reserves.
“As the largest holiday park organisation in NSW, Reflections makes important contributions to regional tourism and jobs, so it’s great to see it backing these South Coast events by supporting the accommodation of visiting dog owners,” Mr Kamper said.
Find out more or book your stay via the Reflections Bermagui website.
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