Dog lovers are descending on Reflections Bermagui’s nine dog-friendly cabins as park managers gear up for a special fortnight that will welcome hundreds of canine companions.
In February, the holiday hotspot located south of Sydney will host two pooch-inspired events: the Bega Valley Kennel and Training Club’s championship shows and training trials (February 8-10); and the Sapphire Coast Kennel and Obedience Club’s annual Dog Show (February 15-18).
“Bermagui is a really dog-friendly town, restaurants and cafés allow them, and our park is typically completely booked out by dog owners,” Owner Chris Donohue said.
“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 Richmond, Sydney, to Bermagui 14 years ago with their collection of whippets and have attended the dog show events every February since.
“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…we are arriving one week ahead of the shows and staying on a week afterwards,” laughs Vicki.
“We stay with our best friends who also go to dog shows like us, and we have a ball.”
In 2024, Reflections Bermagui generated $3.5M in additional tourism revenue to the region.
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said Reflections Holidays is a certified social enterprise that manages 41 holiday parks and cares for 47 community reserves on Crown land on behalf of the people of NSW, reinvesting profits back 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.
