Bear Cottage

Home
Australia
Sydney, NSW
Bear Cottage

Bear Cottage is the only children’s hospice in NSW, one of only three in Australia, and the only one in the world affiliated with a children’s hospital.

Bear Cottage provides support, respite and end of life care for children with life limiting conditions and their families. Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in Manly, our vision is to be as far removed from a hospital environment as possible. Staff don’t wear uniforms and children’s rooms are designed to be like a normal bedroom. This ‘home away from home’ is complete with a therapy dog called Beau, who is always around to provide some extra comfort. That said, Bear Cottage is set up to provide excellence in paediatric medical care 24-hours a day, and our affiliation to Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network means we have access to some of the best medical resources in the world. Bear Cottage has ten children's bedrooms and three family units. Children may stay at Bear Cottage unaccompanied or with family or carers. There is communal tea room, lounge room and outdoor areas to relax and enjoy the view. There is a quiet room, spa room, multi sensory room, teen room with TVs and video game consoles, messy play area and an outdoor wheelchair swing and seesaw. With a wheelchair accessible pathway down to Shelly Beach nearby, it is possible to enjoy the beachside location and the city of Sydney is just a short ferry ride away. Bear Cottage has a Child Life Therapist, Music Therapist, Art Therapist, Physiotherapist and Social Worker as well as a full time chef and housekeeping staff. Families can do as much or as little as they choose whilst staying at Bear Cottage. There is no charge to families for their stay at Bear Cottage and we rely on the community for donations. For more information, please visit our website at www.bearcottage.org.au

12/01/2026

School holidays are in full swing at Bear Cottage, and this week we blasted off into Space Week! 🚀✨

Working together and using a special marbling painting technique, we created a Space Wall filled with fireworks, planets, shooting stars and a glittering galaxy.

The creativity didn’t stop there – we also designed “magic carpets” to help us fly to the stars and crafted our very own space robot costumes. Using paper cups, feathers and pipe cleaners and whatever materials we could find around the house, it was a great reminder that items destined for the rubbish bin can be transformed into something magical – and create so much fun along the way. 🤖🌌

Our activities are designed to be inclusive and accessible – everyone gets to join in, create together and share the joy.

School holidays are a special time for families to visit, spend quality time together and let those creative juices swirl.

The sky really is the limit! 🌠

08/01/2026

A huge thank you to “Hydro Gav”! 🏄🏽‍♂️

Gavin Blake has been raising funds for Bear Cottage through his YouTube channel Hydro Gav, turning his passion for hydro foiling into something that helps others. The sole purpose of the channel is to support Bear Cottage by generating donations, while sharing his love of the sport. 👏

“I am on a mission to get Bear Cottage the help they need by sharing my love of hydro foiling, and I can’t think of a better place for this money to go,” says Gavin.

It was wonderful to welcome Gavin to Bear Cottage to present his generous $10,000 donation. Thank you, Gavin, and to everyone who has supported this inspiring fundraising effort. 💕

18/12/2025

Santa flew in to Bear Cottage today, swapping his sleigh for a Toll Ambulance Rescue helicopter to surprise the children and families at Bear Cottage. 🚁🎅

He was joined by the incredible Toll air crew and NSW Ambulance doctors and paramedics, who helped deliver Christmas gifts kindly donated by helicopter base staff, their families and friends. The crew took time to explain how the helicopter operates, giving children and families a behind-the-scenes look at their lifesaving work.

It was our pleasure to welcome Assistant Commissioner Cameron Edgar, Director Aeromedical and Special Operations, Diane Tremain, General Manager ACE Training Centre & Contract Manager and Scott Watkins, Senior Vice President Toll Aviation, who took time to celebrate with our families, staff and volunteers.

This special visit has become a favourite annual tradition and we are so grateful to these real-life heroes for bringing joy, generosity and plenty of smiles to Bear Cottage. Thank you to everyone who helped make this magical day possible. ❤️🎄

16/12/2025

MOMENTS FOR MINDFULNESS | In paediatric palliative care – and in everyday life – moments of calm, connection and understanding matter more than ever. The My Brain Books bundle has become a beautiful tool for helping children make sense of their feelings in a way that’s gentle, empowering and easy to understand, wherever they are on their journey.

💛 My Brain Is a Home helps kids understand the “thinking brain” and “feeling brain,” giving them language for big emotions.

💛 My Breath teaches simple breathing techniques to calm the body during stress, fear or pain.

💛 My Mindful Brain brings mindfulness to their level, helping them stay grounded during tough moments.

💛 My Brain First Aid offers practical strategies for coping, self-compassion and asking for help.

These books create space for honesty, comfort and connection – supporting children, families and staff through some of the most tender moments of care. A gentle way to nurture emotional wellbeing.

Thank you so much to Orlanda Bettison for this thoughtful donation. 💕

12/12/2025

Last Sunday we came together for our magical Bear Cottage Family Christmas Party, and it was wonderful to welcome our children and families for such a special celebration. 🎄

From face painting and ice cream to carols, rides and festive craft, the day was filled with joy. Santa and Mrs Claus were a highlight and brought plenty of festive cheer. But above all, it was the love, laughter, and deep sense of community that made the day unforgettable - the very essence of our Bear Cottage family. 🎅

Our Christmas Party is a treasured part of our Bear Cottage Family Support program, and with more than 500 people joining us this year, it’s clear how meaningful these moments are. They offer our families a chance to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate together. 💕

📸 Please enjoy our Christmas Party Album.

✨ THANK YOU ✨ This amazing day would not have been possible without the incredibly generous support of so many: Ben & Jerry's Manly, Bright Balloons, Cakes By Kathleen, Channel 9, Clown Doctors, Corporate Bodies, Fantasy Art, GC Brands, International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), KD Amusements, Kennards Hire, Kidz Zoo, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Luke Walker, Merlin Entertainments, Nyssa Milligan, Scene to Believe, Seven Miles Coffee Roasters, Sign Fairy AU - Sydney Northern Beaches, Sonja Mole, Sydney Sealife Aquarium & Madame Tussauds, The Australian Golf Club, Wholly Schnit, the generous community for their donation of Christmas gifts – and last but not least, our amazing Bear Cottage volunteers and staff. 👏

10/12/2025

🎁 A huge thank you to the incredible corporate teams helping at the Bear Cottage Christmas Wrapping fundraiser at Westfield Warringah Mall – which runs from now until Christmas Eve!

With hundreds of presents to wrap, every helping hand makes a difference – and we are so grateful to the organisations and individuals giving up their time to support this very jolly event. A special shoutout to long-time supporters, Seven Miles Coffee Roasters, for taking up the challenge today!

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Westfield Warringah Mall for providing this wonderful opportunity to bring the community together and support Bear Cottage. 👏

Your generosity and spirit are helping us spread joy to the children and families at Bear Cottage this festive season.🎄

05/12/2025

Today, on International Volunteer Day, we celebrate the extraordinary people who give their time, hearts and endless compassion to Bear Cottage.

Our volunteers bring generosity, kindness, empathy and warmth into every corner of our home away from home. They lift spirits, bring comfort, and help create cherished memories for our children and their families. Bear Cottage simply wouldn’t be the same without them.

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of thanking our wonderful volunteers in person at our annual Volunteer Christmas Party – a small gesture compared to the enormous difference they make every single day.

To each one of you – thank you. You are the heart of Bear Cottage, and we are so grateful for the warmth and joy you bring. 💕

03/12/2025

It was our pleasure to welcome our wonderful Channel 9 Santa’s helpers to Bear Cottage as we prepare for our upcoming family Christmas party! 🎄✨

It truly takes a village to bring events like this to life, and we’re incredibly grateful for their annual support in helping us bring joy to our children. 🎁

And a heartfelt thank you to our friends from GC Brands for generously donating our festive treats, and to Wil and Lisa – our amazing volunteers who ensure every detail comes together beautifully. ❤️

01/12/2025

🚗 When imagination becomes pure magic…

When Paige decided that she wanted to create her own car wash – we were ready to help make this happen.

Using simple cardboard, paint and crepe paper – Paige made the best homemade car wash you’ve ever seen!

Today was all giggles, colours and creative chaos . . . the very best kind 🙌🏻

At Bear Cottage, supporting children as they express themselves, is at the heart of what we do. 💕

19/11/2025

Fresh air, warm sunshine, and the endless blue of the sea. ☀️ 🌊

The simple joy that a stay at Bear Cottage can provide. 💕

13/11/2025

At Bear Cottage, kindness is something we see and feel every single day - but sometimes, it shines in the most beautiful and unexpected ways.

Recently, one of our young siblings, Anya, decided that our Bear Cottage staff needed a little pampering. She set up her very own “salon,” complete with appointment bookings, relaxing music, delicious snacks, and plenty of laughter and conversation about nail colours and hair styles.

When we asked Anya what inspired her, she said: “𝗦𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.”

It was a joyful reminder that kindness doesn’t have to be big or elaborate to be powerful – sometimes, it’s found in a simple act of care and connection or making someone smile.

Thank you, Anya, for bringing so much sparkle, joy, and kindness to Bear Cottage – and for ensuring we all had great nails.

Address

2 Fairy Bower Road
Sydney, NSW
2095

Telephone

+61299768300

Website

https://bearcottage.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Bear Cottage posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Bear Cottage:

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Sydney?