Bear Cottage

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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

19/02/2026

🐾 No words needed — just the gentle companionship of the best furry friend in the world. 💕

04/02/2026

At Bear Cottage, we’re incredibly fortunate to have a caring and compassionate nursing team. Today, we’re proud to shine a light on one of our wonderful nurses, whose dedication and passion make Bear Cottage such a special place. 🙌🏻

Meet Caroline: “I’m originally from the UK and I’ve been in Sydney just over a year now and have loved every second of it. I’ve been a nurse for nearly six years, and before moving to Australia, I worked on a cardiac ward at Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London. After visiting Australia, I knew it was somewhere I needed to live.

“My role at Bear Cottage means so much to me on both a professional and personal level. It’s very different to acute hospital nursing – the focus isn’t on fixing or curing, but on comfort, quality of life and fun! I’m given the time and space to slow down, truly get to know families and care for the entire family unit, not just the child. It feels unbelievably special and something I was always meant to do.

“BC feels so special because it doesn’t feel clinical, it feels like home. It’s a place filled with warmth, love and compassion. The team, the families, and the environment all come together to create something so unique.

“Some of the most impactful moments are the quiet ones - sitting with families, sharing stories, laughter, tears, or simply being present. Being trusted during such vulnerable times is incredibly humbling and something I’ll never take for granted.

“There are sad days, but there is so much joy here. We celebrate, create memories, and have fun! It is emotional work, but it is filled with so much love and laughter.

“The children and families have taught me to slow down, live in the moment and appreciate the small wins. Their strength, resilience and unconditional love have changed my outlook on everything.”

Thank you, Caroline and all our nurses, for your incredible kindness and compassion. 💕

28/01/2026

It’s the last week of the school holidays, so we decided to let our hair down – and put it up, colour it and decorate it in the wildest, craziest ways! 🪶🖌️

From feathers and flowers, to sparkles and sprinkles – the hairstyles showed off everyone’s unique creativity. Even Beau – ever the patient participant – loved being part of the fun. 🐾

After much deliberation and a very rigorous scoring process, the judges agreed there could be only one winner for her “simple yet really crazy” style. 📋✔️

🏆 Congratulations to our housekeeper Annmaree – our 2026 Crazy Hair Day champion! 👏🏻

23/01/2026

Christmas may feel like a distant memory, but we’d love to take a moment to thank our incredible volunteers who helped wrap presents at Warringah Mall in the lead-up to Christmas! 🎁

We’re thrilled to share that with their help, we broke our fundraising record – raising an amazing $𝟯𝟮,𝟴𝟳𝟳.𝟳𝟲! 👏

This much-loved event brought together 162 individual volunteers and 15 corporate teams, with kilometres of paper and ribbon, hundreds of presents, plenty of laughter, and an incredible energy that truly spread Christmas cheer. Many of our volunteers have been part of this event for 15 years or more, and their ongoing dedication and enthusiasm are what make this event so special year after year.

Sending a heartfelt thank you to Westfield Warringah Mall for providing this wonderful opportunity to host the event, and for so generously donating the space, wrapping paper and ribbon – along with their much-appreciated support throughout.

And to our local community – your kindness and generosity truly shine at this special time of year, and we are so grateful. 💕

21/01/2026

BAKING ADVENTURES | There’s something special about baking together – measuring, mixing, and turning simple ingredients into sweet treats made to share. This week, the children got stuck into chocolate chip cookies, the much-loved Mars Bar slice (a big hit – so good that even families enjoyed it for breakfast!) and they baked more than 30 cupcakes from scratch. 👩‍🍳

Little hands were busy every step of the way – weighing ingredients, cracking eggs, mixing, and carefully filling cupcake patties – building confidence, teamwork, and a great sense of “we did it!” 🥣

Decorating fun followed, with cupcakes transformed into colourful creations – pretty gardens, and even a cricket pitch. With two birthdays to celebrate, cupcakes were shared, smiles were everywhere, and memories were made. 🧁

Baking continues to be a joyful way to bring people together, share comfort through sweet food, give back to others, and enjoy that well-earned sense of achievement. 💕

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.🎄

Address

2 Fairy Bower Road
Sydney, NSW
2095

Telephone

+61299768300

Website

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

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