This dog-friendly oasis is the ‘pawfect’ family getaway and we have an offer!
The serene coastal-meets-country escape, with a huge fenced yard, is the ideal holiday for kid and fur-babies alike.
Watching the sun set over the countryside, a fire pit crackling and the kids roasting marshmallows, is pure bliss. But then I glance over at the dogs. They are doing zoomies (the dog-version of a happy dance) in the distance.
“They are so joyful here,” I smile at my friend Jacki. “Us too,” she nods, clinking her wine glass with mine.
We’re staying at Byadbo on Sunset Ridge. A spacious dog (and kid) friendly escape on the mid NSW coast. This is not a sponsored post but is our honest review.
Dogs on holiday
Jacki and I have always thought it would be lovely to take our dogs, Toffee and Duke, away with us. Afterall, they’re part of the family too! But we couldn’t get our heads around the logistics. Stuff like, how will they go with traveling, is there safe fencing, and so on.
When the owners (and fellow dog ‘pawrents’) of Byadbo on Sunset Ridge i
nvited us to experience their dog-friendly accommodation, we felt reassured. This was going to be THE place to take our kids and doggies for their first holiday together.
The fully-fenced property is situated just inland from beautiful Wallis Lake and is about a three hour drive from the start of the M1 from Hornsby.
Good morning, reindeer!
We arrive at Byadbo at night and as such, can’t see our farmland surroundings. That is until morning …
We awake to excited little voices telling us they’ve seen a “reindeer”. To our surprise, it’s true! As wispy clouds meander over the valley, the local deer graze peacefully in the nearby paddock.
Being perched on a ridge, Byadbo’s views are beautifully expansive. You can see all the way to Wallis Lake in one direction and the distant mountains in the other.
With high fencing surrounding the entire 3,000 sq.m property (1.2 metres), we let the dogs out for a sniff and a good run, knowing they can’t escape. The kids too!
After a breakfast of pancakes, they run outside to boot a soccer ball and climb the huge tree in the corner of the property.
Dog-friendly accommodation with it all
Byadbo is a renovated farmhouse. It features an open plan living/dining area and has a wide wrap-around balcony, taking full advantage of the sweeping views. There are three bedrooms – two large ones with comfy king beds, and another with king single bunk beds. A foldaway is also provided, making this accommodation sleep seven.
The fully-equipped kitchen has a modern gas stove, a large oven, a Nespresso coffee maker and even an air fryer! There is every pot and pan as well as mugs and glasses galore. The utensils drawer is also brimming – a lovely surprise as this isn’t always the case with holiday homes.
A handy doggie door can be found in the laundry, along with dog water and food bowls. A dog-frisbee has been left out and it’s obvious to us that our four-legged friends are not only accounted for at Byadbo, but are also welcome.
The modern living room has a large L-shaped couch (with cute dog-print cushions!) and a big flat-screen TV (with Chromecast). Byadbo offers free and fast guest Wi-Fi (that runs fast off Starlink satelite) and we note there are desks in two of the bedrooms. Working from this holiday home would absolutely be possible if you needed to.
Oh, and along with an outdoor fire pit, there is also a cosy indoor fireplace with plenty of firewood supplied …
Exploring the area
We could only spare three nights for our stay at Byadbo, but wish this was longer. There is just so much to see and do in the beautiful Barrington Coast area.
While we would have loved to have done it all, we decided to keep our holiday simple, mainly enjoying our lovely dog-friendly accommodation.
We did have a picnic at nearby Coomba Park, where there is a playground next to the lake. As pelicans sailed by and the kids played, us mums took a stroll with Toffee and Duke on the path by the water.
We also visited the gorgeous town of Blueys Beach. The drive there is truly spectacular along The Lakes Way – 25 minutes of winding road past glistening diamond water.
The kids loved jumping the sandhills at Boomerang Beach while the dogs spectated from a distance. Although they could of had a frolic on Blueys Beach, we didn’t get there during its dog-friendly hours (5am-9am and 5pm-8pm). But they were still happy!
We also visited the Whoota Whoota Lookout, which takes in impressive vistas of the national park and 100 km of azure coastline. The kids collected kindling for the fire pit that night on the way back.
If we’d had more time we would have checked out the Great Lakes Paddocks Winery, where dogs are welcome and day-tripped to the turquoise waters of Forster, which is about 45 minutes away.
A ‘pawfect’ break
Driving home, feeling happy and rejuvenated, we asked the kids to tell us their holiday highlights:
“I loved the fire pit and roasting marshmallows,” said one.
“I liked that I didn’t miss my dog,” added another. “I always do when we go away,” he confessed.
“Same,” all the kids jinxed each other.
And that’s when we realised. A holiday WITH the family dog is something truly special. We are so glad that we gave this memory to not only our wet-nosed ‘children’, but our human ones too.
Thank you Byadbo for having us – ALL. We will be back!
Here’s the link and codes again…
NSBD4 – 4 nights and get 1 free
NSBD7 – 7 nights and get 2 free
Jacki and Lana’s tips:
- The nearest food shop is a long but pretty drive (about 25 minutes), so you’ll at least want to have breakfast supplies for the morning! There is a small general store (Pollards) a few minutes drive away in Comba Park with basic essentials. The other option is a delivery from Woolworths Forster for when you arrive.
- Have your kids collect kindling for the fire each night. There is plenty to be found outside the fence, next to the dam, which is also part of the 10 acre property. The best time (in our opinion) to have this is when the sun is setting. Wine and cheese also go down well!
- We highly recommend sharing this holiday with another family. There is enough room (and crockery!) and our kids loved having friends to play with
- Accommodation website: https://pacificpalmsholidays.com.au/accommodation/pacificpalms-byadbo/