Little Palm Cabins

Little Palm Cabins is a row of modern, self-contained cabins on Ocean Drive at Lake Cathie, a short hop from the beach and the local shops, and a portion of them take dogs. The trick is that the pet-friendly option is invisible online: pet bookings only happen by phone or email with the property, never through the online booking engine, so plan that call before you lock in dates.

Dogs at the Little Palm Cabins

Not every cabin is pet-friendly, so the first question is which of the renovated studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units accept dogs for your dates. Expect extra pet charges and a set of pet rules on top of standard terms, and note that the setup tends to favour small, well-behaved dogs. The property has not published size limits, so ask when you call and get the fees, any breed or number limits, and the cabin number confirmed in writing before you pay a deposit.

Max: a phone-only pet booking felt fussy until we realised it gets the terms agreed before anyone drives four hours up the coast.

The vibe

The cabins read new and clean, with a barbecue area on site and self check-in, which suits late arrivals with a tired dog. Being back from the beach but within easy reach of both sand and shops makes it a workable base rather than a destination in itself.

Getting there and parking

The cabins are at 1621 Ocean Drive, Lake Cathie, about 20 minutes south of Port Macquarie, with parking at your door.

While you're out there

Walk the on-leash Middle Rock Boardwalk first, then head to Bonny's Beach Cafe up the road. For off-leash time, Stuart Park Fenced Dog Park in Port Macquarie is the reliable run, and Riverview Cafe on Camden rewards a longer drive south.