Clarendon Forest Retreat

Clarendon Forest Retreat spreads seven luxury guest houses across a 100 acre bush property at Possum Brush, on the Mid North Coast between Taree and Forster. This is a self-contained escape rather than a motel: timber cottages and chalets with fireplaces, spa baths and hot tubs, positioned so each stay feels private among the forest. It draws couples celebrating something and small groups after a quiet base between the coast and the hinterland, and dogs are part of the offer rather than an afterthought.

Dogs at Clarendon Forest Retreat

Per the retreat's own pet policy, the cottages are both cat and dog friendly and pets are welcome indoors, not shut out on a veranda. With seven pet friendly guest houses on the property, availability is usually a matter of booking ahead rather than hoping one happens to allow animals. Being able to have the dog inside a luxury cottage is genuinely rare at this end of the market, and it is the main reason owners of well-mannered dogs pick this property over standard coastal motels.

The fine print is per cottage. Most of the houses take pets indoors, but Blue Wren Cottage is outside-only, with a secured fenced yard making up for it, and Kookaburra Haven does not take pets at all.

Each cottage sits on its own three to seven acre parcel, so your dog is not sharing a fence line with anyone.

Fire trails and walking tracks thread the 100 acres, and the property borders Kiwarrak State Forest.

Two practical notes from regulars: Woolworths delivers straight to the property, which saves boot space for dog gear on the drive in, and the hinterland brush carries paralysis ticks, so run a tick check over the dog after every walk in the deeper trails. Wallabies and other wildlife move through the property, so prey-driven dogs stay supervised rather than roaming.

Worth knowing

The recurring notes from guests are the comfortable chalets, fireplaces and hot tubs, with the Waterlily chalet a favourite and a tennis court and summer house on the property. The retreat sits a short drive off the Pacific Highway, so it is an easy detour on a Sydney to Port Macquarie run or a destination in its own right for a few nights. Bring supplies; you are in bush country, not walking distance to shops.

Close by with the dogs

Head north for supplies and the coast: Bonny Hills Beach Hotel is a relaxed pub lunch stop on the water, and Beach Haven Cafe at North Haven works for a coffee and breakfast run. If the trip continues north, the NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park is a pet friendly next stop with the dog.