Bear Cottage is a children’s hospice in Manly, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The facility provides 24-hour paediatric medical care, respite, and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Opened on March 17, 2001, Bear Cottage provides a home away from home for patients. Staff at Bear Cottage do not wear uniforms. Children’s rooms are designed to look like normal bedrooms. Medical procedures are not carried out in children’s bedrooms. Bear Cottage even has a family pet, Beau, a fully trained assistance dog.

As a medical facility, Bear Cottage provides paediatric palliative care. Experienced nurses and doctors are available around the clock, to look after the children and offer support and guidance to their families. Bear Cottage is affiliated with The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, ensuring access to world-class medical resources.

As a respite facility, Bear Cottage is a home away from home. Staff and volunteers take care of the cooking and cleaning, allowing families to forget about everyday stresses. Music and art therapists and volunteers work to engage the children in play, music and art.

Bear Cottage has approximately sixty staff and 140 volunteers, and is funded almost entirely from donations. All services for children and their families are provided free of charge.

In early 2018 the fire alarm system at Bear Cottage was upgraded to a Pertronic F220 system. Pertronic Industries is very happy to support Bear Cottage. We commend the staff and volunteers of Bear Cottage for the challenging work they do.