I thought I knew all the best places on the NSW coast for a family holiday. I was wrong

It was connection to nature at its finest but with the added comforts of your own hot shower and crisply made bed.... not to mention THAT view. 

My husband didn’t want me to write this review because he wants to keep ‘our’ beach, as my daughters call it, a secret.

Well, sorry babe, my job is to share great finds with families and let me tell you, this is one of them. 

If panoramic views of sweeping coastline, rock pools teeming with marine life and the sound of crashing waves at night appeal to you - it’s time to check out the Reflections Holiday Park at Bonny Hills. 

Where? You might ask. Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either. 

Just over four hours’ north of Sydney (and about 25 minutes south of Port Macquarie), Bonny Hills is a cute little coastal town locals have nicknamed 'the pot of gold' at the end of Rainbow Beach - with good reason. 

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The view from our cabin on our first evening after a storm had passed.

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See that view? Yeah. That’s what we woke up to every morning over our three-night stay at Bonny Hills, and even without the double rainbow, it never failed to disappoint. 

Catering to a variety of accommodation options, Reflections Bonny Hills offers camping and caravan sites, glamping tents and an array of cabins - all of which boast the same 180-degree outlook. We stayed in a premium cabin  which perfectly accommodated all five of us, with the best bunk room set up for three kids I’ve actually ever seen. It was faultlessly clean and surprisingly modern, plus equipped with all the creature comforts of home, including a washing machine, dryer, dishwasher and three (yes three) TVs. 

The park itself is also dog-friendly, although our cabin wasn't, which was fine by me! 

Everything we didn't know we needed

As a mum of three kids, I’ve been guilty of booking holidays that are explicitly designed to entertain them. While Bonny Hills doesn’t have a pool or a game room, it also proved that a spot this special doesn’t need one. 

Over the course of a weekend my girls boogie boarded, explored the most amazing rock pools (we spotted FOUR octopuses!), went fishing, danced in the rain and went for a bushwalk they actually walked the whole way. 

Rainbow Beach did not disappoint.

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It was connection to nature at its finest but with the added comforts of your own hot shower and crisply made bed. Even with one seriously rainy afternoon, I was surprised at how little screen time we resorted to. The cabin on our deck was undercover so we were able to play board games and watch the storm roll in while our youngest splashed about nude in the rain. 

I’m talking serious wholesome fun and the best type of quality family time. 

A quiet town with a lot to do 

While Bonny Hills certainly is a town on the quieter side, it has everything you need only a short drive away from the park.

Conversely, if you want to stay put, you can take a mere two-minute stroll across the road to a petrol station, convenience store, small takeaway joint and bottle shop.

Oh! And I forgot to mention The Prawn Man, a twice-weekly delivery service of fresh seafood in a refrigerated van.  We were at the beach and missed out this time but won’t be making that mistake again. Prawns in a van! Right to your door! Genius. 

Our cabin from the outside, plus the sunset view from our deck.

For those who enjoy a bushwalk, there are plenty of National Parks in the area, but for parties with owners of little legs, I'd highly suggest a trip to Old Buttlebutt in Burrawan State Forest. 

Estimated to be over 200 years old, Old Bottlebutt is the largest Red Bloodwood tree in the southern hemisphere and is situation on an easy-peasy loop trail of around 600m. Even our five-year-old famous for her "tired legs" completed the entire walking track without complaint! 

A getaway you have to experience for yourself

I wasn't kidding when I said earlier that my husband didn't want me to write this review. He was blown away with the quality of the park, the purity of the coast and the friendliness of the staff. The fact it wasn't overrun with visitors only added to the appeal. 

And as for the rest of my family? I'll let my two-year-old answer for all of us. 

When we pulled into our driveway after our four hour journey back to Sydney, she burst into tears. 

"I missss myyyyy holiiiiidaaaay!" 

Same, girl. Same. 

Bonny Hills, we will be back. 

Emily and her family stayed as guests of Reflections Holiday Park Bonny Hills. The opinions expressed in this article are her own. 

Originally published as I thought I knew all the best places on the NSW coast for a family holiday. I was wrong