About
A lifetime’s love of horses, dogs and the ocean have uniquely combined to bring Sea Horse Diamond Beach to life.
We’ve lived here in our chosen piece of Australian coastal country paradise for over 40 years now. And it’s our love of all things horses for me (Dianne) and all things ocean for Chris, that brings us such joy and pleasure living here and that we so enjoy sharing with you, our guests (2 and 4 legged).
It was after seeing me coming home glowing (yet again) after riding on the beach with my friends, that Chris first suggested creating a horse (and dog of course) friendly holiday home. But it wasn’t until our youngest son had headed off to Uni in the Big Smoke (aka Sydney) that the idea really started to take shape and the business take off.
Sea Horse Diamond Beach is now acknowledged as THE very best pet friendly holiday accommodation in New South Wales – winning multiple awards for excellence in local and regional tourism and business. And every time we enter, the awards and accolades keep coming;
* 2016 – North Coast Tourism Awards Silver – Self Contained Accommodation
* 2016 – NSW Tourism Awards – Silver – Self Contained Accommodation
* 2017 – 5 Paws Award as NSWs Best Dog-Friendly Holiday Accommodation!
* 2019 – Mid Coast Business Award – Excellence in Tourism & Hospitality
* 2021 – NSW Tourism Awards – Silver – Accessible Tourism
* 2021 – Stevie International Awards – Women in Business
* 2022 – Australian Rural & Regional Awards – Silver – Positive Impact
We invite you (and your precious 4 legged family members) to come, stay and experience what makes Sea Horse Diamond Beach so very special and enjoy some wonderful Diamond Beach magic for yourselves, very soon.
Warm regards,
Dianne
PS: In case you’re still curious, there’s a little more info about each of us below!
Chris
Ocean Loving, Craftsman
Passionate about everything ocean related, Chris is the person to talk to for guests wanting to know anything ocean related.
From diving, surfing (Chris’s particular obsession!) and rock/beach/deep sea fishing Chris will be able to head you in the right direction. You might even get him talking and he’ll regale you with tall (but true!) tales from his years on and around the ocean, his time spent professional fishing and his adventures exploring the local area.
Chris’s been a ‘crazy’ rock fisherman, started the Dolphin & Whale Watching industry in the local area, a professional hand line fisherman, a NSW Tourism Award winning Charter Boat Fishing operator (‘Ocean Adventures’ operating out of Tuncurry and featured on Channels 9’s Getaway) and a Tuna Long Line fisherman – fishing up and down the NSW east coast and up to 150 miles out to sea at a time! He’s even represented Australia at international industry seabird and turtle protection conferences. Diamond Beach is his most favourite place in the world and he knows all the special spots to experience (and he’s happy to share that knowledge with our guests too – ask him about the Australia Cave).
Chris has a lifetime of experience in the building industry and personally undertook the lengthy renovations that have made Sea Horse Diamond Beach the beautiful home that it is today (and that you’ll enjoy when you’re here) – right down to the handmade driftwood shower screen in the main bedroom ensuite and the unique handbuilt (it’s almost a ‘lost art’) spectacular stone open fireplace in the lounge room.
Chris was also the builder of our beautiful wheelchair accessible holiday home, Seafarers Diamond Beach. Seafarers provides genuinely accessible accommodation for guests of all abilities and is both wheelchair friendly and dog friendly. It’s located just 400m from the dog friendly beach, in the little village of Diamond Beach itself.
Say g’day to him if you see him on the beach – he’ll be the bloke walking the lovely Dobermans.
Dianne
Horse Happy, Crafty Upcycler
It’s everything horses, horses and more horses that makes Dianne’s eyes light up and sparkle. And horse riding on the beach with your own special horse is guaranteed to get your eyes sparkling too!
A horse lover from ‘forever’ (her parents are still waiting for her to ‘grow out of it!), horses are Diannes’ grand passion and one that has permeated every aspect of her life – and now she gets to share those horse delights with you!
With her own 2 beloved Arabian geldings (Spirit and Khalif) Dianne’s been happy to try her hand at most horsey things – trail riding, mountain trail, team penning, endurance, working equitation, showing, natural horsemanship, dressage – whatever sounds like fun! She and Chris have even ridden across the Kenyan Masai Mara on a Globetrotting horse riding safari! (Yep, it was Totally Ahhhmazing!).
Want to talk horses? Dianne’s the person to talk to. Dianne is an experienced Equine (and Human) Natural Therapist – specialising in Bowen Therapy. Bit unsure about travelling your horse longer distances? Dianne can share with you some comforting suggestions and recommendations from her experiences travelling her own horses and welcoming horse guests from all over New South Wales and Queensland.
Dianne’s the one behind the coastal/country decor at both Sea Horse Diamond Beach and Seafarers Diamond Beach and loves exploring op shops, general sales and the like, for ‘found treasures’ to bring home and upcycle.
Her own art and craft handiwork can also be found throughout Sea Horse in the form of handmade, colourful quilts, crafts, artwork and silk paintings.
Dianne’s usually the person you’ll talk to at the end of the phone and, if you’re arriving with your horses for your own horse friendly holiday, she’ll be there to meet you when you arrive, to answer any questions and help you get those precious horses settled in. She’s also been known to ‘have her arm twisted’ to head out beach horse riding with guests, who may feel they need some initial confidence building with their horse on the beach – her own horse Khalif is an old hand at it. And horse riding on the beach is something she (and you) will never get tired of. It’s a truly special experience. Come, enjoy it for yourself.
Thanks Dianne, it was sheer pleasure and indulgence to stay in your beautiful property. You are the 'hostess with the mostess' leaving us nothing to want for.
Annette McMahon
