Backwoods Refuge Sunset Chalet

One of two beautiful mudbrick cottages close to the Shoalhaven River, Seven Mile Beach and Berry ... just two hours south of Sydney ... five acres, overlooking river flats and Coolangatta Mountain ... walk to a winery!

The self-contained Cottage has a nice open living area with a full equipped kitchen and a terrace with a BBQ. There is a queen-sized bed in one bedroom, a double and a single in the other bedroom and a single in the loft which is up top of the living room. The bathroom has a hot shower.

The cottages were built along passive solar principles. Most of the windows face north to let in the winter sun and there are wide eaves to block out the summer sun. Mudbricks give the cottages a high thermal mass to store heat and smooth out the day-night temperature variation. There is a gas heater in the living room for the extra chilly or cloudy days and fans help to cool down on hot summer days.

In between the cottages is a large games room where your children and you can play foozball or table-tennis, have a barbecue or just relax with a book. Enjoy the view from the terrace of each cottage and spott a beautiful bird.

Or say hi to our two friendly sheep Coco and Mama and our chooks.

Across the street from the end of our driveway is a delightfully quiet place to dangle a line into Broughton Creek, or walk a few hundred metres to its confluence with the Shoalhaven River. Just down the road is a boat ramp.

Put your canoe into Broughton Creek, paddle out into the middle of the Shoalhaven River and over to Numbaa Island. Canoe around it and be astounded by the variety and number of waterbirds. Or take part in the annual Bridge to Bridge regatta from the bridge on Coolangatta Road near Berry.

Walk along the creek, over the hill, up Coolangatta mountain, and far far away. Or just around the property looking for the endangered, green and golden bell frog. Bring your binoculars to look for Black Shouldered Kites, Wedge Tailed or Sea eagles and pelicans. One of our favourite walks is to Drawing Room Rocks, near Berry. Only a 15 minutes walk from here is Two Figs Winery - the view of the Shoalhaven River flowing from the mountains to the sea is spectacular.

One of the many delightful local drives is a circuit past Cambewarra Lookout, through Kangaroo Valley to the historic Hampden Bridge, over the mountains again to Berry, along Beach Road to Seven-Mile Beach, past Coolangatta winery and then back home again. The drive can be done in an hour, but why not take a picnic lunch and make a day of it?

Only 40 minutes away is Huskisson where you can take Dolphin cruises any time of year. And a few kilometres from there is Hyams Beach, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records for the world's whitest sands. In between are a number of beautiful calm beaches which are suitable for swimming and snorkelling.

Seven Mile Beach, Jervis Bay and Morton National Parks are all within half an hour's drive, so whether you like to explore nature near the surf, still water or the mountains, you will not be disappointed.

Now open every Sunday, Bundanon was Arthur Boyd's home. His studio is set up the way he left it and it doesn't take much imagination to visualise him there, painting the beautiful vistas of his beloved Shoalhaven. Book first at the Information Centre on (02) 4421 0778