Bush and beach retreat near Sydney, Australia
Nearest gay scene is 25 km away
Bundeena Village, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
House sleeps 4, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
My home is a comfortable, tranquil, light-filled and well-equipped cottage in a sleepy beach village, Bundeena, an hour from the city centre. 2 double bedrooms plus a study/library with sofa-bed, a smart new kitchen, and an open plan living/dining area filled with original art. 3 minutes from a tranquil swimming beach, it is not a waterfront property, but has a pleasant verandah with a gas barbeque and bush views. The house has all the usual facilities, including wireless broadband internet, a great library of art, design and other books, and a basement artist's studio (useful if you're an artist). A sunny garden deck/loggia with a comfortable day bed has a well-equipped laundry/second bathroom attached.
It is a warm and welcoming house that lends itself to casual entertainment, has cutlery/crockery for 16, and plenty of trestle tables and spare chairs for larger gatherings in the garden.
This is a great refuge from the hustle and bustle, and would suit those that want the best of both worlds - i.e. access to the city, combined with a tranquil, safe and natural beach village setting, and the opportunity to explore further afield.
The village of Bundeena has a population of about 2000 people, and is in effect a southern suburb of Sydney, although it feels a world away. It is a somewhat bohemian community, home to a number of artists and writers, with a well-known monthly 'Art Trail'. Many gays and lesbians live or have second homes in the village.
Local dining and entertainment options consist of a 3 cafes (daytime) and 2 social club/pub/restaurants which welcome non-members. There is a 7-day supermarket and a service station, as well as a post-office. The bright lights of central Sydney, Australia's largest and most cosmopolitan city, with an extremely lively gay scene, are an hour away by road, or by ferry and train. Sydney offers all the cultural excitement of any big city, and of course the G&L Mardi Gras Festival from February into March.
Bundeena is on a beautiful and largely undeveloped ocean estuary, with a range of clean and unspoilt beaches within a 10-minute walk, and surrounded by the vast and beautiful Royal National Park, with native animals, bush and cliff walks, surf beaches, kayaking and other expeditions all nearby. Further south are the south coast beaches and hamlets, and easy access to the southern highlands(1.5 hrs), Canberra (3 hours) and further afield. A car is desirable but not essential, and car exchange is an option but not a requirement. It is about 45 minutes by road from Sydney Airport and a taxi would cost about AU$80 (US$70 ).
I am a 54-year-old professional, and run a boutique graphic design studio in Sydney, as well as being a writer and artist.
Seeking a 2+-bedroom apartment or house in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, between Dec - May, annually. Wireless internet is a must. Open to other interesting and unusual offers.
Reviews from other users
David is wonderful man who made our stay in Australia much more memorable than it would have been had we not met and stayed with him.
We stayed for ten days before he returned to the house, then stayed on several days to get to know him when he returned from overseas.
His home is filled with his paintings and art by artists he knows. The open main level plan makes for a wonderful place to hang out, eat, drink, and chat. We had memorable meals with David and friends on his lovely terrace. We "met" on Skype while we were still in the U.S. What fun to chat with David on his terrace for morning coffee with palm trees in the background while we were just getting ready for bed in the U.S.
Home Around the World opened the door to a lifelong freind for us.
Bruce and Dharma Cambridge MA/ Miami Beach Florida
Bruce stayed in Mar 2011| Name: | David (Gay male) |
| Listing # | 1009 |
| Member since: | Aug 24 2009 |
| Expiry: | Aug 24 2014 |
| Occupation: | Creative Director |
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| Languages: | English, Français (un peu), Español (poco) |
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| Interested in: |
Home exchange Open to suggestions House sitting offered Friendship & networking Hospitality exchange Non-simultaneous exchange Room exchange |
| Preferred dates: |
Dec 17 '11 - Jan 28 '12 Open to offers |
| Preferred duration: | 3-4 weeks |
| Preferred destinations: |
Puerto Vallarta Havana Open to offers |