Forresters Beach: A serene escape on the NSW Central Coast
Many people think of the towns of Avoca, Terrigal and The Entrance for a getaway but this seaside hamlet is an even better option.
All is marine and serene just after dawn at an ocean-facing holiday home across from Forresters Beach on the NSW Central Coast. Out on the front deck, coffee in hand and bathrobe pulled close in a brisk sea breeze, I realise I’ve yet to look up the meaning of Santai, the name chosen by the owners, one of whom I later discover is Balinese. But meantime, Google to the rescue and I learn it translates to relax in Bahasa Indonesian. What a cosy discovery to make on a golden morning with rows of Norfolk pines standing tall, cottonwool clouds moving like galleons, and kookaburras chortling away.
Forresters Beach isn’t the best-known destination on the Central Coast. Throw out names such as Avoca, Terrigal and The Entrance and there’ll be more instant recognition. Sydneysiders have been heading north to such places, for summer hols in particular, through many generations. I live lower down the coast at Killcare, my late father was ensconced at Long Jetty, which he always called Longevity, and maybe he wasn’t far off the mark as he made it to 93, not out. Days before he passed, he commented his near-century was better than most innings by the Australian cricket team’s batsmen of the era. But Forresters? It’s set snug between Wamberal and Bateau Bay and although any original beach shacks are endangered, it feels coastal, not suburban, with lookouts such as Crackneck Point along the way and wild little beaches featuring names as beguiling as Spoon Bay.
Santai looms over a short, steep gated driveway; there’s a triple garage and then three levels connected by two easily navigable staircases. Distil the palette and it’s seaside blue and white, with soft greys and greens, pale timbers and a pretty pattern of palms on a wallpapered vestibule. Property manager Madeline Little advises that Marty from Studio Wright design firm in Sydney’s Balmain East styled the look according to the owners’ vision, dubbing it “casual elegance on the coast”.
Built in the early 2000s, and made available for holiday rentals in 2021 after a complete transformation, it’s now a member of the Stayz portfolio. Santai is rather upside down in layout, obviously to maximise the view, with a big and comprehensively equipped kitchen on the top level. There’s a Vintec-style bar fridge, quality china and cutlery, kid-friendly dinnerware and high chair. Add a massive Nespresso machine with a huge supply of capsules and imagine a huge roar of approval, at least from me. No space feels cramped and the entertainment area’s big wall-mounted TV features an array of apps that can be watched without passwords, which is a grown-up approach, unlike many other holiday properties. Wi-fi, too, is free and fast. Sofas invite a lot of lolling.
Sleeping arrangements cover five bedrooms, accommodating 12, including a bunk room for kids. At first I find the positions of bathrooms baffling and keep opening random doors that sometimes lead to closets; in the end, I realise there are three, but only one with a tub. Dining settings each seat 12; one is on the top level with ocean and horizon views. We perch up there with pies from local legend Brown Sugar Bakery and treats from the Terrigal branch of Sonoma. Think: cinnamon scrolls, Portuguese egg tarts, almond croissants. Add the presence of steely-eyed birds eyeing off the crumbs.
There’s no discounting the generosity of facilities, the choice of aircon or ceiling fans, and the presence of good pump-pack bathroom unguents. King and queen beds are hugely comfortable, with squashy pillows, mattress toppers and quality linen. Artworks in pastel shades cover motifs such as seascapes, shells and sails, all well-selected and positioned.
The only real negative is that the rear yard, with its sun loungers, seating, circular 3m-deep pool and barbecue grill, is overlooked by neighbours, albeit from a fair distance. Nonetheless, it doesn’t feel particularly private.
So once back indoors, avert your eyes, as I do, across those mighty pines and over the sands and into the wide blue yonder.
Eat
At Meribella in the Crowne Plaza, Terrigal. Sit in the conservatory-style bar area (nab a window-side perch for beach views) and go for the noon-9pm Small Bites menu (brioche bun with prawns is a highlight) and a Strawberry Summer mocktail with berries, lychees and mint leaves.
Shop
Terrigal is home to a surprising array of excellent women’s clothing stores, including SukiSu and Ellery and Moss, plus pretty interior design items at Niche Home & Living. Drift Home and Living on Forresters Road is a well-established repository of coastal-inspired homewares, clothing and accessories.
Explore
Distillery Botanica in Erina offers garden tours, gin-distilling workshops and cocktail-making classes, or hang out amid the plantings on the Bar Botanica terrace and get stuck into Botanical Rambler and Hibiscus Clover Club mixes, delicious cheese platters, chunky pies from local maker Shhmoakesy’s, and what could well be the Central Coast’s best espressos.
Walk
It’s three minutes on foot to Forresters Beach; 13 minutes to Avoca and 20 minutes to Terrigal. The Coast Walking Track near Bateau Bay in Wyrrabalong National Park is a popular bushwalking trail. It’s 3km one-way, with seasonal wildflowers and whale sightings.
Essentials
Midweek dates from May to August from $1250 a night; two nights minimum.
Susan Kurosawa was a guest of Stayz.
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