Hawkesbury holiday house Calabash Bay Lodge by Wild Luxury a laidback escape
Absolute waterfront and seclusion await at a NSW luxury holiday house accessed only by the river.
Kookaburras are chuckling and circling as I perch on the upper deck of Calabash Bay
Lodge beside Berowra Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney. The rising sun is softly unveiling the shapes of boats at anchor and the forms of high slopes and clumped trees. As I watch this mesmerising reveal, the kookas take off, their raucous laughter replaced by a soundtrack of water slapping gently against the jetty. Such is this holiday home’s fortuitous location on a prow-like point of the waterway that it feels as if imaginary moorings could be loosened at any moment and off we would sail down the strait, with the scary prospect of me as captain on the bridge. But then my husband appears and inquires about the coffee I promised him 30 minutes ago. He is befuddled by the espresso machine. Back to earth.
This property is a member of Kim Ellis’s boutique Wild Luxury portfolio and all details are as beautifully conceived and thoughtfully arranged as at Crane Lodge, its Palm Beach counterpart, which also enjoys a lofty situation and bird’s-eye views. But while the latter is reached by road and inclinator, Calabash Bay Lodge is water-access only, as are its neighbours, although floatplanes do skim in, too, like giant pelicans. To stay here is to become attuned to the ebb and flow of river life and to wonder, if only momentarily, just how convivial it would be to get a marine licence and buy a cheap shack to fix up. But as Sydneysiders well know, that real estate ship of dreams has sailed.
Lodge manager Manny Affarian, who also runs Secret Dining catering, has picked us up from Berowra’s marina to zoom across in the lodge runabout, use of which is included in the tariff and it’s relatively simple to handle for sightseeing jaunts. Manny lives “around the corner” or, as we all laugh, “around the bend”, and he’ll be back to prepare dinner.
Most guests prefer to self-cater or fire up the Weber but we know Manny from a Crane Lodge stay last year and it’s a treat to have him in the kitchen, not just for excellent food but his observations about local life and deep knowledge of history and landscape. Manny points the way up a bouldery track behind the lodge to the remnants of a long-abandoned hotel site and talks of nearby bays with names as evocative as Neverfail and Dusthole.
Outdoorsy people would find much to do on and around the river but our stay is brief, a little lazy, and at the peril of forecast storms, which luckily ease to just damp and drizzle.
As with all holiday house getaways, such indoors weather means old-fashioned lolling about, an afternoon nap, board games (yes to Trivial Pursuit), and reading in nooks just made for curling up with a thick novel. All the communal areas face the river, including furnished decks, and wide windows offer IMAX-worthy views. The three-storey home features a master bedroom with ensuite on the top level, plus a double and twin with shared bathroom. Downstairs is another ensuite double, discreetly tucked off the kitchen and dining spaces. All are well kitted out in a palette of soft greys, blues, charcoal and sand, in tune with Ellis’s similar Crane Lodge decor, and brightened throughout with original art. Key pieces on the main level include a striking Joshua Yeldham artwork titled Love Owl in concert with a bold fan-shaped fibre “wall sculpture” by Tracey Deep. Woollen rugs by NZ firm Stansborough, natural hemp mats and sheepskins dot the honey-coloured spotted gum floors; soft throws and quilted cushions are in generous supply, and knitted Bemboka dressing gowns make for perfect lounging attire.
Shiny surfaces reflect the rippled water beyond and spangled light patterns cascade from handwoven shades. A massive L-shaped lounge facing the Apple TV (loaded with apps) creates the feel of a tiny theatrette. I put in an order to the husband for drinks at interval, even if only a spurt of chilled sparkling water from the nifty mixer tap.
It’s a long way from the old notion of a holiday house, with hand-me-down furniture and basic kitchens. Here you have the latest in (multiple) dishwashers, fridge, oven, stove-top, storage and marble work surfaces, even a cocktail service area. Best-in-show brands figure among the ample supplies of glassware and crockery. It’s a kitchen of catalogue perfection but not intimidating, even if there are so many cupboards and drawers that “find the sea salt” becomes almost a parlour game.
Carole Whiting Studio conceived a cohesive new design look for the interiors in a 2020 upgrade and the finishes and thoughtful elements are superb, right down to a small set of wooden steps to “board” the high window-side tub in the main bathroom, so all aspects of the panorama can be spied while soaking.
Our stay slides along at a slow clip. There’s time to appreciate the natural environment of weathered sandstone, jacarandas, ferns, eucalypts, gums, and casuarinas with boughs drooped low to the water. Azure kingfishers flit pass. I spot what looks like a white-bellied sea eagle soaring high. An informal survey of passing “traffic” reveals cabin cruisers, tinnies, houseboats towing dinghies, scurrying sailboats, speedboats and punts. Stashed undercover down by the jetty, safety jackets, single and tandem kayaks, double canoe, SUPs, paddleboards, crab pot and fishing gear await.
On our last morning, I sit in the pale sun by the water’s edge, count the number of mullet
leaping and plopping, and update my notes. “Manny showed us an Indigenous rock carv-
ing of a fish … Need to re-read Kate Grenville’s The Secret River and People of the River by Grace Karskens … Maps show places with names as evocative as Lyrebird Gully and Fishponds Waterhole, Pumpkin Point and Friendly Bay … I’m really not ready to
leave.”
ESSENTIALS
Berowra Waters is about an hour north of the Sydney CBD by road. Calabash Bay Lodge accommodates a maximum eight guests. Three-night packages across Friday, Saturday and Sunday offer 50 per cent off the third night. Until July 31 inclusive, there’s 20 per cent off, school and public holidays excepted. From $1166 a night Mon-Thurs and $1200 a night (minimum two nights) Fri-Sun.
TO-DO LIST
Explore The lodge is bounded by Marramarra, Ku-ring-gai Chase and Berowra Valley national parks. Download the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service app for maps and essential info on this broader region.
Stock up Driving instructions are provided in advance to guests, including where to park for arrival and water transfer. For extra catering supplies, call into Berowra Waters Marina (tie up the lodge boat at the adjacent jetty or public wharf) or drive 10 minutes up the gully to Berowra Village.
DineBerowra Waters Inn opens for lunch Thursday-Sunday and dinner Friday and Saturday (reservations essential) and offers complimentary barge transfers for lodge guests. The legendary waterfront restaurant, now helmed by head chef and owner Brian Geraghty, serves a terrific six-course seasonal degustation menu with drink pairings; prepare to linger.
Enjoy A strip of sandy beach appears at low tide just around the left river-facing side of Calabash Bay Lodge; it’s a lovely spot to take the runabout for a picnic and paddle.
Susan Kurosawa was a guest of Wild Luxury
