Beyond Sydney: A fisherman's cottage at MacMasters Beach

Twenty years ago when John and Anne Mulford were looking to retire from Lane Cove they fell in love with a rundown fisherman’s cottage built in 1927.

It needed some fixing up but the bones were good.

It was clad in rustic weatherboards, had timber floors and fronted Cochrane Lagoon a mere 200 metres from a beautiful Central Coast beach.

But before they could move into 51 Lakeside Drive, MacMasters Beach, the couple had to do some urgent repairs to make it livable. Ten years later, in 2006, they undertook a much bigger renovation, adding a second storey to create a self-contained one-bedroom unit with a bathroom and kitchenette. This has been used as a getaway by their three children and numerous grandchildren.

All up, the home now has three bedrooms and two bathrooms under the main roof, and a third bathroom and home office/guest bedroom above the standalone garage.

Jane Mulford, Anne and John’s eldest daughter, says her parents are very reluctant to sell but are moving back to Sydney to be closer to family.

“Mum has built a beautiful native garden in the front and she’s been a really avid local bush-care worker,” says Jane.

Anne established the MacMasters Beach Bushcare Group, which meets weekly to control weeds in the local area.

Meanwhile John, a former first-grade rugby player and a former senior vice-president and now one of less than 20 honorary life members of the NSW Rugby Union, became a Central Coast Rugby Union patron.

The Mulfords’ property is considered a local landmark because it was built by John MacMaster, then chief medical officer of the Port Jackson Quarantine Station at North Head. He named it Fort William after his ancestral home in Scotland.

It sits on 1035 square metres, and  has been meticulously landscaped over the last two decades.

The couple’s renovations have been sympathetic to the home’s original cottage feel and include a galvanised iron roof and weatherboard cladding on the exterior.

The property is for sale with hopes of about $1.8 million through One Agency Matthew Kidd (0417 230 732).

See more at domain.com.au/2013118749

26 Bay Road, Long Beach
Guide: $1.65 million
4 bed, 3 bath, 3 cars
Built 2006
Land 1208 square metres
Inspect By appointment
Raine & Horne Batemans Bay, 0413 934 745
See more at domain.com.au/2013072739

Just 10 years old, this waterfront property was designed by Canberra firm TT Architecture to make the most of the northerly aspect.

Downstairs large entertaining decks on the north and south sides of the house allow you to enjoy the climate year-round – taking in the warm sun in winter or sheltering from the heat in summer.

The dining, kitchen and entertainment spaces are all on the lower level, along with a media room and guest bedroom.

Upstairs is the master suite with a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite, as well as three more bedrooms and a third bathroom.

There is a sense of connection with the water thanks to plentiful windows and large bi-fold doors opening off the dining room towards the ocean.

23 North Point Avenue, Kingscliff
Guide: $1.75 million
4 bed, 4 bath, 3 cars
Built 2006
Land 694 square metres
Inspect By appointment
LS Properties, 0411 989 772
More at domain.com.au/2012665046

It’s not often the ceilings are timber but in the case of this northern NSW house, Tasmanian Myrtle employed overhead in the outdoor areas creates a striking beachy look.

It combines nicely too with the Sydney blue gum underfoot.

This 274-square-metre home is close to the beach and also offers a 12.5-metre wet-edge swimming pool set in low-maintenance landscaped gardens.

The Salt Village home is about a 2½-kilometre walk into the heart of Kingscliff, or a longer 10 kilometre drive. The village has its own amenities including Salt Surf Life Saving Club, a pub and a handful of small shops and cafes.

 

40 Fern Tree Lane, Palmdale
Guide: $3.4 million
8 bed, 6 bath, 12 cars
Built 1975; Renovated since 2009
Land 9.4 hectares
Inspect By appointment
Jennifer Aaron, 0418 440 653
More at domain.com.au/2013208444

In the seven years that they have owned Awaba, the vendors have upgraded the property – on the edge of the Ourimbah State Forest – from a bed and breakfast to a large tourism operation accommodating 32 guests.

This Central Coast retreat’s main homestead is on a hilltop and lends itself to a variety of uses – as a yoga retreat (its current purpose), bed and breakfast, or corporate getaway.

The main homestead faces north-east and has eight bedrooms and five bathrooms. In the lounge area is a cosy wood-burning fire and the kitchen is country-themed with a timber bench top and a walk-in pantry.

There is a huge recreation room that could be converted to a plethora of uses including a home gym or large kids indoor play area.

Outdoors, there’s pool with a spa, a sheltered Jacuzzi and outdoor showers. Also a wood-fired pizza oven.

255 Devitts Lane, Meroo Meadow
Guide: $6 million
6 bed, 6 bath, 4 cars
Built 2006
Land 40.56 hectares
Inspect Contact agent
South Coast Prestige Properties, 0421 449 846
More at domain.com.au/2013029200

Nestled on the side of a mountain in the pretty Shoalhaven is this home with beautiful views over the Tasman Sea to the east, Coolangatta Mountain and Seven Mile Beach to the north and Jervis Bay and beyond to the south.

Known as Hillsvale, this rural retreat’s design was influenced by a visit to the Guggenheim Museum. It has art nooks and its landscaped gardens include a large koi pond, which can be seen from the bedrooms.

The property is about 10 kilometres southwest of Berry.