My family has been coming here for over 60 years. It started as a couple of old Railway huts but it grew with extensions over the years as all the best cribs do. It's now a nice jumble of rooms, with all the basic requirements and quite comfortable but with lots of charm. It's an old school New Zealand holiday home really, but with a brand new roof, a new gas hot water system and shower, a new water tank and a heat pump. We're still working on bits and pieces but it's a fantastic place to relax and unwind. There are eight beds but it's not big and it would be a pretty tight fit to actually have eight people in the place; four or five would be ideal.
The location is pretty special; on the main street of Pounawea and just up from the beach front, the river, and the stand of native bush in the camping ground next store (accessible to the public). It was the fabulous fishing in this area that first attracted my grandfather to the place and that is still the case. But it also offers a great central location for exploring the Catlins, with the last surviving remnants of New Zealand's east coast rain forests, hidden valleys and waterfalls, remote townships and spectacular coastal cliffs and beaches. The weather is amazingly variable; don't count on constant sun even in summer, but it changes so much that some interesting weather is always on the way. This is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle and just enjoy the peace and quiet of one of the Catlins most beautiful spots.
Owaka township is just 5 minutes away by car and has excellent cafes, a museum and a Four Square supermarket open seven days a week 8am til 7pm.
Please note, no pets. A few renters seem to have missed this condition. A recent renter suggested we explain that the fridge/freezer is turned off when the crib is not occupied. This means it will take a few hours before it is at chill/freezing temperature in case you bring food that needs immediate storage.
In the Kiwi bach tradition you are expected to: Clean the house and do the dishes before you leave; Bring your own linen (towels/sheets/tea towels).
Finally, when making a booking request please provide full details of who is coming and what for, especially if you are new to the site and don't have a booking track record. The booking site only gives us 24 hours to confirm acceptance but we always need to be sure about you before accepting a booking request so will ask for these details if you don't provide them.