10/10 Excellent
Brent A.
14 March 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Excellent house for large family or group
Brent A.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Entire home
🐚 Drift at Tea Gardens | 🛌 Sleeps 12 | 🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family | 🐾 Pet friendly | ⛳ Golf | 🐬🦅🦘🐨
Photo gallery for 🐚 Drift at Tea Gardens | 🛌 Sleeps 12 | 🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family | 🐾 Pet friendly | ⛳ Golf | 🐬🦅🦘🐨
Reviews
10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 1619.6 sq m
Popular amenities
Explore the area
Tea Gardens, NSW
- Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Bridge5 min drive
- d'Albora Marinas Nelson Bay66 min drive
- Nelson Head Lighthouse68 min drive
- Newcastle, NSW (NTL-Williamtown)47 min drive
Rooms & beds
5 bedrooms (sleeps 16)
Bedroom 1
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 3
1 Single Bunk Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed
Bedroom 4
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 5
1 Double Bed
Living Room 2
1 Single Bed
3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom
Bathroom 1
Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer
Bathroom 2
Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo
Bathroom 3
Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo
Bathroom 4
Soap · Towels provided · Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area
About this property
🐚 Drift at Tea Gardens | 🛌 Sleeps 12 | 🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family | 🐾 Pet friendly | ⛳ Golf | 🐬🦅🦘🐨
Welcome to Drift at Tea Gardens, an expansive, architect-designed sanctuary overlooking the Karuah River where it meets Port Stephens. Completed in 2024 and lovingly designed by its owner, this home is made for memorable weekends away – especially for large family gatherings, golf weekends, fishing or beach 4WD expeditions or to just drift and get away from the busy day to day lives we all lead these days.
Set across two levels, the home sleeps up to 12 guests in five beautifully appointed bedrooms, with multiple living spaces, a gourmet kitchen, and decks that invite you to soak up the views or fire up the BBQ.
Nature is quite literally at your doorstep. Wake to the sound of birds, spot dolphins playing in the river, and wander the mangrove beach teeming with marine life.
You will appreciate the tranquil conditions for catching up on quality sleep as well as plenty of star gazing opportunities on clear nights.
You're just a 3km flat bicycle ride from Tea Gardens village and a less than 10 minute drive to Hawks Nest’s iconic beaches. national parks and dunes.
Sleeping Configuration
Upstairs
Master Suite: King bed, ensuite with tub, private balcony with river views
Bedroom 2: Queen bed, adjacent to powder room
Downstairs
Bedroom 3: Queen bed
Bedroom 4: Queen bed
Bedroom 5: Queen + 2 Singles – ideal for kids or family group
Features & Amenities
Sleeps 12 across 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms
Open-plan living & indoor/outdoor entertaining
Designer kitchen with butler’s pantry & modern appliances
Smart TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi, games & books
Full laundry with washer and dryer
Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning throughout
Pet-friendly
Outdoor BBQ and firepit area
River access
Off-street parking
3 x bikes (and helmets)
2 x foam surfboards
1 x hammock
Location & Local Attractions
Bayview River Retreat is located on the tranquil foreshore of the Karuah River, with expansive views to Mount Yacaaba and Nelson Bay. Enjoy incredible sunsets and abundant local wildlife, including kangaroos, echidnas, dolphins, and birdlife galore. Within minutes you can:
Ride or stroll 3 km into Tea Gardens for coffee, shops, or the pub
Visit Two Fat Bakers for pastries or grab fish & chips by the ferry jetty
Drop into Tea Gardens Coop for fresh prawns and seafood
Hire kayaks or powerboats and explore the river
Catch the ferry to Nelson Bay
Take a 4WD adventure or sandboard the dunes at Dark Point
Hike Mount Yacaaba (2–2.5hr return, Grade 4 trail)
Light a driftwood fire on Jimmy’s Beach at sunset
Visit the Hunter Valley Providores (Saturdays)
Tee off at Hawks Nest Golf Club
Take a Yoga class in Hawks Nest Community Centre
Enjoy sundowners at the Surf Club (Fri & Sat nights)
Set across two levels, the home sleeps up to 12 guests in five beautifully appointed bedrooms, with multiple living spaces, a gourmet kitchen, and decks that invite you to soak up the views or fire up the BBQ.
Nature is quite literally at your doorstep. Wake to the sound of birds, spot dolphins playing in the river, and wander the mangrove beach teeming with marine life.
You will appreciate the tranquil conditions for catching up on quality sleep as well as plenty of star gazing opportunities on clear nights.
You're just a 3km flat bicycle ride from Tea Gardens village and a less than 10 minute drive to Hawks Nest’s iconic beaches. national parks and dunes.
Sleeping Configuration
Upstairs
Master Suite: King bed, ensuite with tub, private balcony with river views
Bedroom 2: Queen bed, adjacent to powder room
Downstairs
Bedroom 3: Queen bed
Bedroom 4: Queen bed
Bedroom 5: Queen + 2 Singles – ideal for kids or family group
Features & Amenities
Sleeps 12 across 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms
Open-plan living & indoor/outdoor entertaining
Designer kitchen with butler’s pantry & modern appliances
Smart TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi, games & books
Full laundry with washer and dryer
Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning throughout
Pet-friendly
Outdoor BBQ and firepit area
River access
Off-street parking
3 x bikes (and helmets)
2 x foam surfboards
1 x hammock
Location & Local Attractions
Bayview River Retreat is located on the tranquil foreshore of the Karuah River, with expansive views to Mount Yacaaba and Nelson Bay. Enjoy incredible sunsets and abundant local wildlife, including kangaroos, echidnas, dolphins, and birdlife galore. Within minutes you can:
Ride or stroll 3 km into Tea Gardens for coffee, shops, or the pub
Visit Two Fat Bakers for pastries or grab fish & chips by the ferry jetty
Drop into Tea Gardens Coop for fresh prawns and seafood
Hire kayaks or powerboats and explore the river
Catch the ferry to Nelson Bay
Take a 4WD adventure or sandboard the dunes at Dark Point
Hike Mount Yacaaba (2–2.5hr return, Grade 4 trail)
Light a driftwood fire on Jimmy’s Beach at sunset
Visit the Hunter Valley Providores (Saturdays)
Tee off at Hawks Nest Golf Club
Take a Yoga class in Hawks Nest Community Centre
Enjoy sundowners at the Surf Club (Fri & Sat nights)
Property manager
Mandy Hunt
Languages
English
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
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House Rules
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Events
Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Pets
Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
Please note that pre-approval required for pets
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 25
Long-term renters welcome
This property uses solar energy
Host has indicated that there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property, but there are gas appliances; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
Property Registration Number 2324, PID-STRA-71749
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
About the area
Tea Gardens
Located in Tea Gardens, this holiday home is on a river. Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Bridge and Heritage Light House Cottage are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Corrie Island Nature Reserve and Jean Shaw Koala Reserve. Travelling with kids? Consider Pelican Park and Fly Point Marine Reserve.
Tea Gardens, NSW
What's nearby
- Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Bridge - 5 min drive - 3.5 km
- Nelson Bay Golf Club - 65 min drive - 82.8 km
- d'Albora Marinas Nelson Bay - 66 min drive - 83.4 km
- West Nelson Bay - 66 min drive - 84.3 km
- Nelson Head Lighthouse - 68 min drive - 85.2 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- Hook N Cook - 4 min drive
- Blueys - 65 min drive
- Bub's Fish & Chips - 65 min drive
- Little Nel Cafe - 65 min drive
- Cafe on the Bay - 65 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window9.0/10
Cleanliness
10/10
Check-in
10/10
Communication
9.0/10
Location
10/10
Listing accuracy
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Margaret K.
25 April 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a fabulous get away!
Margaret K.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025
About the host
Hosted by Mandy Hunt
I am from Sydney's Northern Beaches but fell in love with the area of Hawks Nest Tea Gardens 20 years ago. We have been holidaying in the area ever since and decided to build our own holiday home after finding many of the properties we rented through local agents were not up to scratch and holiday rental prices started to rise and rival other coastal hotspots like Blueys Beach and Forster.
Drift was designed during the pandemic and it was completed in May 2024. It has been designed specifically for large multi generation families to soend quality time together in a modern comfortable holiday home in an area that is one of the NSW coasts best kept secrets.
Drift was designed during the pandemic and it was completed in May 2024. It has been designed specifically for large multi generation families to soend quality time together in a modern comfortable holiday home in an area that is one of the NSW coasts best kept secrets.
Why they chose this property
Bayview Road (also known as Limekilns) is historically associated with oyster farming. The area was known for its oyster industry, and the lime kilns were used to process oyster shells, which were a byproduct of the oyster farming process. The piles of oyster shells left in Aboriginal middens were mined by early settlers as a source of lime for mortar.
The general area of Tea Gardens was occupied by the Worimi Aborigines prior to white settlement. The first Europeans to work in the area were timbergetters who took an interest in the forests (mostly red cedar) along the Myall River early in the 19th century. The timber was hauled by bullock train to mills, then carted by punt downriver. Ships bound for Newcastle and Sydney picked up the timber, unloading the stone they carried for ballast on the banks of the river, much of it being used in the construction of the rock walls which can still be seen today.
The Australian Agricultural Company arrived in the area in 1826 and it was reputedly their failed attempts to grow tea there which underscored the name Tea Gardens, although another account suggests it was the tea-tree in the area. At any rate it seems Chinese assistants were employed as advisors in the endeavour and they also acted as gardeners growing vegetables for the company settlements. The mouth of the Myall was traversed by punt until a ferry service was established in 1928, replaced by the bridge in 1974
Hawks Nest became a prominent holiday destination primarily in the 1950s. The town's development as a service center for local industries, particularly fishing and timber, preceded this period. While initial land grants in the area occurred in the late 1800s, with sawmilling operations in the 1870s, the area's focus on tourism really took off after World War II due to post-war affluence and the construction of an Art Deco style pavilion in 1937.
The general area of Tea Gardens was occupied by the Worimi Aborigines prior to white settlement. The first Europeans to work in the area were timbergetters who took an interest in the forests (mostly red cedar) along the Myall River early in the 19th century. The timber was hauled by bullock train to mills, then carted by punt downriver. Ships bound for Newcastle and Sydney picked up the timber, unloading the stone they carried for ballast on the banks of the river, much of it being used in the construction of the rock walls which can still be seen today.
The Australian Agricultural Company arrived in the area in 1826 and it was reputedly their failed attempts to grow tea there which underscored the name Tea Gardens, although another account suggests it was the tea-tree in the area. At any rate it seems Chinese assistants were employed as advisors in the endeavour and they also acted as gardeners growing vegetables for the company settlements. The mouth of the Myall was traversed by punt until a ferry service was established in 1928, replaced by the bridge in 1974
Hawks Nest became a prominent holiday destination primarily in the 1950s. The town's development as a service center for local industries, particularly fishing and timber, preceded this period. While initial land grants in the area occurred in the late 1800s, with sawmilling operations in the 1870s, the area's focus on tourism really took off after World War II due to post-war affluence and the construction of an Art Deco style pavilion in 1937.
What makes this property unique
Bayview River Retreat is a quality contemporary coastal home in a unique off the beat track location in Tea Gardens (but very close to the local town and community). It's incredibly peaceful with almost no traffic passing.
You can SUP, Kyak and fish directly off the front of the property. You will be spotting nature and wildlife day and night and enjoy whisper quiet evenings for deep sleep.
The firepit will be a favourite and a place to gather in the afternoon evening.
You can SUP, Kyak and fish directly off the front of the property. You will be spotting nature and wildlife day and night and enjoy whisper quiet evenings for deep sleep.
The firepit will be a favourite and a place to gather in the afternoon evening.
Languages:
English
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