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Description
Kookaburra Hill is a contemporary architect-designed solar passive house on 5 acres - just 700 metres to Kangaroo Valley village.
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The house is set on a long hillside and is back far from the road (200 metres) and the double glazing and thick gum forest means you do not hear anything. You feel "away" from it all and can wake up gazing at Wedding Cake Mountain and the restful country mountains and hillsides. There are 2 acres of gardens with over 400 heritage roses which bloom all year and lawns in the front of the house, a salt-water in-ground heated pool behind the house with the best view of the surrounding valley and mountains, a one acre home paddock up above the pool with a large grass terrace perfect for a game and more than 2 acres of bushland on the hill above Kookaburra Hill.
It has a purpose-built 3-bedroom self contained guest accommodation with a private entrance which is part of a large country house. It sleeps up to 5 adult guests or 6 guests including children who have Kookaburra Hill for their exclusive use. No one else will use the pool while you are here. The accommodation and the main residence are under the one roof but are separated by a hallway with 2 lockable doors and are quite separate with different entrances and no common areas or facilities - the right side of the house in the main picture of Kookaburra Hill facing the mountains is the accommodation. Guests privacy is respected at all times by the owner who is not far away if you have a question.
The suite has its own Daikin fully ducted reverse cycle AC and hot water systems. Relax into soft Bay Leather Republic leather lounges in the living room facing the pool garden and enjoy the HD TV with DVD player and library. You have your own stainless steel outdoor kitchen to cook up a great meal between your living room and the solar heated in-ground salt water pool. Families and children are welcome - come and stretch out and enjoy the quiet solitude and acres of lawns and natural bushland. There are stunning mountain views from the water and cabana.
Special rates are offered for families with children over 2 years and not yet turned 14 years ($30 pn) and discounts are available for families in the school holidays with all high school students @ $30 pn child rate.
Kookaburra Hill has luxury bedding and linen in two queen and one twin single bedrooms (king single and trundle) with luxury linen, fine goose-down or wool duvets and soft towels. The full bathroom has a corner spa with views of the pool. There is a kitchenette with a small gas cooktop, microwave, refrigerator and all you need to prepare and serve meals indoors. The outdoor kitchen has an ILVE gas and electric cooktop, large sink, refrigerator and dishwasher and table and chairs for 6 people. The garden features pesticide-free fresh fruit and vegetables in a mandala garden with a rotating chook tractor. Always herbs for guests to eat including many mints to make herbal teas. The volcanic soil that washes down from the hills above Kookaburra Hill produces fruit, vegetables and eggs, with the most amazing taste. Eggs and vegetables are regularly sold to locals as well as guests.
The self catering rate does not include breakfast but staples are provided as well as a selection of teas and plunger coffee. In addition there will be a complimentary platter of scones baked fresh with home made berry jam and fresh whipped cream when you arrive and a large stack of buttermilk pancakes with lemon and maple syrup (and berries when they are in season) for one breakfast which will be delivered to your door hot at a time of your choice. There will also be chocolates from the Treat Factory in Berry (best Belgian chocolate) on arrival. The berries are mainly boysenberries and raspberries (but also blackberries, blueberries, mulberries and youngberries are planted for 2013 season) grown in an organic manner at Kookaburra Hill. A large bowl of perfumed roses are also included (the roses bloom all year here although in August I sometimes have to include some jonquils and camellias to bulk out the roses). Children of any age can always help me collect eggs with a complimentary half dozen eggs for all guests and more for longer stays. After your first breakfast of pancakes it is easy to stroll a few hundred metres to the local grocery to pick up provisions such as some deli items as well as the famous Berry Sourdough Woodfired bread which is delivered every day except Sunday and Monday and there is also an IGA store nearby. I will advise how you can order local meat to be delivered or where you can pick this up on your way down. Dine and cook indoors, or cook in your private alfresco dining area or stroll to one of 7 nearby cafes or restaurants.
Special baking can be organised in advance such as a platter of a dozen profiteroles made that day, filled with fresh cream and topped with a Belgian chocolate ganache or a Sachertorte cake baked by your host for a special occasion. Cakes can also be made or ordered through the local bakery and your host will advise.
The property has about 17 pet chickens who more than free range - they love to do cross country training over several acres seeking the tastiest worm or green produce and produce the most delicious eggs or maybe it is just the amazing soil that makes them taste so different. There is a bantam rooster, so the noise is not very loud. There are sometimes baby chicks with resident Pekin bantam chooks, Precious, Moth and Nana Speck who are rotated through the 5 garden beds as the crops are eaten. They are friendly and can be fed by children although they can be timid. Fully grown chicks for sale once their sex is known but only to homes with the right facilities and intentions.
There have been 6 horses that have lived at Kookaburra Hill, one of which was bred here. They have all gone to the happiest of homes where they can be ridden as horses should. From time to time there may be a horsey visitor and there are horses on the adjoining property to gaze at from your deck. Guests are able to bring their horse on holiday with them as Kookaburra Hill is well set up for horses. Discuss this option with the owner.
House-trained dogs with a current vaccination record and flea/tick treatment prior to visit are welcome. An outside dog 150% secure area is provided in your outdoor kitchen and dining area outside your living room which is cement and has a pool fence (with pickets close enough to contain the tiniest dogs) and so when the gate is closed, it is escape proof for all dogs so your friend can be contained safely when and if required. Your dog can also come and sit on your deck at your front entrance but dogs are not allowed inside the accommodation without discussion with the owner and this applies only to small dogs. The front 2 acres are fenced with chicken wire to 900 metres and are 95% escape proof (a dog would need to dig to get out). The front 2 acres of park-like lawns are perfect for dogs to enjoy their bone arrival present as well as games and it is great for dog owners as these acres are securely fenced which wraps around to include the guest suite entrance and outdoor dining area. Two acres of natural bush land at the rear of the house is for you to explore but is not open to dogs for the sake of resident poultry and wildlife. Stroll to dog-friendly cafes and it is an easy drive to dog-friendly beaches.
Wallaroos occasionally come into the bushy paddock from the mobs that live on the hills above Kookaburra Hill - you can drive up and see these roos at dusk or dawn. At times of dry weather when the aquifers are dry the roos come down to drink from the old horse trough on the hill. Sometimes wombats or echidnas walk around too.
Features
Airconditioning, Swimming Pool, Washing Machine
- Airconditioning
- Cooking Facilities
- Cot
- DVD library
- Dishwasher
- Eco-Friendly
- Free WiFi
- High chair
- In-house Movies/Videos
- Ironing Facilities
- Linen Supplied
- Microwave
- Non-Smoking
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Spa Bath
- Swimming Pool
- Towels Supplied
- Washing Machine
- a platter of fresh-baked scones with home-made berry jam and cream on arrival
- a stack of hot buttermilk pancakes delivered to you for the first breakfast
- a vase of fragrant roses on your table
- in house beauty or massage treatments can be arranged
- lots of chooks
- pool is in-ground, salt water and heated
- stainless steel outdoor kitchen by the pool
Prices
Tariffs are per night for one couple with additional costs for additional adults or children. All year there is a "two couple" rate on weekends which is the tariff for one couple plus $100 per night.
Discounts
Stay before 01 Jun 2013 for 10% off.
A four-day midweek stay out of school holidays is offered @ $732 for a couple as "stay 4 nights and pay for 3 nights". Includes complimentary buttermilk pancakes w maple syrup and lemon on first morning. Valid until 3/11/13.
Note: Pricing is subject to change, and a minimum stay period and other conditions may apply. You should confirm pricing with the property owner.
Prices listed based on 2 adults. Property has 4 beds and can sleep a maximum 5 people.
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