Catherine Hill Bay, fondly referred to as Catho by the locals, is only one hour from Hornsby, Sydney and half an hour from Newcastle. As an old coal mining town (suppling the coal to Sydney in the old days) it has about 100 original miners cottages; many of them in almost original state. Located in “Middle Camp”, Flowers Cottage has been lovingly restored. It can accommodate up to 7 people (including children) but sorry no pets. The original miner’s cottage (built in 1908) has 3 bedrooms (one with king-size bed, one with queen-size and one with a single bed and bunkbed) and a sitting room, and is linked to generous new living room and kitchen/dining area. The cottage, which retains the original floorboards and many other heritage features, has recently been up-dated (architect-designed) to ensure that you thoroughly enjoy your stay. The new kitchen, dining and living room has just been added as well as a second bathroom. A slow-combustion stove keeps the living areas cosy in winter and all bedrooms have pedestal fans and heaters for winter. Two large decks (one covered for all-year use) provide some beautiful outdoor space and a barbeque area. The ocean beach is a short stroll away and Lake Macquarie is a couple of minutes by car. There’s good fishing at both the ocean beach and lake as well as the famous swimming, surfing and boating opportunities. The surrounding bush provides some interesting walks and if you are lucky you can still find some relics of the old mining town or railway. Linen, bath towels, quilts, pillows, and electric blankets (in winter) are all provided. A deposit bond of $500.00 is required. It will be held by HomeAway and will be refunded in full by them within 7 days of departure if no excessive cleaning is required, if there are no additional unauthorized guests or pets, and if the property is left in a tidy state with no damages or loss of property found on departure. Call Deborah for more information and availability. [PID-STRA-8444]