Hospitality Description: As experienced AirBNB hosts at our previous home in Sydney, we are happy to accommodate visitors whilst we are home, and can willingly show you around the local area.
Statistics
Listed August 2025
Views 1353
General Overview
Enjoying an elevated position, our two story home has beautiful views of the South Pacific Ocean and the expansive Lake Macquarie. We also benefit from the cooling ocean breezes in Summertime.
The Space
The spacious downstairs living/dining is open plan, there is a bathroom (with deep bath for relaxing) and separate toilet.
Two bedrooms have ceiling fans and queen size beds. One also has air-con.
There is also a study with a sofa bed, which could be used as a 4th bedroom.
The living room has Apple TV with access to stream various viewing platforms and a Bose sound system.
Upstairs is the parent’s retreat, where you can take in the magnificent ocean views, way down to Swansea Heads where the Ocean enters Lake Macquarie.
The master bedroom features a luxurious super-king sized bed and an en-suite bathroom & roomy walk-in wardrobe.
The fully fenced garden provides a safe space for kids and fur-babies alike.
You can keep an eye on them while relaxing on the deck watching the sunset & cooking up a BBQ.
Guest Access
Our home is 2 stories & has steps front and back.
Features
Fridge
WiFi
Bed sheets
Oven
Towels
Washer
TV
Heating
Hair dryer
Microwave
Iron
Dishwasher
Smoke alarms
Workspace
Clothes dryer
Coffee machine
High Speed Internet
Garden / yard
Bathtub
Air conditioning
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
BBQ
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Balcony
Fireplace
Toys
Covered porch / verandah
Bikes
Pool
Gym
Wheelchair accessible
Home cinema
Hot tub
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Standup paddleboard
Camping gear
Kayak
Sauna
Tennis court
Meat-free kitchen
Kosher home
Piano
Travel Styles
Long term
Weekend
Budget
Family
Romantic
Sport and leisure
Foodie
Relaxing
Beach
Water
Last minute
House Rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets welcome
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Smoke free
Dates of Availability
Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.
Available
Neighbourhood
There is plenty to do in the surrounding area.
For the active, choose water activities on the lake or ocean or there are many parks and bush walks nearby. The Fernleigh Track is a local favourite for runners/walkers and cyclists. Stop in at Redhead beach for a coffee and take a look at the iconic shark tower.
The city of Newcastle is 20 minutes away, where you will find first-class restaurants and coffee shops close to the magnificent harbour. You can choose to unwind at one of the numerous city beaches or ocean pools or enjoy the relaxed urban vibe in one of the many breweries or wine bars.
The famous Hunter Valley wineries are close by if you crave a gourmet day trip to sample the region’s best wine and food, or choose to visit Port Stephens and Nelson Bay with its crystal clear waters for whale watching.
Getting to my home
Easy 2 hour drive from Sydney. The train takes 2.5 hours from Sydney central Station to Newcastle Interchange.
Newcastle Airport is 45 min drive.
Nearest airport
Newcastle Airport is approx 28km away.
Getting Around
A car is ideal for getting around & there is also public transport within walking distance.
The nearest train station is an easy 15mins drive away, giving a direct link to/from Sydney CBD.
Newcastle airport is a 45mins drive & has direct flights to Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ballina/Byron Bay, Cairns, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Adelaide along with direct international flights to Bali, Indonesia.
The Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region has so much to offer and also places you within easy reach of Sydney and other major Australian destinations.
Map of Approximate Location
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People Like Us Local Guide
We love to explore our local area & would be happy to give advice or be a guide around this beautiful region.
Denise & Ivan are such generous hosts!!! They shared with us the beautiful, interesting and different highlights of Newcastle & Lake Macquarie! Disappointed we didn’t have more time to explore the environs. There are so many places that we plan to come back.
Denise & Ivan went out of there way to meet us at the train station after our train travel was disrupted with track works. We shared a delicious meal that they had prepared. Denise & Ivan went above & beyond to make us comfortable in their lovely home.
We are now looking forward to welcoming Denise & Ivan to our home @ Agnes Water.
We had a wonderful three-night stay with Denise and Ivan in Belmont. From the moment we arrived, they made us feel incredibly welcome.
Denise kindly prepared two dinners for us, including a delicious homemade lasagna, and shared excellent recommendations for family-friendly activities in the area. Ivan who had just returned from a long trip to North Queensland, kindly took out his motorcycles and took my children for a ride they will never forget.
We also enjoyed watching the World Cup together and cheering on France, my home country, after Australia and Canada had been eliminated.
Their home is spacious, comfortable, and ideally located just minutes from the beach. Even in the middle of the Australian winter, my children had a fantastic time swimming, exploring the caves at Caves Beach, and playing on the sand. One of our favourite outings was the Blackbutt Reserve, where the children could see Australian wildlife up close and enjoy the beautiful playgrounds. The reserve is free to enter, with only a small parking fee.
Although I enjoyed visiting Sydney, I much preferred spending time in this beautiful coastal area. We truly hope to return one day and, in the meantime, look forward to welcoming Denise and Ivan to our home in Montreal and showing them the same generosity they showed us.
Thank you, Denise and Ivan, for making our stay so memorable.
We really loved Denise and Ivan’s home - it is modern, clean and beautifully styled with a relaxed coastal feel. Their place was super tidy and well looked after which made it really easy to settle in and feel comfortable.
The decor gives it such a light, fresh vibe and you can tell a lot of thought has gone into creating a calm, welcoming space. It felt both stylish and homely.
We decided to extend our Sydney stay and chose the scenic Lake Macquarie region and are so glad we did.
We had such a wonderful stay with Denise & Ivan in Belmont North from the moment we made our initial contact through PLU months previously, to when we arrived at their home, they made us feel completely comfortable with their warm hospitality and genuine kindness.
They generously cooked for us and ensured we had everything we needed, which made the whole experience feel really special.
Denise and Ivan were helpful in suggesting places to visit and things to do during our stay which ranged from many sporting activities in and around Lake Macquarie to touring the Hunter Valley wineries, which are not to be missed! Their local knowledge helped us make the most of our time and we discovered spots we never would have found on our own.
Overall, it was great to spend time with them. Grahame and I are incredibly grateful for the experience and would absolutely recommend exchanging with Denise and Ivan. Their location and home was a fantastic place to stay.
This is part two of two of our exchange with Denise and Ivan:
We were very happy to have a chance to be hosted by Denise and Ivan in their beautiful and comfortable home as their first exchange partners with PLU.
Denise and Ivan are experienced travellers and great hosts. They took us to drives and showed us Belmont, New Castle and the beautiful beaches in the area. With our rental car we explored the neighbourhood that has a lot to offer - from beaches to top wineries.
We had wonderful dinners together and many conversations about travelling and many other themes. We felt at home and had so much fun!
We highly recommend exchanging with Denise and Ivan and hope to welcome them soon in our apartment in Cape Town!!
This is part one of two of our exchange with Denise and Ivan:
We were very happy to have a chance to be hosted by Denise and Ivan in their beautiful and comfortable home as their first exchange partners with PLU.
Denise and Ivan are experienced travellers and great hosts. They took us to drives and showed us Belmont, New Castle and the beautiful beaches in the area. With our rental car we explored the neighbourhood that has a lot to offer - from beaches to top wineries.
We had wonderful dinners together and many conversations about travelling and many other themes. We felt at home and had so much fun!
We highly recommend exchanging with Denise and Ivan and hope to welcome them soon in our apartment in Cape Town!
It was a pleasure to host Denise and Ivan at my home in Somerset. They were extremly felxible which enabled the non sim swap to happen, as the house is on the market and I was navigating a window when there were less likely to be viewing requests.
Their communication is excellent and they kept me updated on their arrival time. It was lovely to meet them and have lunch together.
The house was left spotless and we are going to arrange my visit to them when it is mutually convienient.
Highly recommend them as exchangers.
Denise & Ivan were model guests, even though I didn’t meet them (I was hoping to). They communicated well and left my home spotless as all experienced home exchangers do and left lovely gifts. They are most welcome back.
Denis & Ivan were considerate, clean & tidy guests in our home. When we arrived back they had left everything just perfect.
We happily recommended Denise and Ivan as exchange partners
We loved meeting Sandra & Reg at the Sydney PLU meet-up. As chance would have it, they were heading up to our home town the following week, so we were able to host them at our place and get to spend some more time together.
As they are very experienced home exchangers and widely travelled, we had lots to chat about and we loved the opportunity to showcase Newcastle and Lake Macquarie to them. They were excellent company and very courteous guests, we feel that we have gained 2 more lovely friends - thanks to PLU!
Feedback for CELINE·Non-Simultaneous exchange·2 nights
Céline, Miika and Laureva stayed with us recently during their ‘Big Australian Trip’!
Celine was friendly and engaging, she is widely travelled and we had many interesting conversations.
The young ones
were very polite and respectful of our space. They were also lots of fun and enjoyed exploring our local beaches.
We look forward to catching up with the family again in the future & would highly recommend them as guests to all in the PLU community.
Feedback for Laura·Non-Reciprocal exchange·5 nights
Little Maunditts Cottage is both stylish and functional.
Everything you could possibly need has been provided for a large group as the space could easily sleep 7+.
We loved the fact that all 3 bedrooms had en-suites - although we only made use of one of the bedrooms.
We very much appreciated the hamper of goodies & thoughtful touches which Laura left in the cottage.
There was also lots of local information and numerous maps.
Sherston is located within easy access to the glorious Cotswolds & the City of Bath.
We particularly enjoyed Castle Combe and Bourton on The Water, even with the crowds of tourists. Next time we would plan to get there earlier in the day.
We frequented the Rattlebone Pub on more than one occasion & were made very welcome by the locals.
If you are looking for a place to stay in the Cotswolds, we would highly recommend Laura’s cottage - we loved it and it was absolutely faultless.
Feedback for Fiona·Non-Simultaneous exchange·3 nights
Fiona was a perfect host during our recent stay. She was even kind enough to prepare lunch for us so that we could chat when we first arrived.
She was very warm & friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the local area.
Her communication was clear & very informative.
We were easily able to explore the quirky city of
Glastonbury & also the nearby City of Wells.
Fiona’s home is compact & cozy - with everything clearly labelled for the convenience of her guests.
We loved the easy walk into town, and enjoyed exploring Glastonbury and further afield.
We’d recommend staying at Fiona’s house if you are visiting the area in the near future.
Feedback for Simon·Non-Reciprocal exchange·3 nights
Unfortunately our plans didn’t align & we left before meeting up with Simon.
His home is lovely - we had use of the whole of the downstairs area which meant that we had everything we needed for our short stay in Lutterworth.
The area is well located for transport links all around the UK and was a great stopping off point for our trip from the North.
The home is very clean and modern - we also loved the huge TV!
We would encourage Simon to continue his PLU membership so that other members can enjoy his hospitality and so that we can extend the invitation for him to stay at our house next time he visits Australia
Feedback for Deb & Grahame·Non-Simultaneous exchange·16 nights
We recently spent two weeks in Deb & Graham’s lovely house in York.
Their house has recently been remodelled to a modern and stylish home. There is everything you need for a relaxing stay, very close to the historic city of York which is easily reached by walking, or the regular bus service. There is also off-street parking if you arrive by car.
Communication with Deb & Graham before & during our stay was excellent and we always felt secure in the home, knowing that any questions we had would be answered straight away.
We enjoyed the Yorkshire hospitality- everyone is very friendly and welcoming!
York City is amazing and there are new things to find at every twist and turn, we enjoyed ambling around the cobbled streets and taking in the history which is truly remarkable.
We were also able to explore the picturesque local towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough and the stunningly beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
York is also a transport hub and we caught the train to London for a couple of days away.
We feel like we were in a home from home at Deb & Graham’s comfortable house and would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of visiting York, we could not have asked for better exchange partners and hope to visit again next time we are in the UK.
Feedback for Deb & Grahame·Non-Simultaneous exchange·20 nights
We were lucky enough to host Deb & Grahame in our home recently.
We thoroughly enjoyed their company as they are very easy going & amicable. They also had a wealth of knowledge due to their own experiences with past home exchanges. We greatly value their tips and recommendations.
Communication leading up to & during their visit was excellent and we can’t wait to visit their lovely home in York (England) next month.
We hope to keep in touch with D & G and see them again in the future. They epitomise the ‘People Like Us’ ethos, bringing warmth & friendship to our lovely home exchange community.
Elza & Thomas were our very first PLU guests & we were lucky enough to host them in our home, so we were able to spend time getting to know each other & share our stories.
We could not have asked for a better experience! Elza & Thomas are so friendly and helpful, they are seasoned travellers & ‘PLU-ers’, so they were able to pass on valuable advice to us as we start our home exchange adventures.
Elza & Thomas were wonderful guests, they are very thoughtful & considerate and left the space in an immaculate condition.
We would welcome them back in a heartbeat, & hope to one day be lucky enough to be able to stay at their beautiful place in Hout Bay, Capetown. 💕
Elza & Thomas were our very first PLU guests & we were lucky enough to host them in our home, so we were able to spend time getting to know each other & share our stories.
We could not have asked for a better experience! Elza & Thomas are so friendly and helpful, they are seasoned travellers & ‘PLU-ers’, so they were able to pass on valuable advice to us as we start our home exchange adventures.
Elza & Thomas were wonderful guests, they are very thoughtful & considerate and left the space in an immaculate condition.
We would welcome them back in a heartbeat, & hope to one day be lucky enough to be able to stay at their beautiful place in Hout Bay, Capetown. 💕
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