This was published 14 years ago
Beachmour, Dalmeny review: High on style, low on water
Lap of luxury ... the inviting deck has views across the wetlands.
Angie Kelly finds this South Coast beach house makes an instant impression on visitors.
When we drooled over luscious online images posted online of Beachmour's interior – which looked good enough to use in a high-end home decor magazine – we also formed the impression that the house was right on the sand at Duesbury's Beach, near Narooma, making the water a mere bare-footed stroll from the back door.
When we got there, however, we were disappointed to find a road between the house and the beach car park.
It's possible we felt more annoyed by this than was fair because we were at the tired and cranky end of a six-hour drive.
The property is too far from Sydney for a two-night getaway. A much better plan would be to stay there for a week, as most holidaymakers who raved about the house in the visitor's book had done.
High on style, Beachmour's interior palette of neutrals, chocolate and blue makes an instant impression.
Three flat-screen televisions, two iPod docking stations, a modern kitchen with a basics-filled pantry and drawers full of fancy accoutrements, a spa bath and comfy, contemporary furniture made for a thoroughly modern home away from home.
We were pleased to find a good selection of books, toys and games, too, as both days of our stay were too cold and windy for the beach.
Just outside the back door is a top-of-the-line barbecue, extra-long dining table and a huge outdoor fireplace, making alfresco eating a year-round prospect. The backyard also adjoins a wetland and the visiting ducks were a hit with the children. Your own pets are welcome, too, and a concierge service is available if you want deliveries of fresh seafood or bread.
Beachmour sleeps up to eight, configured as two king bedrooms with ocean views and one small double-bunk room into which we crammed the little ones.
The house is a five-minute drive to the pretty seaside town of Dalmeny. The weekend we visited this tranquil spot, the mighty Narooma Devils had won the local rugby league premiership and, by Monday morning, their sleepless celebration had progressed to Dalmeny's Oasis Cafe. The boys were still pumped, if a bit bleary eyed, and the language was colourful.
The Oasis is the only place in town for a coffee and we soaked up the local culture as we waited. "This is the best bacon-and-egg roll ever!" exclaimed one player, in a ringing endorsement of the cuisine."F---ing oath," agreed his mate through a mouthful. Acting on this culinary review, we had breakfast there, too. The courtyard has ocean glimpses and while the service was slow the brekkies were indeed f---ing excellent.
Just 10 minutes south from the house is the resort town of Narooma. The Visitor Information Centre on Narooma's main street has brochures and great ideas for just about everything there is to do in the Eurobodalla region. When the weather is good, it's all about water activities.
The area is home to more than 100 kilometres of coastline and 80 beaches. In Narooma itself, the Wagonga Inlet is a lovely azure colour and beckons young explorers with charter or boat hire available. Surfing, kayaking, fishing and diving adventures are not far away and whale watching is a staple in spring.
Our rather more tame bike-riding mission started at a local petrol station, which had a supply of old and battered cycles, rented for $20 a day. Sadly for our little ones under seven, the servo didn't have any children's bikes so the family trip had to be abandoned.
The grown-ups left behind braved the nearly-completed Narooma-to-Dalmeny cycleway. We were told by locals this gorgeous six-kilometre coastal path had been built largely with local money and volunteer expertise – mainly because people got tired of waiting for the government. A highlight of this lovely seaside ride, also popular with walkers, is a scoot around the Mill Bay Boardwalk, where we saw seals playing in the shallows.
The writer was a guest of Beachmour and Tourism NSW.
TRIP NOTES
WHERE Beachmour 1, Ocean Drive, Duesbury Beach, Dalmeny. Phone (02) 9664 5505, see beachmour.com.
HOW MUCH $595 a night (plus GST) high season; $395 a night low season (plus GST). Concierge service extra.
BEST THING Mod cons galore, luxe furniture, plenty to do over a week-long stay.
WORST THING A shared en suite made life interesting and low water pressure meant long waits for the showers.
LOCAL SECRET Anton's, about 10 minutes along the Narooma-Dalmeny bike path, is a popular BYO cafe-with-a-view that serves everything from seafood feasts to hamburgers. Phone (02) 4476 1802.
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