This was published 12 years ago
Callala Beachside Escape, Jervis Bay review: Beachside tribal rendezvous
Big fun ... the spacious living area.Credit: Sacha Molitorisz
Two families plus friends on holiday might spell trouble. Not for Sacha Molitorisz.
It's a simple equation. Our family plus summer plus holiday house equals fun. We've tested the equation repeatedly. Recently, however, we boldly - some might say foolishly - tested another: our family plus another family plus a bunch of friends plus a lot of kids plus summer plus holiday house equals ...
Well, what does it equal, exactly?
Arriving at Jervis Bay in the late afternoon, the waters were sparkling, the sand looked bleached and the birds were harmonising criss-cross arias as if they had been practising all day. The omens were good.
Our family of four was first to pull into the driveway of Callala Beachside Escape, a boxy building that might have been an architect's study of right angles. Rising from a neat front yard, it was squat, broad and entirely unpretentious, its blue trim reflecting the cool waters of the bay, just across the road.
Stepping inside, we were even more pleased. The downstairs area was divided into a practical kitchen and a cosy dining area, with a bathroom and a bedroom-rumpus area off to one side.
The upstairs was dominated by a spacious living area, complete with a large television, tiny stereo and imposing telescope - the skies above Jervis were clear enough to reveal their celestial bodies.
Also off the living room was a balcony that ran the length of the house. The living room and balcony, I could already tell, would be where we were going to spend much of our time. I had visions of enthralling conversations with friends during which I would nod sagely, pretending to listen, before letting my gaze drift to Point Perpendicular.
I also had visions of reading on one of the comfy couches. A holiday is, of course, defined largely by the book one is immersed in. At this point, I was halfway through Keith Richards's autobiography, Life, in which he recalls writing a boyhood letter to his aunt. "I wonder on which day the English summer falls this year," he writes. Our family and friends had been hoping that this year's Aussie summer fell during our stay in Jervis.
Meanwhile, I was hoping that I didn't fall. In December, I heard a pop as my Achilles tendon ruptured. As a result, I came to Jervis Bay on crutches. Boy, were my arms tired. An advantage of Callala Beachside Escape is that there is just one set of stairs to navigate.
The house looked perfect, until we stepped into the backyard. This was even better, large and level and punctuated by well-established native trees including eucalypts and banksias. Hence all the birdsong. There were two showers and a second toilet out here. The adults would be able to sit around and sip bubbles while the kids played hide-and-seek. Or, more probably, with the new apps on our smartphones.
Then our friends arrived. Suddenly, the quiet property was noisy, as they, too, proclaimed their delight with our newly renovated, two-storey digs. We took our seats in the upstairs living room and the conversation began to flow. I let my gaze drift out to the bay. Words drifted over me like clouds.
"As a journalist, do you just write the first half-baked thought that comes into your ..." I nodded serenely.
That night, we enjoyed the first of several home-cooked meals. Actually, given the meticulous indulgence, they were more like degustations. Or rampages. Despite our best efforts, the large gas barbecue proved up to the challenge.
By day, we swam and took walks along the beach. At low tide, as it turns out, Callala beach was suitable for crutches as the water pulled back to reveal a broad, flat expanse of hard sand. This was when the bay was at its prettiest.
One afternoon, I was seated on the beach, nodding enigmatically at something or other that was being said, when a dolphin watch vessel cruised towards us. The dolphins must be close, we thought. And they were. Soon they were showing off, Kardashian-like, with one particularly extroverted cetacean leaping from the water to perform a pirouette.
At that point, our holiday was complete. Sure, the weather had been cool and gusty, but we'd had sun, too. Better yet, we had reconnected with friends and I can confirm that our family plus another family plus a bunch of friends plus a lot of kids plus summer plus holiday house equals big fun.
Weekends Away are reviewed anonymously and paid for by Traveller.
VISITORS' BOOK
Callala Beachside Escape
Address 44 Greenway Road, Callala Beach, Jervis Bay.
The verdict Across the road from one of the state's most spectacular beaches, this spacious, recently-renovated house comfortably sleeps up to nine adults.
Price From $145 to $315 a night (with a two-night minimum); from $1015 to $2205 a week.
Bookings See stayz.com.au/82281.
Getting there From Sydney, it's a 180-kilometre, two-and-a-half-hour drive south. Take the Princes Highway and shortly after Nowra, turn left onto Forest Road, then right onto Callala Beach Road. The last street on the left is Greenway Road.
Wheelchair access No.
Perfect for A gathering of tribes.
While you're there At low tide, walk south along Callala Beach for about four kilometres to Currambene Creek. On the other side of the creek is Huskisson. Take a dolphin watch cruise. Fish, sail and bush walk in Budderoo National Park. Visit the lighthouse at Point Perpendicular.
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