Set on a leafy 2-acre block that's only 4 minutes drive from One Mile Beach, the Bird House is a comfy, freshly renovated home that offers multiple indoor and outdoor living areas, 4 bedrooms, hammock, BBQ, Wifi, an Xbox and lots of games. The house is fenced off from the rest of the block, so you have your own private, family-friendly gardens front and back. These are surrounded by wild gardens and the national park, providing a tranquil haven that attracts birds and other wildlife.

The Bird House is a labour of love. I want to protect and share the unique house my mum and dad built with their own hands. And I want to create two sets of gardens on the 2-acre block. One is for humans to enjoy, with lawns and garden beds and a BBQ and hammock. The other is a wild garden that attracts, protects and sustains native birds and other wildlife. I have a cabin on the far side of the shed from the Bird House. Most of the time, you have complete privacy. If you need help with anything, you can phone or text me and I can take care of any questions. I can also offer suggestions on the best beaches to visit given the prevailing weather at the time, top snorkelling spots, interesting walks and that sort of thing.

The Bird House is perfectly located for exploring the area. You can walk to Samurai Beach and One Mile via a trail through Tomaree National Park in around 15 minutes, or drive to One Mile in under 4 minutes. Both beaches offer excellent surfing in the right conditions, and One Mile has a patrolled and kid-safe area at the southern end, near the car park. There's also a surf-school and a cafe. There are another two beaches only 2 minutes drive beyond One Mile: Boat Harbour is a relatively protected, shallow and kid-friendly beach, and nearby Kingsley is a small, ocean-facing beach that gets good waves on occasion and is relatively quite, even in peak season. 8 minutes drive south from The Bird House brings you to Anna Bay and Birubi Beach, which often produces excellent surf and gives you fantastic views of the famous sand-dunes that stretch all the way to Newcastle. There's also a shopping centre with an IGA, cafes, service station, bottle shop and takeaways. Head north from The Bird House and you drive through Tomaree National Park to the main shopping centre at Salamander, or head straight through to the village of Nelson Bay, with views of Port Stephens, and many cafes, restaurants, clubs and shops. Nelson Bay Beach, Dutchies Beach, Little Beach and Shoal Bay beach all offer harbourside swimming, and there's excellent snorkelling in the protected zone at Fly Point. Little Beach also has a great spot for picnics where you can watch the sun set over the harbour. At the eastern end of Shoal Bay, you come to Tomaree Headland which has a walkway to the summit that gives you 360 degree views of the whole port, offshore islands and coast, including nearby Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches and the spectacular sand spit connecting one island to the coast at Fingal Bay. Tomaree is also the start of the famous coastal hiking trail that takes you through the National Park all the way to Anna Bay, passing multiple beaches (and The Bird House :-) on the way.