The beach is at the bottom of the garden. Neighbours leave their boats there, pulled up on the sand above high-water mark. Sometimes you’ll share the waves with dolphins, but if there are people swimming too, chances are you’ll know them.
The house is on a big block, facing north over the water. All the rooms have lovely views, most of them look at the sea. After the morning swim, have breakfast in the sunshine on the deck, or sit in the dining room with glass on three sides and watch the parrots, the wattle-birds and the spine-bills feeding on native blossoms.
Sheltered from the southerlies, tempered by the ocean, this might be the best micro-climate in the country. The citrus trees think so. Make juice from your own oranges or pick a lemon to squeeze on the fish you’ve caught. The kitchen is state-of-the-art, and you can match the food with wine from the 1900-bottle cellar.
If you can tear yourself away from all this beauty the usual amenities are nearby, there are flights every day to Sydney and Melbourne, there’s an Austar dish on the roof and high-speed broadband on tap.